Posted on February - 26 - 2011
Megan Murphy: Energizing breakfast takes only minutes
February is National Hot Breakfast month. While there is no national holiday to celebrate, it is a good time to make sure you get a good start to your day.
By some estimates, 40 percent to 50 percent of people in the United States don’t eat breakfast, and that’s a shame. Studies show both kids and adults function better throughout the day if they have breakfast. Kids score higher on tests, and their brains are better able to process information if they have eaten something before they go to school.
Adults are more likely to focus better on the task at hand if their brains are receiving fuel. And since you have essentially fasted during the night when you were sleeping, getting some food in the morning can help boost your energy.
During the night while your body rests, you use up a lot of your body’s glycogen stores. Glycogen is the storage form for glucose in animals, including humans. Glucose is needed constantly by all of our cells to help provide them with energy. In particular, our brain needs a lot of glucose to function. Breaking the night’s fast by eating something in the morning helps replace glycogen stores and allows the body to fuel up for the day.
Many folks find that eating a good-quality breakfast in the morning helps prevent trips to the vending machine later in the day. Getting those glycogen stores replenished early in the day probably keeps blood glucose levels more even, helping decrease triggers to snack later in the day.
One reason people don’t eat breakfast is time. Sleep-deprived Americans often get up as late as they possibly can, then have limited minutes to get ready for the day, drop kids off at school and commute to work. Breakfast just gets lost in the mix.
Another reason people say they skip breakfast is their dislike of traditional breakfast foods, especially quick-to-eat breakfast foods.
We think we don’t have time to prepare a hot breakfast except on days off or weekends, but it’s time to rethink that. For example, you can cook oatmeal ahead, refrigerate it, then reheat it in the morning when you are pressed for time.
Or try quickly cooking egg whites (all the protein from the egg, none of the fat) with chopped peppers and onions, and eat it inside a whole grain English muffin.
You can’t get a much faster preparation than popping an egg atop a tortilla and cooking it in the microwave, then folding it together for breakfast in under 2 minutes.
If you had some leftover cooked vegetables, you could add a few into the egg mixture before microwaving.
Try a quick hot breakfast, and see if it helps you feel better and eat smarter during your day.
Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 277-3062, fax 529-2787, e-mail Meganmyrd@aol.com
Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burrito
1 flour tortilla (6-inch)
1 egg
1 tbsp. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 tbsp. salsa
Line a 2-cup microwave-safe cereal bowl with microwave-safe paper towel. Press tortilla into bowl.
Break egg into center of tortilla. Beat egg gently with a fork until blended, being careful not to tear tortilla.
Microwave on high 30 seconds; stir. Return to microwave and cook until egg is almost set, 15 to 30 seconds longer.
Remove tortilla with paper towel liner from bowl to a flat surface. Top egg with cheese and salsa.
Fold bottom of tortilla over egg, then fold sides of tortilla in toward the middle and serve.
Makes 1 serving (1 burrito). Per serving: 197 calories, 9 gm fat, 4 g saturated fat, 192 mg cholesterol, 17 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 408 mg sodium.
Similar Posts:
- Megan Murphy: Cookies trim fat, kick up nutrients
- Woman, 74, worries about excess calcium
- Megan Murphy: Veggie-packed lentil soup could even clip pounds
- Megan Murphy: Slim down Super Bowl snacking with edamame
- Megan Murphy: Souped-up shrimp dish perfect for summer days
