Breakfast does a Body Good!

Great article from Nutrition Babes...check it out!  Thanks Lauren & Kathleen!

If you're a B.A.B.E, you always start off your day with breakfast...right!?!?

Topic: Breakfast
Author: Kathleen A. Siegel
2011-09-05 23:23:25

Start your day off right...with Breakfast!

Your mother was right; breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  We all know that nutrition is essential for proper growth and development in children.  And, starting the day with a good breakfast will have additional benefits as well. 

Breakfast promotes better performance

Studies have consistently shown that children who consume a good breakfast can actually enhance their performance on cognitive tests and in school.  Your body and brain need to be fueled to function well and last night's dinner is no longer providing it!  Consuming a complete breakfast will improve one's cognitive function, memory, punctuality and attention.

Breakfast promotes better behavior

Consuming breakfast at home or in school has displayed a decrease in behavior problems.  In elementary schools, studies displayed when children are hungry there is an increase in behavior problems such as hyperactivity, fighting, stealing, having difficulties with teachers and not following rules.

Breakfast promotes a healthier body

US researchers found that when teenagers regularly consumed breakfast, they were more likely to consume a healthier diet, exercise and have a lower BMI compared to the same age children who regularly skipped breakfast.  Studies have already linked skipping breakfast to a higher BMI.

All together, eating breakfast is a habit that promotes a healthier lifestyle.  Jump start your day with breakfast!

What makes a good breakfast?

An egg, slice of whole wheat toast, almond butter, a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat or skim milk

Whole grain cereal, skim milk, a piece of fruit and yogurt

Whole wheat wrap, egg whites, low-fat cheese and an orange

Low-fat cottage cheese, fruit and a whole wheat English muffin

Whole wheat pancakes, fruit and skim milk

Think protein, fiber and add some color!

Check out some of our breakfast recipes, enjoy!

Banana Pancakes

Fruit and Oatmeal Breakfast Parfait

Grab-and-Go Breakfast Squares

Banana Bread

Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Pie

Frittata

Zucchini Bread Squares

Apple, Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal

Peach and Banana Ambrosia

Marketing Your Food

As I was cooking my eggs this morning (organic & 2/3 egg whites w spinach), I was thinking about how when I have the good fortune of getting my eggs from a local woman, I frequently get an egg with double yolks.  When I buy eggs, even organic (or not), that never happens.  Why?  Because mass-produced eggs get x-rayed (or whatever it is they do) so that all our eggs are perfect..the same size, the same color, etc.  Are we really that pampered?  Seriously, do we have to have all our eggs that uniform?  You can go through a plethora of things we buy and see how it’s been marketed so we like it better:  our pickles are colored with food coloring (NOT good) so they look more “pickle like”, I guess, add all kinds of color so cheese products look “cheesier” & we bleach paper (toilet, writing, towels) SUPER white so it looks better??  To wipe your, well, anyway, there is obviously not a need for it to be super white.  

We color everything, make it all perfect, all so we’ll buy it.  It just seems strange how we’ve gotten to this point.  The whole process really treats us as though we are that dumb, that easily manipulated, that we have to have the “pretty colors” in order to buy the [food].  There have been several studies (possibly) linking food colorants and additives to ADHD.  I don’t know; I’m just sayin’….