By Debra Minor Wilson
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT
April 08, 2008 05:46 pm
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Who has time for breakfast these days?
If you think of it — and if you have some — there’s always time to grab a breakfast bar from the box sitting next to the bag of bagels and boxes of instant oatmeal and whole-grain cereal.
But who has time to toast that bagel or make that cereal or even nuke that oatmeal?
Remembering what your mother always said about breakfast — it’s the most important meal of the day — maybe you’ll grab that breakfast bar and get a cup of coffee at the drive-thru.
On the other hand, since you’re getting some take-out coffee, why not get a breakfast sandwich to go as well? A nice buttery biscuit with some cheese, egg, and bacon or ham sure would hit the spot. You could skip lunch and save that fruit-and-nut bar for later. Like tomorrow. Or next week. Or whenever.
This is no way to treat your body, says Jill Johnston, registered and licensed dietitian, and clinical nutrition manager at WVU Hospitals.
“You have to look at the calories in a breakfast sandwich,” she said. “You’re getting something close to a meal, close to 1,000 calories. The average person needs 2,000 for the entire day.”
If you’ve managed to block that information from your starving mind, feed on this.
“Basically you’re getting a lot of fat and protein and carbohydrates. And you’re lacking a lot of vitamins and minerals with fast-food meals.”
Surprise! There’s more to breakfast than pancakes, muffins and Pop Tarts.
“People don’t think of fruit and yogurt as breakfast food,” she said. “They think of pancakes, French toast and muffin sandwiches that are easy to grab with your hands and go.
“You’re missing the calcium you’d get in yogurt, and the basic vitamins and antioxidants you get from fresh fruit. And you’re not getting any fiber.
“Many people are substituting coffee for dairy. There’s a whole big difference between the two.”
Portion control is also a big problem, she said.
“There’s such a high amount of fat. People eat more protein than they need for a day, especially with large breakfasts with eggs, cheese, bacon or sausage.
“If you must clean your plate, and it’s a small plate, that’s not an issue. When it’s a larger plate, it’s a larger portion.”
And so, more fat, sodium and cholesterol.
“There’s a world of difference between yogurt and fruit, and hash browns.”
It’s OK to have a McMuffin, she said.
“But do it in moderation, just once in a while.”
The Golden Arches does sell healthy breakfast alternatives.
Its Fruit n’ Yogurt Parfait with Granola has 160 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 1g fiber, 4g protein.
Compare this to the Egg McMuffin’s 290 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 235g cholesterol, 850g sodium, 30g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 2g sugars and 17g protein.
Fast food can be good food, said Tiffany Curran, registered dietitian and director of the West Virginia children’s Nutrition Center.
“Many places have fruit and yogurt parfaits, fruit cups. And sometimes what you think is healthy — bagels and muffins — are even worse than Egg McMuffins. They have more fat and sugar, and you tend to pair them with fancy lattes, which have a lot of fat and sugar, a lot of empty calories.”
“But chances are if you stop at fast food, you do it on a consistent basis,” Johnston said. “And in the long run, that consistent intake causes problems.
“Looking at the obesity epidemic, the amount of calories you take in the morning makes a big difference.
“There are multiple health concerns (about fast food) than just weight gain,” she said. Think coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure.
“The amount of salt in a fast-food meal is a large amount for people with high blood pressure.
“It’s just not healthy for anyone,” she said.
“It’s fine to have an egg in the morning. Today, I had a whole wheat bagel, scrambled egg, skim milk and 100 percent juice. On other days, I might have all-bran cereal, skim milk and juice.”
Eating on the go is convenient but ultimately bad for your heart and pocketbook.
“In the long run, it’s less expensive to buy things at the grocery store” and make breakfast at home, Johnston said.
Mom was right after all.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Johnston said. “Starting off with a good, nutritious breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, a nutritious breakfast “lays the foundation for lifelong health benefits.”
People who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to:
• Consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol
• Have better concentration and productivity throughout the morning
• Control their weight
• Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease
A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods, for example, whole grains, low-fat protein or dairy sources, and fruit. This provides complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat.
That should keep you from the snack machine until lunch.
Skipping breakfast is bad.
“When you sleep at night, your metabolism — what makes you burn calories — slows down to a lower rate,” Johnston said.
“It’s like a wood-burning stove that simmers down to embers at night. If you don’t restart with a healthy breakfast, you won’t burn the calories from the rest of the day efficiently.
“When you start with a good, healthy meal, you stimulate your metabolism to burn those calories efficiently.”
“Breakfast helps fuel you, gets you started,” Curran added.
“It gives you a better performance throughout the day, keeps you more awake and not as sleepy or tired.
“Those who eat a nutritious breakfast every day are less likely to be overweight. It goes back to metabolism.”
Plan ahead. Buy some fruit, yogurt and whole-grain cereals and bagels. And set the alarm earlier so you can make and eat this nutritious breakfast.
“We put so much priority in work and rushing off to work,” Johnston said. “We’re not putting ourselves and our bodies first. To maintain health and work longer, you have to keep yourself healthy.
“Your body is the vessel that will carry you through the rest of your life. And to live a long, heal thy life, you have to keep your body healthy.
“Nutrition and exercise are key to that.”
E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.
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