Importance of Eating Breakfast When You Are on a Special Diet

Oatmeal with blueberries, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks.

Importance of Eating Breakfast When You Are on a Special Diet

Have you noticed that now, more than ever before, children and adults are developing food allergies and health problems at an alarming rate? Foods are not grown, cultivated, or manufactured as they used to be.

You know that whole “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” thing? Well, there’s a catch: Simply eating something for your morning meal isn’t good enough to get you going and keep your energy levels high throughout the day.

Related: Wellness: Breakfast for Champions

The worst foods to consume at any time, especially for breakfast, are foods with chemicals, artificial colors and flavors, high sugars, high sodium (salt), additives and preservatives, and processed ingredients. These chemicals and ingredients will give your child the worst start to their day. Look for natural, organic, and chemical-free foods. Their teacher will thank you.

Fruit

Fruits are great breakfast snacks to provide for your child. They are easy to grab, easy to eat on-the-go and are packed full of many important and healthy nutrients. They also do not involve any of the top 8 allergens. Granted, some people ARE allergic to some fruits, so take care with the choices that you provide.

Check out this United States Department of Agriculture page for important information on the benefits of eating fruits.

Http://www.choosemyplate.gov/eat-healthy/fruits

Here are a few examples:

Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. Fruits do not have any cholesterol.

Many fruits contain nutrients essential to our bodies, such as potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid).

Fruits contain a lot of fiber, which is important for proper bowel function and helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis.

Pears-1 medium has 5 grams of fiber
Raspberries-1 cup has 10 grams of fiber
Figs-dried, 2 medium have 4 grams of fiber
Blueberries-1 cup has 4 grams of fiber
Banana-1 has 3 grams of fiber

Many fruits, especially citrus fruits, contain Vitamin C, which is vital for growth and repairing all of the body’s tissues. Vitamin C also helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Fruits high in Vitamin C

Citrus Fruits: Oranges, lemons, tangerines, mandarins, grapefruit, limes
Strawberries, Papayas, Pineapples, Blackcurrants, Kiwis, Guavas, Melons, Acerola cherries

Quick Breakfast Meals

Oatmeal

Instant oats are delicious, easy to prepare, and can be nutritious. Read the labels to see if you are getting real food or not! Many oats are now gluten-free. What is the difference? Oats are naturally gluten-free, yet almost all oat crops are near wheat crops, and there is a high incidence of cross-contamination. The majority of people with gluten intolerance can only consume certified gluten-free oats.

When reading labels, there are three essential nutrients to look for: protein, fiber, and whole grains (which are great for brain power, bowel function, and overall good health). Also important to notice (in a negative way) are sugar grams, anything artificial, or words that are not real food. Keep sugar and especially artificial colors and flavors low, as they hinder attention, which is one of the most critical aspects of attending school. Look at the ingredient list: which provides real food and which is full of chemicals? Which one would give your child the better start to their day? You can also get plain instant oats with nothing added and add your own fruit and nuts. Many companies offer variety packs, so your child can have a different flavor each day or discover which flavor they like best; then, you can buy a box of that flavor. Again, beware of added sugar, artificial flavors, and colors in flavored oatmeal.

Other meals that take a small amount of preparation can be:

Eggs: (hard boil the night before), scrambled, fried

Cereal: again, read the labels and avoid chemicals and preservatives, which have the opposite effect on a child’s brain for attentiveness and learning. Also, look for healthy whole grains and low sugar!

Meats: choose brands with zero nitrites, zero preservatives, zero artificial ingredients, and lower sodium levels, such as Organic Prairie, Applegate, Boar’s Head, Aidells, and Wellshire Farms

Whole Grain Bread: slices with a small amount of healthy butter or Earth Balance or nut butter spread on top or melted cheese or Daiya (dairy free)

Breakfast Bars

Be very careful when you buy snack bars. Many are just loaded with sugar and chemicals, offering little nutritional value. Many great bars on the market have essential nutrients your body needs. Read the labels. Here are some examples of healthy and unhealthy breakfast bar labels.

It is important to look at the ingredients and not buy food with words you can’t pronounce or additives and artificial ingredients. Also, are the fruit ingredients high or low on the list? These aspects of a food label are crucial to give your child an excellent start to their school day. Fruit, whole grains, and proteins should be at the top of your ingredient list.

Read the labels, look for real food, eat a healthy breakfast, and see how much better your family feels during their day at school or work!

Barrie Silberberg is the author of The Autism & ADHD Diet : A Step-by- Step Guide To Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) And Others Interventions.

Helpful Articles

This post originally appeared on our September/October 2016 Magazine