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Health Tips

Food for Thought Breakfast Is Essential

In Japan, breakfast is roasted seaweed dipped in soy sauce, boiled rice, pickled radishes and salted plums. In Morocco, breakfast consists of lamb soup, figs and purple grapes. According to Delta Regional Medical Center Dietitian Barbara Lusk, at your house-whether it’s cold cereal, toast or leftover pizza-breakfast provides a jump start that helps both children and adults face the day.

Breakfast leads to better school performance

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) reports children who eat breakfast perform better in school. They demonstrate increased problem-solving ability, verbal fluency and creativity. They’re also more likely to remember what they learned. On the other hand, hungry children often have difficulty concentrating and are fidgety and easily distracted.

The Heaping Nutritional Impact

A healthy breakfast typically accounts for a significant portion of the day’s nutritional intake. “For both you and your children, breakfast foods such as cereal, fruit, juice and dairy products are great sources of low-fat nutrition. Vitamin C, for example, is found in strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, and cantaloupe,” said Barbara Lusk, RD,LD. Complex carbohydrates are plentiful in whole grain cereals and breads, enriched bagels, muffins, waffles or pancakes. Calcium is abundant in low-fat milk and yogurt.

The benefits of eating a healthy breakfast are substantial, considering that:

*dietary fibers (found in many breakfast foods) reduce blood cholesterol, help prevent obesity and promote normal bowel function, and

*children with healthy eating habits are less likely to develop chronic diseases as adults.

Broaden Your Expectations

If your children don’t care for typical breakfast foods, don’t despair. A grilled cheese sandwich, baked potato, spaghetti or tapioca pudding can provide the necessary nutrients. Some children enjoy peanut butter and jelly on a tortilla or fruit kabobs dipped in low-fat yogurt for a twist on the ordinary. As long as your chidren eat a meal in the morning, they should have the energy needed to tackle the day’s activities.

Turn Breakfast Into Child’s Play

Involving your chidren with planning and preparing breakfast will help them look forward to the meal. Ask your children what foods they would like to eat for breakfast, and help them plan a menu for the week. Often, a routine of cold cereal and fruit fits well into hectic weekday schedules, while homemade pancakes and more elaborate meals can be enjoyed on the weekends.

With sufficient planning, you’ll have the time to get every morning off to a nutritious start. “Your children and family will be headed for a lifetime of healthy eating habits,” says Lusk.

For more information on nutrition, contact the Dietitian office at Delta Regional Medical Center at 334-7698 or visit our webiste at http://www.deltaregional.com.