Depending on what you eat for breakfast, your emotions can differ, causing you to be more positive or negative, alert or tired, thoughtful or careless. Protein, carbohydrates, sugars and vitamins and minerals affect your nervous system and release different hormones that affect your brain. Eat a nutritious breakfast each morning to perform at your best.
Mental Health
Eating breakfast helps balance a variety of bodily functions that affect your brain, including your heart rate, central nervous system and proper functioning of neurotransmitters, which allow cells to send messages to each other. You can reduce amounts of cortisol, known as the "stress hormone," by eating proteins with amino acids, low-sugar carbohydrates and omega-3 fatty acids. Try an egg white omelet, oatmeal or lox for breakfast. A low-fat dairy choice, such as a yogurt cup or skim milk, provides calcium that boost neurotransmitter function. A good breakfast reduces depression, anxiety, dizziness, fidgeting and irritability in school children, according to registered dietician Dr. Debby Demory-Luce, interviewed for the Baylor School of Medicine website. Japanese researchers found that students who ate breakfast had higher levels of self-esteem and social skills, and were less aggressive than those who didn't.
Academic Performance
Studies of school children have found that academic achievement and breakfast are closely tied. Children who eat breakfast have better memories and cognitive function -- and earn better test scores and grades. Duke University pediatrics professor, Terrill Bravender, interviewed by NPR, explained that without glucose, the brain can't function at maximal capacity. This leads to problems processing new information, remembering things and a lack of understanding.
Decrease in Productivity
If you eat a high-sugar breakfast to give yourself a boost in the morning, you will actually cause yourself to crash within a few hours. An inrush of sugar causes a quick spike in your blood sugar levels. Your body responds by fighting this spike, and your blood sugar levels can fall lower than before your meal. Eat a balanced breakfast with some protein and a mix of starchy and low-glycemic carbs.
Reduces Overeating
If you skip breakfast and don't until lunch, you may go as long as 18 or more hours without fuel. This leads to overeating, due to extreme hunger. Eating breakfast and then a mid-morning snack prevents you from wanting excessive amounts of food at lunch. Too many calories at once can lead to a feeling of lethargy, tiredness and a decrease in your ability to focus on your work.
Good Breakfast Choices
Skip the bacon and eggs and opt for healthier breakfast choices. Fortified, whole grain cereals with skim milk provide an excellent source of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins and minerals. Lean ham or turkey bacon are healthier alternatives to sausage and bacon. Oatmeal is an excellent source of dietary fiber. Whole grain breads are better choices than pastries or high-fat muffins. Choose low-fat dairy products instead of whole milk or cheese.
References
- Sodexo Foundatin: Impact of School Breakfast on Children's Health and Learning
- NPR; A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child's Brainpower; Allison Aubrey
- Nippon Koshu Eisei Zasshi; Factors Related to Breakfast Eating Behavior Among Elementary School Children; Haruki T, Kawabata T.; March 2005
- MayoClinic.com; Why Does Eating Breakfast Help Control Weight?; Katherine Zeratsky; July 2009
- "Journal of School Health"; Diet Quality and Academic Performance; Michelle Florence, et al.; April 2008
- Baylor School of Medicine: Hunger Hinders Performance
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