BUILD A BETTER BREAKFAST

You have probably heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While it may not necessarily be more important than lunch or dinner, it is a meal that many of us tend to skip for a variety of reasons. A recent study suggests that skipping breakfast may do more harm than we previously thought. Skipping breakfast tends to leave us low on energy and extra hungry at lunch, but it may also increase our risk of dying from heart disease. Here are some tips to start your day off right with breakfast:

GET SOME GRAINS
Breakfast is a perfect time to get in some whole grains. There are so many delicious options – oatmeal, whole grain muffins, and even whole grain pancakes – to choose from. Be cautious with portion size though. While whole grains are good, breakfast grains in general can get a little out of hand with their portion size. If it doesn’t fit in your hand, it might be a little too big.

FRUIT AND VEGGIES
Fruit gets a lot of attention at breakfast and it is a great choice, but don’t forget the veggies. Most of us could use more vegetables each day, so starting out with some at breakfast gets you on the right track. Vegetables add color, flavor and nutrients to omelets, scrambles and frittatas. Vegetables not typically eaten at breakfast are finding their way on to menus in the form of vegetable hash, smoothies and even breakfast salads and are all worth trying.

DRINK WISELY
Coffee and tea are two of the most popular breakfast drinks, but they vary widely in how well they help us start our day. Be cautious of add ins that are high in sugar and calories that add up quickly and are easy to overdo in a drink. Breakfast is also a good time to start hydrating. With little to no water intake overnight, your body will thank you for adding a glass of water to your morning routine.

Reference:1. Shuang Rong, Linda G. Snetselaar, Guifeng Xu, Yangbo Sun, Buyun Liu, Robert B. Wallace, Wei Bao. Association of Skipping Breakfast With Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality. Journal of the American College of Cardiology Apr 2019, 73 (16) 2025-2032

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RD
JULY 2019
balanceittakesyou.com

Read More

Should breakfast be the new dinner?

Have you heard that eating late at night is bad for you? While the bigger impact usually comes from the type of foods we tend to eat late at night more than when we eat them, there may be some benefits to adjusting when we eat.

Does meal time matter?
Many of us eat in a way that has our meals getting larger as the day goes on – lunch is bigger than breakfast and dinner is bigger than lunch. New research suggests that this may not be the best way to eat to maximize health. Our bodies seem to react better to larger meals eaten earlier in the day than ones eaten later. A few benefits to the earlier meals include better blood sugar control and better weight management. We may even burn more calories after meals eaten earlier in the day.

How does our body know what time it is?
Our internal clocks, influenced by external cues like sunlight or darkness, make up our circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms can influence when we sleep, our body temperature and other important bodily functions. Abnormal circadian rhythms have been connected to sleep problems and a variety of health issues including diabetes, obesity and depression. It also seems that circadian rhythms can help determine how we react to the food we eat.

Bottom Line
A larger breakfast and lunch, with a smaller dinner may be a better pattern for some people. Circadian rhythms have a genetic component, so we all likely react a little bit differently to meal times. If you find that you feel better, and are better able to achieve your health goals with swapping your larger meals to earlier in the day, it may be a good habit to adopt with almost no downside

REFERENCES:
1. Bo S, et al. Is the timing of caloric intake associated with variation in diet-induced thermogenesis and in the metabolic pattern? A randomized cross-over study. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Dec;39(12):1689-95
2. Circadian Rhythms Fact Sheet. National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Available at: https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx.

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RD.
March 2016

Read More

Off To A Healthy Start?

No matter how many times we’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, many of us still don’t give breakfast much thought. Whether we choose fast over healthy while on the run or skip breakfast all together, much of the time we are not providing our bodies with the proper fuel to start the day.

Is breakfast really that important?
Recent research says yes. People who eat a healthy breakfast tend to get more of the important nutrients we need. Traditional breakfast foods tend to be good sources of key nutrients like fiber, calcium, vitamin D and others that we may not otherwise be getting enough of. Healthy breakfast eaters may also be better at managing their weight.

What’s for breakfast?
While simply eating breakfast is a good thing, it is what we eat that is most important. Try these suggestions for a healthy breakfast:

• Whole grain cereal with low fat milk and fresh fruit
• Low fat yogurt with granola and dried fruit
• Whole wheat pancakes or muffin with fresh berries and a glass of skim milk
• Peanut butter and banana on a whole grain bagel
• Vegetable egg white frittata with whole wheat toast
• Not usually hungry in the morning? Start off small to get in the breakfast habit.
• Venture off the traditional breakfast menu. If you like salads, try them at breakfast. It might seem funny at first, but the key is to get the energy you need to start your day off right. Whichever food you choose to gain that energy is up to you!

Make it a family affair.
Children with parents who eat breakfast are more likely to eat breakfast themselves. Make breakfast a daily habit for your family. Everyone will reap the benefits and you may help to instill a lifelong healthy habit in your children.

REFERENCES:
1. O’Neil, Carol E. et al. Nutrient Intake, Diet Quality, and Weight/Adiposity Parameters in Breakfast Patterns Compared with No Breakfast in Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2008 J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014; 114: S27-S43.
2. Pearson N, Biddle SJ, Gorely T. Family correlates of breakfast consumption among children and adolescents. A systematic review. Appetite. 2009 Feb;52(1):1-7. Epub 2008 Aug 22. Review.

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RD.
October 2015

Read More

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

They aren't lying when they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! When you skip breakfast you are missing out on some valuable nutrients to help start off your day. There are many good reasons to make sure you eat breakfast:

• It can help you include more vitamins and minerals into your daily intake.
• You will have better focus and concentration during your early morning classes.
• It has been shown to help with weight control as it can decrease hunger later in the day and help to avoid overeating.
• It helps to refuel your body and replenish the stores that provide your body with energy during the day.

Even if you are in a rush and feel that you don’t have to time for breakfast you can grab something on the go! Thinking ahead is one way to help you make healthy choices in the morning. Pack a healthy option in your backpack the night before (cereal bar, granola bar, dry cereal or a piece of fruit) or stop at Outtakes in the morning to grab a healthy on-the-go option. A smoothie made with fruit and low-fat yogurt can also be a great quick option.

If you have more time to sit down and eat breakfast here are some healthy options:

• Whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and a piece of fruit. The best is a cereal that has at least 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams or less of sugar.
• Whole-grain bagel or waffle with peanut butter, a piece of fruit and some milk.
• Oatmeal (make it with milk to add more nutrients) with fruit or almonds.
• An omelet with vegetables added.
• Yogurt with low-fat granola and some fruit.
• Whole wheat crackers with cheese or peanut butter.

If you are skipping breakfast in the hopes of decreasing your calorie intake to meet a weight loss goal you may want to reconsider this strategy. When you begin to skip breakfast regularly you will be so hungry at lunchtime that you may over-eat and are more likely to make unhealthy choices. Eating three well-balanced meals a day will keep your body healthy as well as help keep you energized to make it through your busy schedule.

Resources:

1. Breakfast: How does it help weight control? Mayo Clinic. www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119
2. Healthy breakfast: Quick, flexible options to grab at home. Mayo Clinic. www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/NU00197

Read More