Yet Another Note On Breakfast ;)

I have to say that I LOVE when people ask questions or bring up a myth that I haven't yet had the chance to rebut.


Today's topic is inspired by a question posed by one of my readers on the entry I wrote- New Fav Cereal!. The reader mentioned that she'd been told protein was the most important thing to have for breakfast, and that eating carbs would be like eating cake. I can assure you that this is incorrect.

It is a good idea to have protein for breakfast, but carbs are very important to include as well! Carbohydrates are brain food, NOT protein. Protein is mainly used to repair muscle tissue, whereas carbohydrates are our bodies #1 source of energy. It's what's going to get your systems fired up in the morning and give you that energy to stay awake.

Carbohydrates are usually what people start to cut back on when dieting to lose weight, so it's easy to start believing that they make you fat. On the contrary, carbohydrates are a key component to a healthy diet that's also sustainable for weight loss.

Now, there are types of carbohydrates that are not good for you and should be limited in your diet. Foods like white bread, white pasta, pastries, cakes, candies, beer, etc. should not be a part of your regular eating regime. Make sure the carbs you're choosing are not empty calories but are instead rich in vitamins/minerals, made of whole grains, and if you can go for organic- do so.

The truth is that protein, carbs, and fats come in healthy and unhealthy varieties. This is why cutting out all fats, or all carbs, or all proteins, just doesn't work in our favor. Diets that tell you to cut out any of these may work temporarily, but I promise you, I guarantee you, any weight you lose will come back and likely more weight will come with it.

So, unless you have intolerances to mixing certain types of foods together, your best bet for breakfast would be to have a mix of carbs, protein, and fat. Think: a bowl of cereal with some slivered almonds and fruit, or an egg on toast with a fruit salad on the side and a glass of milk.

Let me know if there's anything else you guys want to know :)