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Chef Tim Says...

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Dr. Tim Says....

What's For Breakfast?

There’s a lot of information on the Dr. Gourmet web site and sometimes I have trouble keeping track of it myself. I had a question from a visitor to the site the other day about breakfast. He had read the Dr. Tim Says... article I wrote back in April about the importance of breakfast in maintaining a healthy weight. After reading the column he was still wondering what he could eat for breakfast. Specifically he wanted to know about "old fashioned breakfasts."

He wrote:

"old fashioned breakfasts" such as cereal, hot or cold; toast and its trimmings; milk, non fat: fruit juice. A combination of such items has been my staple for years. Are you suggesting that I stop using them, or should I be creating a new group for my breakfast? They are fast, convenient, nutritious.

This types of breakfast that he describes are exactly correct. What we think of as "an old fashioned" breakfast as part of a Western diet is actually pretty healthy if you make the right choices. The key is to include some carbohydrates (the higher in fiber the better) along with a serving of protein. So a slice of whole grain toast and a scrambled egg is a fantastic way start to the day. Most folks prefer fruit juice at breakfast but having fruit is a better choice because fresh fruit has so much more to offer (more vitamins, more fiber, more satisfaction).

There’s pretty good research that eating a balance of foods like this at breakfast will sustain you throughout the morning and keep you from feeling hungry around "coffee break" time. For instance, having some "complex" carbs like whole grain cereal along with milk is similar to the toast and eggs. A good quality whole grain cereal is filling, the fiber is good for you and the protein in the milk helps sustain you through the morning until lunch (Interestingly, the coffee break is a modern invention that is claimed by the company that is now Barcalounger. This evolution of taking a break was in response to social changes in the workplace at the turn of the last century and workers wanting a mid-morning and mid-afternoon break— not for dietary reasons.)

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Dr. Gourmet
August 13, 2007

Last updated: 08/13/07