BREAKFAST is very important. Studies show that children perform better in school and adults tend to be have more energy and have less of a tendency to be overweight if they eat a healthy breakfast each day…and we are not talking about a high sugar breakfast. The World Health Organization (WHO) wants Americans to stop eating so much sugar every day. The WHO recommends on 5% of an individual’s calories come from sugar. This means for an average adult we are talking about only 25 or less grams of sugar each day. For kids, this could mean only 15 grams of sugar each day. Here I go again, recommending reading food labels. This is the best place to learn how much sugar is in a product. The amount of sugar can be found in the Carbohydrate section of the food label.
Ideas for Healthy Breakfast:
- Whole-grain English muffin with one egg and one thin slice of cheese.
- ¾ C non-sugary cereal, such as Cheerios, with milk and ½ cup fresh fruit.
- Three whole-grain waffles with only one teaspoon of honey divided and drizzled between the two waffles. If using butter or margarine, measure an appropriate portion size.
- Plain yogurt with fresh fruit, cinnamon, and one teaspoon of honey.
- Low-sodium bacon, two egg whites, and one slice of whole-grain bread.
- Grilled cheese sandwich made with two slices of whole-grain bread, one slice of ultra-thin cheese, and one piece of fresh fruit.
Fruits like watermelon, bananas, grapes, and pears are higher in carbohydrate. These fruits should not be avoided, simply eat these in smaller portions.