New research suggests that eating breakfast can help people maintain brain power throughout the morning and day. Korean researchers found that those subjects who ate breakfast, compared to those who didn't, performed better on cognitive tasks, including those that involved reaction time. The breakfast eaters also had better mood throughout the day. One other interesting finding from this study showed that exercise in the morning kept food cravings away. This could also lead to better mental performance as there would be no interruption from a hunger signal hitting the brain. Looks like breakfast and exercise make a wonderful combination!
Another study done with over 1,000 school children ages 6-16 in the United Kingdom discovered similar results. Once again, study results showed that breakfast can lead to improvements in cognitive function including memory and focus.
As I've talked about before, the best choices for breakfast are whole foods with a variety of nutrients. My top picks are eggs with veggies, sausage, ham, bacon, berries, & oatmeal. A smoothie with whey protein, greens, and berries also makes a great choice. Throw in a little olive oil or coconut oil for an additional nutritional zing!
Veaseay RC, Gonazalez JT, Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Stevenson CS.
Breakfast consumption and exercise interact to affect appetite,
cognitive performance and mood later in the day. Appetite 59 (2012)
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Wesnes KA, Pincock C, Scholey A. Breakfast is associated with enhanced cognitive function in schoolchildren. An internet based study. Appetite. 2012 Aug 15;59(3):646-649.
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