Quinn on Nutrition: Test your knowledge of the benefits of breakfast
From a health standpoint, experts continue to confirm that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
From a health standpoint, experts continue to confirm that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So important that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently dedicated an entire mini-journal to "The Benefits of Breakfast." Let's see if these facts motivate us to "break the fast" at the start of each day:
People who eat breakfast tend to a) eat less later in the day; b) jump over buildings in a single bound; c) better manage their weight. Answers: a and c.
People who skip breakfast tend to a) be hungrier later in the day; b) gain weight easier; c) have an increased risk for diabetes. All are true.
Children who eat breakfast do better in school because they a) can better remember what they learn; b) aren't as distracted; c) have better attendance at school. All are correct.
When considering what to have for breakfast, RTEC stands for a) ReThink Eating Candy; b) Ready To Eat Cereal; c) Review Those Excess Calories. Answer: b.
Experts best define breakfast as a) the first meal of the day after our longest period of sleep; b) breaking the fast; c) coffee and a cookie. Answers: a and b.
A "quality" breakfast a) must be prepared by a master chef; b) includes at least one item from a major food group: protein (such as nuts, cheese, egg), fruit, vegetable, whole grain, milk or yogurt; c) can be as simple as a bag of dried fruit and nuts. Answers: b and c.
According to researchers, eating breakfast can immediately a) turn on brain power; b) make you late for school; c) improve your mood. Answers: a and c.
A person who is not hungry in the morning a) probably ate too much the night before; b) might want to stock a backpack or briefcase with nutrient dense fruit, nuts, or high fiber cereal bars; c) should set a goal to eat less at night so as to wake up hungry. Answers: all are correct.
Compared to people who skip breakfast, those who eat something soon after they wake up tend to a) consume more fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C; b) have healthier lifestyles overall; c) have stronger bones and healthier hearts. All are correct.
Frozen fruit blended with milk or yogurt is a) a smoothie; b) breakfast; c) a great idea for busy families. All are correct.
A toasted whole grain waffle spread with peanut butter or applesauce a) goes well with a cold glass of milk; b) is a quality breakfast; c) takes two minutes to prepare. All are correct.
Breakfast parfaits can be made a) in a hurry; b) with layers of fruit, yogurt, cereal and nuts; c) in disposal cups to go. All are correct.
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(Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Email her at bquinn@chomp.org .)
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