Breakfast: real or fake news.

You are most likely one of three groups of people: breakfats lovers, breakfats haters and most commonly breakfast indifferents. As lovers, we eat a large nutritious breakfast and pride ourselves on our healthy life choice, we frown upon those nay sayers. As Haters, you pride yourself in being strong and healthy, starving your body and forcing it to use those stored fat stores. And lastly, the indefferents, well, they simply are too cool to care about us. They may have a little something with their coffee but they don't really fit in either category.

So, who is right? (Dsiclaimer: as a Lover, I will try to be as unbiased as I can).

Just like so many other dietary trends, breakfast has had its own share of ups an downs. But more importantly, the American culture itself does not emphasize breakfast as much as it emphasizes lunch and dinner. So many of us have grown accustomed to no or very little breakfast. Or at best a bowl of cereal which is almost worse than not eating any breakfast.

To better understand the difference between breakfast and other meals, we need a brief simple lesson in physiology.

As you eat your last meal of the day and go to bed, your organs are busy working inside. Your heart has to keep pumping, your muscles are regenerating, your brain is very active during vairous stages of sleep forming new memories, tasks and clearing junk information, your immune system is surveying for any infection or fighting one, your liver is making new proteins, breaking down toxins. And so on goes the list. This all requires energy, lots of it. Some of this is stored energy from your last meal, some is from your fat storage but most of it is from the Glycogen store in your liver. By the time you wake up your liver glycogen stores are mostly depleted, which means your only source is fat. And although fat is a vast source of energy, it is a slow and itself energy consuming process. You can not just use the fat for energy, it has to be processed from the fat cells to the liver and then to organs, then it has to be converted to other molecules before it can be used as energy. This takes time. You really need glucose, whether from food or from liver stores to supplement the fat for proper body funciton (specially your brain). This is why breakfast is important: breakfast restores your empty gas tank.

So, what happens if you skip breakfast? Well, as some of you know, not much. You still manage with some fat and little glycogen store you have left, but you are running on low fuel and your body adjusts by slowing down, conserving calories. This leads to irritability, poor cognitive function, poor exercise performance and in most cases over eating later on, when you are so starving that you are ready to eat the wall. It also shifts your calorie intake to the later meals, for most the massive dinner and bedtime snacking, where most unhealthy habits occur. But if you start your day with a full tank, then you will not have the extreme hunger later in the day and you are able to limit your food intake to the planned healthy meals. And most importantly, you feel more energetic and focused.

There are also many OBSERVATIONAL studies that suggest a healthy breakfast is associated with lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity. But these are all observational, to date there is no controlled randomized trial that has demonstrated a direct link between breakfast and health benefits. In fact one of the biggest confounding factors is that people who tend to eat a large healthy breakfast tend to be the more active, health concious people, so it is very hard to draw a direct causation with breakfast itself.

Clinically. I usually see two categories of people who skip breakfast: those who over eat later in the day and those who may not over eat in terms of total calories, but they snack on unhealthy food throughout the day. Both unhealthy patterns. However, if you are a breakfast hater and you eat healthy approprioate portions throughout the rest of the day, and you are not irritable or tired, then there is really no solid scientific evidence for you to change. For the majority of others, get used to a nutritious breakfast, your body will thank you.

So, what is a healthy breakfast:

A healthy breakfast is rich in proteins, some carbs and small amount of fat.

Rich in protein (20-30g): breakfast is a great time to load up on protein. There is also evidence that eating a protien rich breakfast leads to longer satiety and lower blood sugar spike. Examples include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, , meat like salmon.

Carbs: time to replenish the liver glycogen store. Fruits are a great option, oats, whole grain bread, beans.

Fats: this is usually included via the protein and carb sources such as eggs, yogurt, salmon, nuts and peanut butter. Another great source is avocado.

Look at breakfast as a big versatile meal, leave yourself time to cook and enjoy it. Breakfast shoud not be a hectic slice of bread as you walk out the door. In fact as a family. breakfast is a great time to sit together and enjoy a meal before each person goes on their own way. It is the start of your day, start strong! As I said, I will try to remain unbiased.

And finally, here are few staples of the Moini breakfasts:

1) Oat bowl: 1 cup rolled oat cooked in water with spash of milk for creaminess, crushed ripe banana for sweetness, handful of berries or any fruit of choice, 1/4 cup sliced almonds or walnuts, sprinkle of sunflower seeds. For added protein, you can cook 2 egg whites with the oats (just dump the whites in the boiing water and mix it with the oats) or half cup of plain Greek yogurt on the side. I actually like the yogurt mixed in. Megan thinks its appaling. Optional: add cinammon for taste, add 1 tsp Maple Syrup for extra sweetness.

2) Egg dish: 3 eggs, cooked to your own liking. Side of fruits, 2 whole wheat fresh bakery bread with avocado or peanut butter spread. Instead of bread you can also cook some potato of your choice. I usually have some sweet potatoes always coocked and kept in the fridge. Add some spinach to for added eggies, this can be uncooked on the side or cooked on the same pan as the egg for just 20-30 seconds after you remove the eggs.

3) Greek yogurt bowl: 1.5 cup full or low fat plain Greek yogurt, sliced fruits of choice, 1/4 cup of nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts or whatever you like, 1 tsp maple syrup. As a distance runner I add 1/2 cup of uncooked instant oats for extra carbs.

4) Cottage cheese bowl: 1 cup cottage cheese, the fat is good for you, so dont skimp with the fat free ones, 1-2 servings of sliced fruit of choice, apples and peaches are excellent, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1 tbs honey. This is low on carbs, so if you are a endurance athelete. add a side of healthy carb like whole wheat toast.

5) Toast: 2 slices of fresh home made or bakery whole wheat bread (On the Rise is a great local bakery), peunut butter spread, 1 tbs per toast, real Jam made from real fruit (farmer's market is a great source) or sliced babana, side of fruits. For extra protein, add 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt or 2 eggs.

5) Lux sandwich: Ok, this is not the healthiest option, but its a great variety for occasional use. My middle child devours these. 1 plain bagel, ripe avocado spread (you can have cream cheese if you must, its ok, we do), 2-3 slices of salmon, cut cucumbers, few spinach leafs, sliced tomato.

6) Smoothie: if you must, and really have no time, fine. 1 cup frozen fruit of choice. handful veggies of choice like kale, spinach or carrots. 1 cup milk, water, coconut milk, or mix of any, add extra if smoothie is too thick. 2 tbs peanut or almond butter. 1 cup Greek yogurt or if yogurt is not your cup of tea, 2 scoops of a high quality protein power. If you are endurance athlete, add 1 cup instant oat for extra carb or 2 slices of whole wheat bread with peanut butter on the side.