November 2005

PAGE 17

November

Wake Up and Pour a Bowl of Cereal

This correlation between daily cere-

component of a healthy, nutrient dense

Encourage your athletes to make

By Amy J. Reuter MS, RD

al intake and maintenance of a leaner

training diet for all student athletes.

time for breakfast. They cannot afford

Special to

body may be the most convincing break-

Whereas breakfasts that include

physically or mentally to miss out on the

usie, a high school sophomore and

S

fast benefit to female teen

cereal can contribute to a

benefits of this morning meal. Discuss

three-sport  athlete,  presses  the

athletes yet. The idea of

healthy BMI along with

the connection between a breakfast that

snooze button for a third and final time.

"eating

more

and

providing a palette of

includes whole-grain cereal and a

Morning tends to come much too soon

weighing  less"  may

nutrients, not all cere-

healthy BMI. Finally, coaches and par-

for this busy student-athlete. That bowl

entice those breakfast

als are created equal.

ents should be sure to include a healthy

of cereal will have to wait. Susie figures

skippers to make time

Cereals with the best

breakfast in their own personal morning

she can sleep more if she skips breakfast,

for breakfast. The con-

nutritional quality are

routine. Reap the health and perform-

and besides she is not much of a morn-

cept may startle some

those containing whole-

ance benefits of a healthy breakfast every

ing eater anyway. Little does Susie know

day. s

females  who  avoid

grains and 5 grams or

that this daily tradeoff may actually

breakfast in the hope

less of added sugar per

Amy Reuter's column is presented by the

impair her health and sports perform-

that it will facilitate

serving. Two other

Washington Interscholastic Nutrition

ance.

weight loss. With the addi-

important breakfast foods

Forum (WINForum).

Breakfast provides a triple boost to

tional benefit of maintaining a lean

include calcium-rich low fat or fat free

the day. After a 6 to 10 hour nightly fast,

physique, coaches, parents, and team-

milk to build strong bones and vitamin C-

Please visit them at www.WINForum.org

the body is in need of fuel. A healthy

mates can spread the word that cereal-

rich orange juice to enhance the absorp-

breakfast provides the body with the

containing breakfasts are an important

tion of iron from the cereal.

energy boost it needs. In addition, tradi-

tional breakfast foods, including cereal,

milk, yogurt, orange juice, and whole-

grain toast, contribute a nutrient boost.

From calcium to iron, vitamin C to

folate, and B vitamins to fiber, a healthy

breakfast makes a significant nutrient

contribution to the day's food intake.

Performance at school can also be

enhanced. Increases in alertness, memo-

ry, and concentration have been attrib-

uted to this morning meal. (Am J Clin

Nutr 1998;67:804S-813S, Int J of Food Sci

and Nutr, 1999;50:13-28) This mental

boost can help teen athletes excel in the

classroom.

Despite the energy, nutrients, and

mental benefits of eating breakfast, some

student athletes like Susie are still not

convinced that breakfast is worth the

effort. New research findings may help

convince recalcitrant female athletes to

make time for breakfast. For ten years

the morning eating patterns of over

2,300 girls ages 9-19 living in California,

Ohio, and Maryland were tracked. After

analyzing the data, researchers discov-

ered that adolescent girls who consis-

tently eat a cereal-containing breakfast

have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI)

than those who skip breakfast or have a

non-cereal breakfast. (J Am Diet Assoc.

2005;105:1383-1389). Simply stated,

girls who daily consume cereal for break-

fast maintain a leaner physique than

those who do not consume cereal for

breakfast.

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