Question

I used to always be in a hurry in the morning before class. I liked to grab a bagel with jam and coffee with lots of cream and sugar for breakfast (unless I skipped breakfast entirely). For lunch I often had plain pasta with marinara sauce, a soda, and a candy bar. I found that around 3:00 p.m. I would get hungry and have no energy. I always needed a “pick-me-up” like coffee and a muffin. At night, I was so hungry that I often raided the refrigerator and practically devoured every food in sight. When we did a nutrient analysis in class, I found that I was eating a high amount of simple carbs every day that contained a lot of sugar. My instructor suggested that eating a balanced breakfast might help curve my cravings and provide greater energy levels later in the day. So I began to get up earlier and go to the cafeteria for a sit-down breakfast. I would get a cup of oatmeal with blueberries, some skim milk, and a small amount of scrambled eggs or low-fat cottage cheese. This breakfast has complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and some fat. I find that when I eat this kind of breakfast, I have fewer cravings for snack foods later in the day, steadier energy levels, and I no longer raid the refrigerator at night. I also started paying attention to what I have for lunch and dinner, trying to eat more balanced meals, including fruits, vegetables, 100% whole-wheat products, and fish. Now I find that I have much more energy for my afternoon classes and lacrosse practice!

Critical Thinking Questions

1. Why is skipping breakfast not recommended? Do you usually eat breakfast within an hour or so of getting up, do you wait a long time to eat your first meal, or do you skip it entirely?

2. What advantages would eating oatmeal with blueberries as part of breakfast have over eating a bagel with jam?

3. Many people, like Karina, like to eat meals and snacks that consist mainly of carbohydrates, especially at breakfast. What protein foods are good to eat for breakfast to make it a more balanced meal? What protein foods are good to eat as a snack or when you are on the go?

Answer 1

1)

Breakfast is first meal of the day .There is already a gap of 8-9 hours between your's dinner and breakfast and even more.Skipping breakfast makes people too hungry and they tend to over eat in the lunch time which is obviously not good for health again when you take heavy breakfast you have whole day to digest it easily .Eating a heavy breakfast is always preferable over eating a heavy dinner or lunch as the digestion period shortens.Eating breakfast within an hour or so of getting up is always preferable.It's help to stock up energy for the whole day.

2)

Oatmeal is a complete food .It gives the required amount of carbs need to the body.Taking it with egg makes it a complete food where carbs,protein,high fiber ,various minerals and vitamins are present in an oatmeal along with less sugar content.Sugar in any form is harmful for the body. Bagel with jam means you are eating but treating you stomach as dustbin .This combination does not provide you with right amount of carbs,dietary fiber ,vitamins and minerals.But a high amount of sugary diet expose you to the health hazards.

3)Lean protein such as egg,unsweetened dairy products,seafood,legumes,beans,overnight oats with berries,sandwich,lemon and chia seeds muffins. A mix source of proteins must be taken as snacks or when one is moving.A balanced mix of nuts, dried fruits and seeds. One can choose the foods as choice and increase the amount of protein-rich foods like almonds and pumpkin seeds.