Healthy Breakfasts For Growing Minds: Why is the first meal of the day important?

The alarm rings and you’re up and running. Snooze and before you know it, everything is out of whack. The little one is late for school and so breakfast becomes the first casualty of the day. Before you know it the whole day seems to have shifted into slow gear. So is it a big deal if your kids skip’s breakfast? And if yes, why is it worth sleeping early just to make time for breakfast?

The magic of the daily breakfast

Young and budding minds require good nutritional support to grow and shine. The first meal of the day -breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. In literal terms, it is breaking the fast from the previous night. Children have gone for more than 10 hours sometimes without eating by the time they reach breakfast. No wonder skipping breakfast leads to flagging spirits. The first meal re-energizes the body.

Not eating breakfast can make kids restless, irritable and quickly tired. Eating a healthy and nutritious breakfast ensures a solid start to the day.

1. Regular consumption of breakfast boosts brain power

Glucose on which your brain works comes from breakfast. It improves energy levels and the ability to concentrate. The child who skips breakfast, might feel lazy and find it hard to focus on daily tasks. Not having breakfast even impacts memory retention.

2. Breakfast supports healthy body weight 

The habit of daily breakfast promotes healthy body weight in children. Research shows that those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight than those who do not eat breakfast daily. There is also some evidence that people who don't have breakfast may be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Breakfast plays a vital role in regulating appetite and hormone levels. Nibbling on snacks that are low on nutrients can become a habit when kids do not eat their first meal in the morning. 

3. Daily breakfast can affect performance at school.

If your child is skipping breakfast regularly it will show up in his or her grades. Studies clearly show that children who eat breakfast can achieve better concentration, memory, test scores, and social behaviour than those who don't. Irritability can also lead to poor impulse control, lower resilience and compromised social skills for children. Think about how you perform at work when you’re hungry. Eating breakfast at the start of the day ensures that blood sugar levels return to normal after the long gap of the night. Breakfast eaters have better test scores, improved memory and focus and are less likely to be absent. Healthy eating habits can have a domino effect on many aspects of the child’s development.

Parents should encourage their young ones to eat when they start their day every morning. As children learn from seeing, it is important you model healthy breakfast habits for the child. So set your alarm early, and get to bed on time. Wake up in the morning and make breakfast a mindful shared ritual to make sure every day is off to a great start.

References

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/18/3238/htm https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-eating/children-and-breakfast--follow-your-intuition https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002561961630595X https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/pre-school/breakfast https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/the-secret-to-better-grades-might-be-a-better-breakfast

Ms. Misbah Wasi

Functional Nutrition Specialist ,Scientific & Regulatory Advisor for Health Supplements

Misbah Wasi is a seasoned professional in the field of Nutrition Science and Food Regulation for over 13 years.

Currently she is lending her expertise in the area of Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals, and is an active member of Standards Review Group (SRG) - Nutraceuticals FSSAI.

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