My grandmother said it, and so did yours: “Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day.” Although somewhat simplistic, this statement reflects not only old-world values but physiologic biochemistry.
People who begin their day with a breakfast that is nothing more than a junk heap of refined carbohydrates are truly starting off on the wrong foot. Carlton Fredricks, the famed nutritionist, was one of the first people to speak out against America’s overindulgence with sugar. Not only are most breakfast foods highly caloric, they have the ability to set into motion insulin resistance and a pattern of glucose instability throughout the day.
Donuts, pancakes, French toast, waffles, bagels, syrupy coffee concoctions all have in common an absolute lack of nutrition and a 100% composition of sugar. Take a look at the shape of people who start their day with these foods. Or better yet, take a look at yourself. “Saving money” by making a glazed donut your breakfast will be offset eventually by the high price of prescription medication for one or more of the illnesses caused by the metabolic syndrome.
A healthy breakfast should be a balanced one, namely one that includes good carbohydrates and protein. The caloric total should not exceed 500 calories, since this is 25% of one’s daily needs. A very healthy breakfast might even “weigh in” with 250 calories. Now take a look in person or online at the calorie content of breakfasts foisted on you by the fast food industry. Who needs 800 to 1100 calories upon waking up from a deep sleep? Perhaps a construction worker, an athlete, or a hiker in the Himalayas. Certainly not you or your children.
If you want to know if a friend or colleague has good nutritional insights, the easiest way is simply to ask him or her what was for breakfast. And if you are struggling with weight, changing your breakfast is probably the first thing you should do.
Here are some great ideas that can start you on the road to enlightenment. The longest journey begins with a single step. The pathway to better health should start with your next breakfast.
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And now here are some excellent breakfast tips from an honored colleague:
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Hi everyone, this is Jennifer, and you may have heard Dr. Fischer mention my name on this week’s show. I have been very fortunate to work with Dr. Fischer as his practice nurse for the past 2 ½ years.
I would like to share with you some of my favorite breakfast items. For starters I always enjoy a cup of Jasmine-Green tea without milk or sugar (this is such a flavorful tea that additives are unnecessary).
On mornings when I may not have much of an appetite I will have a vanilla yogurt with a few blueberries added in. This will run you anywhere from 150-200 calories.
There are other mornings that I wake up and require something a little more substantial. On these days I may have a frittata (a baked omelet) made with egg whites, tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese; about 230 calories. One of my other recommendations is actually my favorite of breakfast items and that is one poached egg over a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal. For a little extra flavor I sometimes sprinkle Parmigiao-Reggiano cheese right over the top; for a total calorie count of 230 calories. Besides being absolutely delicious, the combination of protein and carbohydrates will keep your appetite satiated right till lunchtime.
A healthy breakfast is exactly what you need to start your day off right.
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