Breakfast: a hearty meal to kick start the day or a quick bite before rushing out of the house to school or work? Many teenagers and young adults don’t know which one breakfast actually should be.
Eating just anything for breakfast isn’t enough to start the day off right. The quality of the food that a person eats will affect their day as well.
Breakfasts like eggs and oatmeal provide the body with high protein and low-fat nutrition. In contrast, breakfasts like cereal are high in carbs.
At Carlmont, many students say that they eat breakfast regularly each morning before school. However, many of them do not eat breakfasts of high proteins and low fat, but rather foods with high carbs, such as waffles, pancakes, or cereal.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “It’s estimated that 12 to 34 percent of children and adolescents regularly miss the morning meal.” This affects their performance throughout the day, for example, energy levels and concentration.
Consumer Reports said, “If you don’t bother with breakfast, though, the prolonged fasting might lead to a bigger than normal boost in hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, encouraging you to overeat at your next meal and leading to spikes and dips in glucose.”
Breakfast is widely considered the most important meal of the day. Especially during adolescent years when children are developing, kids that eat breakfast tend to be healthier, fitter, and happier, according to Eat Healthy Magazine.
According to Debbie Kurzrock, a registered dietitian at Mills-Peninsula Heath Services, said, “It is important to include protein at breakfast. Studies show that eating a breakfast that includes a good source of protein will actually help you eat fewer calories throughout the day, which helps in maintaining a healthy weight.”
Many Carlmont students recognize the importance of eating a healthy breakfast to start the day.
Sophomore Lexie Hamdun said, “Yes, I do think it is important to eat a healthy breakfast because your brain and body need energy to prepare you for the day ahead.”
Similarly, sophomore Hunter Hawkes said, “When I eat breakfast in the morning, I feel ready for the day ahead. I notice that when I do not eat breakfast, I feel more tired and distracted.”
