The one meal you can't miss: Breakfast

Flying out of the door, coffee in one hand, car keys in the other, no time for breakfast? Not a wise move, say the scientists. No doubt, your mother said the same thing — breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While she may not have been a research chemist, her advice is supported by a wealth of evidence.

1. Better Nutrition

In one study of breakfast type, daily nutrient intake, and vitamin and mineral status, breakfast eaters were shown to have a higher intake of essential minerals and vitamins and generally have lower serum cholesterol levels. These results are not unique. As recently as this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Children’s Nutrition Research Center concluded a study of 700 teenagers in New Orleans. They discovered that teens who eat breakfast were consuming higher amounts of protein and carbohydrates, lower amounts of fat, and were two to five times more likely than breakfast skippers to consume at least two thirds the recommended dietary allow-ance of several key vitamins and minerals.

2. Kids a special case

The teenager's study underscores one of the most pressing truths about breakfast — kids need it badly. A child's cognitive development takes place over several years. Nutrition is a key ingredient to this development, according to researchers at USDA's Human Nutrition Center on Aging: "Recent research provides compelling evidence that undernutrition impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development." The State of Minnesota's Breakfast Study shared these findings. In their research, students who ate breakfast had a general increase in math grades and reading scores, plus improvements in student attention and behavior.

3. A simple meal

While breakfast is a special meal, it doesn’t have to be an elaborate one. A simple cereal/fruit/low fat breakfast will deliver big results. One university study analyzed data on 27,000 meals collected by the USDA’s Continuing Survey of Food Intake. Their results? People who eat breakfast cereal consume more calcium and fiber and less fat. Whole grain cereals can also deliver phytonutrients and antioxidants.

Sources

1. Preziosi et al, “Breakfast type, daily nutrient intakes, vitamin and minerals status of French children, adolescents, and adults,” Journal of American College of Nutrition, April 1999.

2. Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Research Brief, August, 2002. Accessed at: www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/fnrb/fnrb0802.htm