Wake-Up Call

Eating breakfast may tame your appetite and help keep your blood fats in check.

Breakfast eaters consume fewer calories throughout the day and have better blood lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity than breakfast skippers, a recent study concludes. Low-fat yogurt with fruit, granola with skim milk, or whole-grain toast with peanut butter are all great choices to start your day.

Easy, healthy breakfast choices include egg-white omelets with sauteed veggies, low-fat yogurt, whole-wheat toast, nuts, fruit, peanut butter, low-fat cheese, or smoothies made with berries and low-fat soymilk. These foods can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and give you the nutrition you need for the day. On the other hand, high-calorie donuts, pastries, and sugary cereals may offer little nutritional value. They may give you quick energy, but you'll feel sluggish after your blood sugar takes a dive. Skipping breakfast altogether may contribute to blood sugar instability as well.

Deleterious effects of omitting breakfast on insulin sensitivity and fasting lipid profiles in healthy lean women. Farshchi, H. R., Taylor, M. A., Macdonald, I. A., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005 Feb;81(2):388-396.