Silly student, Trix are for ... kids? Not necessarily. If you like to eat Trix in the morning and they start your day off right, then Trix are for you, too. Sure, there are better choices to make if you want a healthier meal in the mornings; however, the worst thing to eat for breakfast is nothing.
This is because breakfast refuels the body after a night's sleep. By the morning, your body is in a fasting mode and that first meal of the day literally "breaks the fast."
Let's say the last time you ate something at night was at 10 or 11 p.m., which oftentimes is the case with late night studying, partying, etc. The following day, you don't eat breakfast because you think you're not hungry and instead wait until noon or so to eat.
13 or 14 hours have now passed with nothing in your system. Your poor brain is deprived! And your body has to work extra hard now to break down any stored carbohydrate or turn fat or protein into a usable form for your brain to function.
As a result, trying to concentrate in class, on reading, or anything else for that matter, becomes extremely difficult. According to the ADA, FDA and other organizations, breakfast improves concentration, problem-solving ability, mental performance, memory and mood. Those who don't eat breakfast often show signs of irritability, restlessness, decreased attention span, decreased ability to concentrate, fatigue, nausea and headache.
Most likely, you'll be at a disadvantage if your classmates have eaten breakfast and you've gone and only had a cup of coffee in the morning. The extra caffeine, sorry to say, won't suffice like a meal would. And since you are, at heart, competitive Tufts student, you know you like it when you're at the top of your game. Well, your buddy next to you thinks faster, clearer and has better recall than you since he ate his Cheerios this morning.
At the other extreme, although any breakfast is better than nothing, try not to hurl doughnuts or pastries into your mouth very frequently, since they are high in empty calories, sugar and fat. If you have a doughnut for breakfast, you probably won't feel full for long since they lack the nutrients the body really needs.
Just like with other meals, try to eat a variety of foods, including grains (breads and cereals) proteins (meats, beans, and nuts), fruits and vegetables, and milk, cheese, and yogurt. Some good breakfast choices are whole-grain cereal with a banana and skim milk, eggs with whole-wheat toast and half a grapefruit, or even a flour tortilla filled with cottage cheese and fresh fruit.
There is also hot cereal, such as oatmeal or cream of wheat, and some added dried fruit or nuts on top may be all you need to keep energy levels high throughout the day. Or, have a whole-grain slice of toast or bagel with some cottage cheese. These are all meals you can create in the dining halls here, and the Commons at the campus center make scrambled eggs and omelets.
As far as more traditional morning meals, the dining halls alternate between French toast, waffles, or pancakes (try wheat or whole-grain varieties), and there is always cold cereal and milk. Start your day with a bowl of cereal, and you're more likely to get all the nutrients you need because most cereals nowadays are fortified with many vitamins and minerals.
Yet, the best breakfast cereals are those rich in fiber. All-Bran and Grapenuts are two cereals in the dining halls that are great choices because they are low in sugar and the fiber slows down the digestive process, warding off hunger pangs. If you can stomach a bowl of All-Bran or Grapenuts with nothing else, power to you, but it may taste better to put these cereals into yogurt with fresh fruit and nuts. That's a great breakfast because now you're getting many food groups into one meal, and in very healthy forms.
Another good reason to eat breakfast is that you have a better chance of reaching the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day if you start early. People who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Even if you're short on time in the morning, make it a priority to eat breakfast. Not only will it help you maintain the energy needed to stay awake during morning classes, you'll also be less tempted to overeat at lunch.
Some people believe that skipping breakfast may help them lose weight. Think again! Skipping meals often leads to overeating later in the day. It's much easier to control weight by eating smaller meals and snacks more frequently.
Whatever your choice, eat something. If you think you're fine without any breakfast, just try changing it up for a week and I'm sure you'll notice a difference. You will definitely perform better with some fuel in your system. If you don't crave breakfast foods, have a sandwich or leftovers like pizza, pasta or rice. Then at least you'll keep your eating patterns stable and stimulate your body's metabolism throughout the day.
When Tony the Tiger says, "They'rrre grrreat!" maybe he isn't so far off.
Senior Marissa Beck, an English major, works with the Strong Women program as an assistant manager and personal trainer for the Tufts Personalized Performance Program. Contact her at Marissa.Beck@tufts.edu. This column is written in conjunction with the Balance section of The Tufts Daily.<$>
