It seems that your mother was right when she reminded you
that "breakfast is the most important meal of the
day"—at least when maintaining a healthy weight is on
the agenda.
A breakfast that includes a bowl of cereal seems to help
girls stay leaner than those who eat other foods for
breakfast or skip the meal altogether, say researchers in a
study published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal
of the American Dietetic Association.
As part of the study, researchers recruited over 2,300 girls
between the ages of 9 and 10 and tracked their breakfast
patterns during various three-day intervals until the girls
were 19 years of age. Those who ate cereal at least three
mornings a week had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or lower,
within the normal range for their weight and height. However,
girls who never ate cereal had an average BMI of 27, a range
considered overweight by experts.
The rate of being overweight was even higher for those who
skipped breakfast.
When you have something for breakfast, you're not going to be
starving by lunch.
But before you grab the box of frosted flakes, it's important
to realize that cereal consumption itself may not be the key
to a lower weight; it may simply be an indication of a person
who makes healthier lifestyle choices in general. Those who
eat cereal with breakfast, for example, have been shown to
consume less fat and cholesterol.
Some of the girls who didn't eat cereal, would just raid the
fridge in the morning. One had a breakfast of hot dogs and
chocolate milk.
While skipping breakfast can cause you to be extra hungry for
your next meal, cereal seems to have a bigger impact on a
healthy weight than other breakfast choices, according to
researchers, because many cereals are high in fiber and low
in fat. Breakfasts that did not include cereal, contained 60
percent more fat on average than those that included a bowl
of cereal.
Cereal is not very high in calories, but it tends to be
absorbed more slowly by the body, keeping you satisfied
longer than, say, a bagel.
The study also suspects that the milk used along with the
cereal helps, too. Previous studies have shown that the
calcium in milk helps the body regulate fat better.
So, while starting the morning with a whole-grain cereal may
be helpful in keeping your weight down, avoiding the rogalach
and cold pizza for breakfast certainly helps, too. Also
remember to EXERCISE!
(c) 2005 Dr. Reuven Bruner. All Rights Reserved.
Contact him at: POB 1903, Jerusalem, 91314, Israel; Tel: (02)
652-7684; Mobile: 052 2865-821; Fax: (02) 652-7227; Email:
FitnessDoctor@Bezeqint.net
