A Breakfast Eater's Manifesto

Everyone knows what the most important meal of the day is—breakfast, of course! Not only is breakfast an enjoyable way to begin the day, it is also essential for a healthy diet. I have always been a breakfast lover. I firmly believe that “few rituals are as uplifting and comforting as a big, sumptuous breakfast: fluffy waffles with warm maple syrup; crisp, golden fried eggs; thick-sliced, applewood-smoked bacon; soft, sticky cinnamon rolls; and freshly squeezed orange juice” (Yee). My eighteen years have shared a common theme of a daily morning meal; however, how I eat breakfast has changed quite a bit over the course of my life. I intend to have a lifelong love affair with breakfast and, in order to do so, I feel I must establish a stronger basis for our relationship. I need to clearly state my intentions and set standards that I will try my best to follow. Recently, I have been reevaluating my relationship with food in general. I would like to get the most out of my consumption—nutrition wise—while maintaining the aspects of eating that are central to my food values. I would like to combine the ideals of health and wellness with my passion for breakfast in order maximize the benefits I receive from something that I, along with the majority of people, love—eating delicious food. 

            Some of my earliest memories of breakfast are waking up to the sound and smell of my dad making waffles in the kitchen. I would rush out of bed to assist him in whipping up the batter and pouring it into the sizzling hot waffle iron. While my father was scrambling some eggs and cooking up some breakfast sausage, I would sit patiently, watching the timer until three minutes had passed. I would immediately alert my father that the waffles were done. Taking my plate, he would open up the waffle iron, releasing a burst of a warm, cinnamon aroma, and gently remove the perfectly golden brown creation. Making a little puddle of Aunt Jemima off to the side of my plate, I would use my hands to rip the waffle into bite size pieces and dip them into the syrupy goodness. My dad and I would always wake up earlier than the rest of my family members, so we would often spend mornings similar to this, just the two of us enjoying a homemade breakfast together.

            I consider myself lucky to have had such a pleasant experience with breakfast from the very beginning. Because of these mornings with my dad, I developed the habit of consistently eating breakfast every day, from which I have received several health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association, “more than half of male teenagers and more than two thirds of female teens do not regularly eat breakfast” (Smith).  I was one of the few fortunate teenage girls that loved breakfast and incorporated it into my daily schedule. Leena Mogre, a nutritionist and fitness expert, explains, “The reason why breakfast is important is because it breaks the fast between dinner and lunch, where there is a gap of 16 hours” (Kallury). Skipping breakfast requires the body to go a long time without the consumption of food or the access to new energy. Mogre comments that “leaving such a long gap between two meals eventually leads to problems such as acidity and stomach ulcers” (Kallury).

While breaking the fast between dinner and lunch is the main reason a human body needs breakfast, there are many other benefits that come along with daily consumption of a morning meal. Several studies have shown that eating breakfast can help control weight, boost brainpower, and benefit a person’s overall health. According to a recent study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health’s Eating Among Teens (EAT) project, “teens who ate breakfast daily typically gained less weight than those who skipped” (Smith). Breakfast skippers are more likely to eat between meals and tend to make unhealthy and impulsive food choices. Sarah Krieger, a pediatric dietitian, explains that people who don’t eat breakfast are “craving and reaching for the high-salt, high-fat, high calorie foods” because their bodies are trying to store up calories to prepare for the sixteen hour fast between dinner and lunch (Smith). Not only does breakfast fill the stomach and help people make healthier food choices throughout the day, but it fuels the brain too. While a body is asleep, the “brain drains its main energy source, called glucose, from the food [that was eaten] the night before. A morning meal replenishes that energy supply,” and if breakfast is skipped, the person will be left tired and irritable (Smith).The benefits received from the energy gained from eating breakfast every day have been investigated. Numerous studies have shown that “students who eat breakfast perform better on tests, have better grades, and are better behaved than those who don’t eat breakfast” (Smith). Breakfast eaters also tend to be “more physically active than those who [skip] breakfast” (Smith). According to the American Dietetic Association, breakfast consumers are “more likely to meet their overall nutrient requirements.” It is clear that eating breakfast on a daily basis provides many important health gains. Not only is it necessary for a body to function after a night of sleep, but a daily morning meal helps people make better food choices throughout the day, leads to higher academic success, encourages a more physically active lifestyle, and helps achieve a healthy dose of daily nutrients. With this knowledge, I will most definitely continue to eat breakfast every day for the rest of my life.

It has been established that there are many benefits to eating breakfast and that it should be eaten on a daily basis—I already do this and through the research above have reconvicted myself to this habit. The only thing to figure out now is what I am going to eat every morning. As I mentioned before, how I eat breakfast has changed a lot over time. My love of breakfast began with making waffles with my dad, but we slowly expanded our horizons. Together we would make vegetable omelets and buttered toast, or scrambled eggs and ham with cheese melted over the top. I loved the good, hearty breakfasts. I still do, especially on holidays. On Christmas and Easter, brunch is the best part of the day. My mother makes all kinds of egg dishes, homemade cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, fruit salad, and freshly squeezed orange juice. While this type of meal may be a delicious way to celebrate special occasions with family and friends, one would think that all these foods are not the best for someone to eat when trying to eat healthy. These assumptions would be correct, but I’ve found that indulging in these large meals from time to time may not be as bad as I thought. Timothy Harlan, a professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, explains, “Fortunately, the weekend binge isn’t likely to have a huge negative effect because ‘eating healthy is all about balance.” Tall stacks of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sticky buns are not something that should be consumed every day, but they are okay to have occasionally. In fact, Harlem says, “Sunday brunch is a special part of countless family rituals…That alone can have health benefits” (Deardorff). He explains that “having a large, friendly meal works for all of us on a social level that transcends the perfect diet” (Deardorff). While the food itself and the portion sizes consumed on such occasions are not exactly health conscious, the company is. People need social interactions to be healthy, and a lot of social interactions in our culture are surrounded by food. Big holiday brunches are the perfect way to apply this concept to breakfast. I will not be eating this way every morning, but I will not hesitate to have a sweet danish and some fried potatoes next time the family gets together. Even when attempting to maintain a nutritious diet, “it’s fine to indulge in the special meal every now and then” (Deardorff).  

As I got older, life got busier. I didn’t stop eating breakfast, but I did begin to jump on the ‘on-the-go breakfast’ bandwagon. A piece of peanut butter toast or a toaster waffle was sufficient on the way to school in the mornings. I began calling a cup of coffee and a granola bar ‘breakfast’. Just as the “hearty feast of bacon and eggs” that I enjoyed in my youth is “hardly a good start by today’s standards, the doughnut and coffee that have replaced it in today’s fast-paced world is no better” (Breakfast). Nutritionist do say that when “wrestling between a bad breakfast and no breakfast at all, choose the doughnut” (Deardorff). While it is clear that this advice is true—because skipping breakfast means missing out on many health gains—I hope to maximize the benefits I receive from eating breakfast, and therefore, plan to avoid any unhealthy food choices. This means that I may have to rethink my on-the-go breakfasts or at least amp up what is on the menu. A daily cup of coffee or tea can provide “some hydration and a jolt of caffeine. Research has linked both drinks to a variety of health benefits” (Deardorff). With this in mind, I think I will continue to have a cup of coffee every now and then, but it must be consumed along with something a bit more substantial. According to Janet Ovrut, a dietitian, when a breakfast consists of only coffee or tea, “it’s only the hot liquid that is filling your stomach, tricking you into feeling satisfied.” If all I have is a cup of coffee, I will likely overeat throughout the rest of the day to make up for the lack of energy I obtained in the morning. In order to jumpstart the metabolism, Ovrut suggests adding a piece of fruit. Typically, when I’m on the go, I will grab a muffin or a granola bar and some juice. Physician John La Puma explains that a breakfast bar and orange juice, while may seem like a healthier on-the-go breakfast, is “not much better than eating a candy bar and sugar cubes.” Juices, due to their high sugar content, should be considered desserts (Deardorff). While I may go for some kind of pastry or baked good when I’m in a hurry, there are much healthier choices that are just as quick and easy. Doughnuts and cereal bars are simple carbohydrates that “make your glucose (blood sugar) spike and then drop, leaving you starving by 11 a.m. and craving sugary foods” (DeCostole). Complex carbs, such as oatmeal or whole-grain toast, are high in fiber and low in sugar. They digest slowly, “providing steady energy to keep you full and minimize cravings” (DeCostole). From now on, when I have to grab something fast, I will opt for the healthier items.

I suppose I have always known that breakfast is good for me, but I didn’t realize all the health implications it carries with it. Sure, I’ve always been aware that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day”—but little did I know just how important it really is. My love of breakfast is still strong, but from now on I will be paying even closer attention to how I eat it. I will be sure to eat it every day, to choose foods that are healthy (even when I have to eat on the go), and to indulge in a big family brunch every now and then. Not only does breakfast give me the energy I need to make it through the day, but if I eat it right, it can make a world of difference in everything I do. It is a glorious start to the day, I time in the morning to compose myself and simply enjoy good, healthy food. A good breakfast translates into a good day ahead.  

References

“Breakfast and Your Health.” Harvard Men’s Health Watch, Vol. 9, No. 7. February, 2005.

Deardorff, Julie. “How to Eat Breakfast: What you eat in the morning can make or break your

            day.” Orlando Sentinel. August 18, 2009.

DeCostole, Jessica. “Eat this for Breakfast!” Redbook, Vol. 208, No. 1, p. 56. January 2007.

Kallury, Kruttika. “Power Breakfast: Feel tired all day and find it difficult to keep your energy

 up? The solution to your problem is a nutritious morning meal.” India Today. April 18,

2011.

Morris, Tim. “Breakfast.” Gastronimica: The Journal of Food and Culture.

Smith, Natalie. “Breakfast’s Benefits.” Scholastic Choices, Vol. 21, No. 1, p. 18-20. September,

 2011.  

Yee, Laura. “Breakfast.” Restaurants & Institutions, Vol. 109, No. 15, p. 28036. June 1, 1999.

I've learned a lot about food and research writing throughout this course. Some of the most interesting things we covered included reading about the food industry and discovering where our food comes from. It was interesting to hear other people's view points on what is ethical and what is not and their reasoning. I really enjoyed reading articles out of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. It made me really think about my personal relationship with food, which I had never really taken the time to do before. Due to this course, I am reevaluating my personal food values and thinking more about the significance of my food choices.

                Both Michael Pollan’s “Unhappy Meals” and Melanie Dupuis’s “Angels and Vegetables: A Brief History of Food Advice in America” address the shift that has been made from simply eating food to survive to the current omnivore’s “moral” choice of what they should eat. Pollan explains that people no longer eat “food”; we eat “nutrients”. In the grocery store, people used to see words such as “cookies”, “cereal”, and “eggs”. Now we mostly see things like “cholesterol” and “low-fat”. People today are consuming a lot of “food-like” items instead of natural food. Pollan gives some good advice by telling his readers that in order to be as healthy as possible, they should “eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Food has become a source of pleasure and entertainment in today’s culture, which has led to consuming large amounts of tasty, unhealthy foods.

Where people find information about what they should and should not eat has also changed over the past several decades.  People used to look to religion for answers when deciding what to eat. Then people began listening to scientists when it came to dietary advice. Dupuis claims that people no longer ask religion or science what they should eat, but “rely on popular writers to steer [them] through a welter of confusing and contradictory information.”

Both of these articles have made me think about my own food choices—what I eat and why I decide to eat them. I’ve never really thought much about what I eat and have, along with most Americans, probably tend to eat what Pollan calls “food-like” products. Some of my diet includes fruits and vegetables, but a lot of it is snack foods that probably aren’t very natural. I think these type of eating habits have become an issue in today’s food culture. Eating these processed “nutrients” is neither natural nor healthy. In order for the food culture to make the shift back to eating “food”, we must reevaluate what we eat, why we eat, and how we make dietary decisions. 

Eggsellent for your health

            Keeping track of what I ate for three days really got me thinking about my eating habits. I looked over what I had eaten and looked for trends in my diet. One thing I noticed is that I eat eggs almost every morning with breakfast. Typically I will enjoy one or two scrambled eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper or with a bit of hot sauce. Because I eat them every day, I started wondering about the health implications of consuming eggs on a regular basis.

            Over time, advice about the dietary role of eggs has changed several times. I’ve heard many of these different things regarding the nutritional value of eggs. People have told me that eggs are very healthy for you; however, I have heard from others that they are not very healthy to eat on a daily basis. Starting in 1957, the Egg Marketing Board advertised eggs as being a good source of protein and was successful in increasing sales. By the 1960s, egg consumption in the US “peaked to nearly five eggs per person per week” (Derbyshire et al). However, within a few years people began to worry about the cholesterol content of eggs, with “research studies suggesting that cholesterol-rich foods may elevate blood cholesterol and, hence, increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)” (Derbyshire et al). It is true that eggs contain protein and cholesterol, which leaves me wondering if the health benefits outweigh the concerns or vice versa.

 Research shows that “eggs are a rich source of protein and several essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline” (Derbyshire et al). It is well established that the egg is a very important source of nutrients. It contains all the “proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and growth factors required by the developing embryo” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). It is logical to conclude that an egg is healthy for us to eat because it contains everything needed to nurture a chicken embryo. It has all the elements necessary for healthy growth and development of a chicken, which are all things that would also contribute to the healthy growth and development of us.

            Eggs not only contain all of these important nutrients, but also have “a number of defense factors to protect against bacterial and viral infection” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). In order to defend a developing chicken from disease and infection, the egg contains antioxidants. By consuming eggs, we consume these antioxidants and they give us certain health benefits. Emerging evidence suggest that the egg could become important in “human health and in disease prevention and treatment” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). The health benefits of eggs go beyond being a good source of protein and other nutrients—they have potential to play a role in the treatment and prevention of infectious disease.

            Concerns that people have voiced about the cholesterol content of eggs have also been investigated. Within the last 15 years, the majority of key studies done “do not support the contention that egg consumption is a risk factor for heart disease or stroke” (Derbyshire et al). It has been calculated by using the risk apportionment model that “eating one egg per day accounted for 1% of CHD risk. In contrast, 40% of risk was attributed to lifestyle factors” such as smoking, alcohol intake, lack of exercise, or unhealthy diet (Derbyshire et al). While eggs do have a somewhat high cholesterol content, they have much less of an impact on health than other risk factors. Researchers have concluded that “for most individuals, egg consumption will have little or no influence on cholesterol levels or CHD risk” (Derbyshire et al).

            There are clear dietary benefits to eating eggs on a regular basis. Emerging evidence shows that eggs have potential to be used in therapy and prevention of infectious disease. The nutritional value of eggs goes far beyond being a good source of protein. While eggs do contain cholesterol, they do not have near the impact of other factors, such as consuming foods with high levels of saturated fat, a lack of exercise, or smoking cigarettes. People who consume eggs on a regular basis are unlikely to be affected by CHD or have a stroke as a result of cholesterol levels in the eggs. Conclusions have been made making it very clear that the health benefits of eating eggs outweigh the concerns. With this in mind, I will be enjoying eggs for breakfast for many mornings to come.

References

Derbyshire, E.; Gibson, S.; Ruxton, C.H.S. “The nutritional properties and health benefits of eggs.”

Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 40 Iss: 3, pp. 263 – 279. 2010.

Kovacs-Nolan, Jennifer; Mine, Yoshinori; Phillips, Marshall. “Advances in the Value of Eggs and Egg

                Components for Human Health.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, Vol. 53 Iss: 22, pp.

    8421 – 8431. Department of Food Science, University of Guelph. 

Food Journal Observations:

Reading through some of my classmates' food journals from the weekend, I noticed a few trends. A lot of people ate pretty light for breakfast--there was a lot of yogurt and granola. Pizza was also a pretty popular meal; probably due to lack of appealing options in the cafeteria. Another thing I noticed was the time of day that people ate at. The times were not always typical meal times, but scattered throughout afternoons and late at night.

What I have been eating for the past three days...


Friday:
9:30 am -- Two pieces of whole wheat toast, lightly buttered. Blueberry yogurt with granola and raisins. A couple scrambled eggs with salt and pepper. Half a glass of orange juice.
2:00 pm -- A panini made with whole wheat bread, ham, provolone cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, and spicy mustard.
7:00 pm -- A taco with beef, salsa, sour cream, jalapenos, and lettuce; all on a whole wheat tortilla. Small side of about eight or so chips with guacamole. Water to drink.

Saturday:
9:45 am -- One cup of coffee, black.
11:00 am -- One scoop of an egg dish with eggs, cheese, chorizo, and jalapenos. One scoop of an egg dish with eggs, cheese, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms and Italian sausages. Put Cholula hot sauce generously on both egg dishes. A cinnamon roll. Scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple. Half a glass of orange juice.
5:30 pm -- Three baby back ribs smothered in barbecue sauce. Scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple. A dinner roll, buttered. A small scoop of potato salad. A small scoop of macaroni salad. A cream soda to drink.
7:45 pm -- A piece of marbled cake (chocolate and vanilla) with vanilla frosting and a scoop of chocolate ice cream.  

Sunday:
11:00 am -- A waffle, buttered with syrup. A couple of eggs, scrambled with salt and pepper. A sausage patty. A cup of coffee, with a little milk. A scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple.
3:00 pm -- A chocolate peanut butter Cliff bar.
5:30 pm -- A piece of marbled cake with vanilla frosting.
7:30 pm -- A couple scoops of penne pasta in a light tomato sauce. A piece of garlic bread. Water to drink.

                        The other day, I was chowing down on some tacos and realized that they just wouldn’t be complete without one ingredient—guacamole. In fact, it got me thinking about how much I love avocados in general. Avocados have grown to be a favorite of many people around the globe, appealing to Americans in particular. I started wondering about where the avocado in my taco came from and how it ended up being eaten by me.

            The avocado is a tree fruit, and is “thought to have originated in Mexico and Central and South America” (Boriss et al, 1). In 1833, they were first planted in Florida, and then in California in 1856. Today, avocados are commercially grown in California, Florida, and Hawaii; however, America is still the “largest importer of avocados…accounting for 26 percent of world imports” (Boriss et al, 2). The world’s largest exporters include Mexico, Chile, and Spain, which are where we get our imported avocados. Mexico is responsible for about a third of the world’s avocado production. Over half of the imports we bring in from Mexico are processed avocado products (Boriss et al, 2). We import millions of dollars’ worth of avocados, yet we produce over 6.5 percent of the world’s avocados ourselves (Boriss et al, 2). We have no choice but to import if we want to eat as many avocados as we like. The avocado industry in the United States has grown tremendously over the past couple decades in an attempt to keep up with the demand of its citizens.

            Many people in America, including myself, enjoy avocados often, and the number of avocado lovers in the U.S. is increasing every day. The annual per-capita consumption of avocados “has risen 10 percent in the United States over the past decade, and if that trend continues, coupled with population growth, avocado demand will top 2.8 billion pounds by 2020” (Linden). Per capita consumption of this tasty fruit has “followed a variable but generally increasing trend since 1970, increasing significantly in recent years from 1.5 pounds per capita in 1999 to a record 2.5 pounds in 2003” (Boriss et al, 1). Reasons for this recent increase in avocado popularity in America could be due to a couple of factors. Avocados have been marketed as “a healthy dietary choice and as a good source of beneficial monounsaturated oil” (Boriss et al, 1). An increasing awareness of healthier foods and the acceptance of monounsaturated fats, along with a growing Hispanic population in the U.S., have contributed to the recent increase in demand (Boriss et al, 2).

The value of avocado production has been steadily increasing along with the rise in the fruit’s popularity. The value of the avocado industry in the Unites States has been “increasing since the early 1990s, from $118.1 million in 1992 to nearly $400 million in 2003” (Boriss et al, 3). In the most recent years, it has been over $400 million, and is continuing to increase. The goal of farmers is to have this “lofty figure” continue to be reached on an annual basis for many years to come (Linden).   The avocado industry may be nowhere near reaching the same number as seen in the production of tomatoes, apples, and other produce, but they are well on their way. In 2011, California avocado growers produced 300 million pounds, “while the 2012 crop has been projected at 400 million pounds” (Linden). Increasing yields is currently a top priority for American avocado farmers. They are looking into expanding the industry by increasing “tree density per acre and possibly expanding more production to other areas” (Linden). The majority of avocado farms are in the valleys along the western coast of California. There is a “high cost of water and competition for that prime coastal land [which] means there are not a lot of new groves being developed” (linden). While it is more difficult to grow avocados in other climates, it is necessary for farmers to attempt growing crops more inland in order to increase production (Linden).

            It is safe to say that the avocado is a food considered tasty and nutritious by many Americans. It is rapidly growing in popularity and the U.S. avocado industry is trying to expand as much as it can as quickly as it can to satisfy the growing demand, but it seems that this might not be possible due to limited land and water supplies in the areas of America that provide the proper climate for growing avocados. It is safe to say the already massive amounts of avocados we import will continue to grow in coming years and Americans like myself will continue to enjoy guacamole on their tacos.

References

 Boriss, Hayley; Brunke, Henrich; Kreith, Marcia. “Commodity Profile: Avocados.” Agricultural

            Marketing Resource Center. Agricultural Issues Center: University of California.

            February 2006. http://aic.ucdavis.edu/profiles/Avocados-2006.pdf May 8, 2012.

Linden, Tim. “California avocado industry bullish about its future.” The Produce News. April 4,

2012. http://theproducenews.com/index.php/category-list/9-story-cat/7313-california-avocado-industry-bullish-about-its-future May 8, 2012.