Friday, January 22, 2010

What Should I Have for Breakfast?

What would you recommend having for breakfast. I was told by a few health-conscious folks to avoid milk because it really doesn't do much good after a certain age. So cereal is out--what else would be good to have?  Marc

Dear Marc,

What a person has for breakfast is totally a matter of individual preference (given there are no health issues present). Keep in mind that breakfast should provide 25% of the daily value for nutrients. Having a pastry for breakfast isn't going to provide much in the way of nutrition, but will provide lots of calories.

What a person makes of this meal depends on how hungry they are in the morning, whether they want something to last through to lunch or can plan on a mid-morning snack, have time to sit and prepare a meal or need a fast solution, and of course what foods they like to eat!
An ideal breakfast is healthy, reasonable calorie level, and contains a source of protein (like egg or cheese) to help tide you over through mid-morning.

I do think milk is a good source of nutrition. It's difficult to get the same amount of calcium and riboflavin from any food source that isn't dairy. You could try soy milk or rice milk if you do like cereal (which can be a fantastic source of fiber).

Some quick ideas are a slice of cheese melted on an English Muffin you can grab on the way out the door and eat in the car, or a serving of Carnation Instant Breakfast.  Making an omelet is an excellent way to add in vegetables for the morning meal: mushrooms, spinach, and green pepper are some that pack a lot of fiber and nutrients into your first meal of the day

Also remember there's no rule about breakfast foods having to be typical eggs/toast/pancakes, etc. If you want a turkey sandwich or a slice of leftover pizza, that's up to you!

No comments:

Post a Comment