The Most Important Meal of the Day: Make it Count

June 11, 2018

Breakfast is commonly referred to as the most important meal of the day, but many children do not start the day with a breakfast that contributes to better body and mind. In fact, most breakfast foods can actually diminish a child’s performance. But before I tell you how to make breakfast that counts, you need to first understand why the right breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

 

Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?

 

• Less snacking – Eating high fiber, healthy breakfasts keep your children’s blood sugar balanced for greater energy and sounder mind. It also decreases their need to eat unhealthy foods throughout the day.

 

• Weight control – Balanced blood sugar along with less need for unhealthy foods, helps to control unwanted weight gain.

 

• Lower cholesterol – Eating nutritious breakfasts help lower bad cholesterol; thus leading to a healthier heart.

 

• Less lethargy, more energy – Providing healthy foods in the morning helps prevent a “sugar crash” in the afternoon.

 

• Better concentration, memory, focus, and attention – Providing nutritious breakfasts promote better concentration, memory, focus, and attention.

 

• Higher academic performances and test scores – By promoting better focus and attention in school, healthy morning foods lead to better test scores and grades.

 

• Better behavior – Some research has shown that children who eat breakfast have better behavior than children who do not.

 

• Less school absences – Research has shown children who eat healthy, nutritious breakfasts tend to have fewer absences from school than children who do not.

 

How to make breakfast count for your children:

 

Now you know why breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so let’s discover how to make it count. Breakfast loses its value when non-nutritious foods are provided. You may feel it’s easier to throw a granola bar, packaged cereal or a toasted waffle at your children, but the problem is, these kinds of nutrient-void and sugar-rich foods actually make things worse during the day.

 

These overly processed convenience foods only fill your children with sugar and unbeneficial calories. Therefore, in order to make breakfast count, give them foods that fill them with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutritious value.

 

• Use sprouted whole-grain, low sugar cereals—or better yet, make real organic oatmeal—and add in some fresh fruit to provide your children with essential vitamins and minerals.

 

• Make a delicious Super Shake with blueberries (or mixed berries), flaxseeds or hempseeds and whey protein. Blended shakes are super nutritious and can be prepared and consumed in about 5-minutes. For added benefit, add in an organic real-food multi vitamin/mineral power (i.e. Samuraw Organic Complete).

 

Breakfast can have positive effects for children’s health and academics. Thus, it is important to provide kids with foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex (as opposed to sugar) carbohydrates in order for your children to reap the full benefits of breakfast and make the most important meal of the day actually count.

 

 

References

Bar-Dayan, Alisa. The Importance of a Healthy Breakfast. About Kids Health. April 2010. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/News/Columns/FitnessAndNutrition/Pages/The-importance-of-a-healthy-breakfast.aspx

 

Breakfast Basics.Kids Health. July 2015. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/breakfast.html#

 

Lesperance, Erica. 5 Important Reasons Your Child Should Eat Breakfast. The Diet Channel. October 2006. http://www.thedietchannel.com/5-Important-Reasons-Your-Child-Should-Eat-Breakfast.htm

 

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