The foods you choose for your morning meal should be nutritious and full of vitamins and minerals. B vitamins are important for mood regulation, red blood cell formation and the maintenance of healthy muscles and nerves, according to the "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide." Adding foods rich in B vitamins at breakfast can help you get a jump start on your daily vitamin B requirements.
Orange Juice
Orange juice is a good source of folic acid, a B vitamin that is essential for mood regulation and the formation and maintenance of nerve cells, reports Elizabeth Somer, author of "Food and Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best." A folic acid deficiency is quite common and adding a glass of 100 percent orange juice to your morning meal will help you reach the required 400 mcg a day. Somer notes that people who eat a sufficient amount of the B vitamin folic acid are less likely to experience mood shifts and depression, suggesting that a glass of orange juice may help you start your day off right.
Lean Meats
Lean meats are one of the best sources of vitamin B6, a vitamin necessary for the strength of your immune system, note Linda K. DeBruyne, Kathryn Pinna and Eleanor Noss Whitney, authors of "Nutrition and Diet Therapy." Making a breakfast sandwich that includes a scrambled egg, a few slices of tomato and a small serving of lean turkey will increase your intake of vitamin B6. Lean ham is an additional meat source of vitamin B6 that is common breakfast food. A slice of ham can be eaten plain or as part of a breakfast sandwich. Adding a piece of fruit or a small serving of hash browns will supply an additional amount of vitamin B6, say DeBruyne, Pinna and Whitney.
Cereal
DeBruyne, Pinna and Whitney suggest fortified breakfast cereal as a good source of niacin, a B vitamin essential for energy and metabolism. Check the nutrition label on your favorite breakfast cereals to determine if they are fortified with this important vitamin. A serving of fortified cereal can provide up to one-quarter of the 14 to 16 mg of niacin you need each day. Adding sliced fruit to your cereal or a piece of fruit as a side will supply a few additional B vitamins to help you reach the recommended amount and start your day off with a nutritious meal.
References
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff and American Dietetic Association; 2006
- "Food and Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best"; Elizabeth Somer; 1999
- "Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Linda K. DeBruyne, Kathryn Pinna and Eleanor Noss Whitney; 2007
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