Does your child often forget to eat breakfast? Or maybe your household tends to get too busy in the mornings for a nutritious breakfast? Breakfast is often the most neglected meal of the day. Should we be concerned about this issue concerning our young children?
It would be an interesting discussion in classrooms if teachers asked their students, “How many of you eat breakfast on a daily basis?” I wonder what some of the answers would be, most importantly, the excuses given. Even more interesting …what are some of the many benefits of eating a healthy breakfast, not only for children, but for adults as well?
You’ll not get any arguments from me, I feel the benefits of eating breakfast every single morning. I try to eat the first meal of the day including plenty of fiber and at the same time, staying away from high fat foods.
Working out and then a nice healthy breakfast always gets me going in the morning. I feel more alert and ready to start my day. More energetic I think is the most rewarding benefit for me.
So, what about young students? What are the key benefits of children eating a healthy breakfast every morning?
Top 10 benefits for children consuming a healthy breakfast on a daily basis
* It gives them energy to start the day off right
* It helps them keep weight gain to a minimum. Skipping breakfast often results with over eating at lunch time.
* It increases their thinking ability for the school day thus resulting with higher scores on their studies.
* It wards off fatigue
* It jump starts their metabolism
* It helps build strong healthy muscles
* It helps lower blood cholesterol
* It helps with memory
* It helps with over-all nutrition
* It decreases tummy aches due to hunger pangs later in the morning
Don’t let your child fill up on sugary cereals, donuts, and pastries. Smart choices for breakfast ideas would include:
High fiber grains such as breads and non sugar cereals
Fruits
Lowfat milk and yogurt
Whole wheat or whole grain pancakes or waffles
Hot oatmeal
Fruit smoothies
Even if you have to get your child up a half hour early in the morning to get them to eat a good breakfast, it is well worth the time. Making breakfast the most important meal in your household will help encourage better healthy eating habits.