Take Care of Your Heart: Eat Breakfast

It's back-to-school time, and that means it's time to pick up the pace from summer, and get the kids ready for a great year at school. Starting off the day with a nutritious protein packed breakfast will help keep kids focused, help build strong muscles and bones, and ensure they wont reach for sugary snacks before lunch time.

 

And it’s not just making sure the kids get a great breakfast, parents need their morning meal too! A recent Harvard study gives us even more reason to eat up: skipping breakfast may increase your chances of a heart attack. The study, which looked at older men, found that those who regularly skipped breakfast had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack than those who ate a morning meal. There's no reason why the results wouldn't apply to other populations as well, the researchers commented.

 

Other studies have suggested a link between breakfast and obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems seen as precursors to heart problems.

It’s important that breakfast includes adequate protein and contrary to what many of us think, we generally don't eat enough protein for breakfast. The average breakfast is usually rich in carbohydrates – and includes a bagel, muffin or cereal, which on average weighs in at about 10 grams of protein. Protein is critical for maintaining muscle mass, among other things, as proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. They are constantly being broken down and thus we must replace them through the foods we eat. 

A protein rich breakfast has been shown to keep you feeling fuller longer and less hungry throughout the day. Research also demonstrates that when teens eat a higher-protein breakfast, they have reduced feelings of hunger and increased fullness, and feelings of satiety continue throughout the day.

Other studies show that students who eat breakfast do better in school and have improved attention spans and memory. Plus, kids who start the day with a healthy breakfast are likely to have consumed important nutrients such as calcium and other vitamins.

Children need between 45 to 130 grams of protein per day, depending on age, gender and activity level, which is best consumed over equal increments throughout the day. Aiming for about twenty grams of protein at breakfast is a great place to start.  Emphasizing the importance of breakfast is one of the best things you can do for you and your family.

 

Most eating habits are formed early in life and SupermarketGuru has some great breakfast ideas that the whole family can enjoy.

Some great choices include yogurt with granola or cereal, eggs with whole grain toast, a yogurt based fresh or frozen fruit smoothie along side cereal, oatmeal, toast or a bagel. Melting cheese atop a whole grain bagel, English muffin or toast is also a protein rich option. Seed and nut butters like almond, peanut, and sunflower are not only protein rich but rich in essential minerals as well. Serve an English muffin, bagel or toast with your child's favorite nut butter and sliced banana or strawberries on top. Nut and seed butters are extremely versatile and can even be mixed in with oatmeal to increase the nutrition content of this already nutritious breakfast choice!

Start the day off right for the entire family knowing they have had a nutritious protein packed breakfast.