A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child's Brainpower
Evidence suggests that eating breakfast really does help kids
learn. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply
of glucose — or blood sugar. That's the brain's basic fuel.
"Without glucose," explains Terrill Bravender,
professor of pediatrics at Duke University, "our brain simply doesn't
operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, [they
have a] problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don't remember
things as well."
Dozens of studies from as far back as the 1950s have
consistently shown that children who eat breakfast perform better academically
than those who don't. In a recent study of 4,000 elementary school students,
researchers measured the effects of eating breakfast by administering a battery
of attention tests. To measure short-term memory, researchers read a series of
digits out loud — 5, 4, 2 and so on — and asked the children to repeat them.
The children were scored on how many digits they could remember correctly. To
test verbal fluency, the kids were asked to name all the animals they could
think of in 60 seconds. Across the board, Murphy says, the breakfast eaters
performed better than those children who had skipped breakfast.
With the preponderance of evidence suggesting that breakfast is
key, the next question becomes: Does it matter what kind of breakfast kids eat?
The answer is: Yes.
Bravender, for example, says he'd never serve his children
heavily sweetened cereals. "Any sugared cereal really has a high glycemic
index."
The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly the carbohydrates
in food are absorbed into our bodies and converted to fuel. When it comes to
sustained brain power, Bravender explains, food that is low on the scale — such
as whole grains — are preferable. Even though a bowl of sugary cereal and a
bowl of old-fashioned oatmeal may have the same number of carbohydrates, they
have very different glycemic loads.
Sugary cereals get into your body quickly and cause a peak in
blood-sugar levels, but the levels then fall dramatically after two hours or
so. Oatmeal, on the other hand, is absorbed slowly, so oatmeal eaters gets a
slow rise in blood sugar and enough energy to last through the morning.
What's more, oatmeal eaters don't experience a steep drop in
blood-sugar levels, and that's a good thing. A dip in blood sugar can bring
with it a release of hormones that affect mood. In some children, the hormones
seem to affect concentration and memory.
Scientists have recently begun to study this phenomenon. Last
year, Tufts University psychologist Holly Taylor had one group of children eat
sweetened oatmeal for breakfast while another ate Cap'n Crunch cereal. Then
both groups were given academic tasks, like memorizing the names of countries
on a map. The oatmeal eaters did up to 20 percent better than the Crunch
consumers. To Taylor, that shows that "the children were remembering more
information about these maps after having eaten oatmeal."
And it wasn't as if the oatmeal wasn't sweet. Both cereals had
the same sugar content. But Taylor says that the oatmeal had more protein and
fiber, and therefore a lower glycemic index.
These findings beg more research. But Duke's Terrill Bravender
believes there are some basic rules to follow. First, families should make sure
kids eat something for breakfast. And if the goal is to find foods with a low
glycemic index, then serve fewer processed foods. That will improve the odds
that your child's blood sugar will hold steady until lunch.
Breakfast of Scholars: What Eggs-perts Suggest
by ROSEANNE PEREIRA AND MARC SILVER
August 30, 2006 5:14 PM
To keep your brain powered up, the first meal of the day should
be rich in protein and good carbohydrates — the whole-grain variety that will
sustain you for a long spell rather than the sugary kind that will push your
blood sugar up, then let it fall. We asked three experts for their breakfast
advice.
Stacey Nelson, Senior clinical nutritionist, MGH Nutrition
Services in Boston
What I ate this morning: Peanut butter and jelly on
multigrain bread, ice coffee with low-fat milk.
General recommendations: 1-2 slices of whole-grain toast or
whole-wheat English muffin or toasted whole-grain waffle topped with peanut
butter and a glass of low-fat milk.
Breakfast burrito: whole-wheat tortilla or pita pocket stuffed
with scrambled egg mixed with salsa
1-2 slices of whole-grain toast with melted low-fat cheese and
tomato
Whole-grain cereals, hot or cold, with low-fat milk or yogurt
and 1-2 tablespoons of slivered nuts on top. If the cereal box label says there
are 3 grams of fiber or more a serving, that means there is significant fiber.
What to avoid: I never like to demonize any food. But I
would recommend limiting or avoiding refined and sugary starches and very fatty
foods in the morning — donuts, a corn muffin with extra butter. The lack of
fiber, vitamins/minerals and protein in these meals means minimal nutrition,
and a meal that likely won't stick with you for very long.
Terrill Bravender, associate professor of pediatrics and
director of adolescent medicine, Duke University
What I ate this morning: Today I had nine-grain organic
bread with crunchy peanut butter, a red Gala apple, a glass of skim milk and
later a cup of coffee. My 10-year-old son made French toast from whole-grain
bread with maple syrup for himself and his 6-year-old brother.
General recommendations: Whole-wheat toast with peanut
butter, a glass of milk and a piece of fresh fruit.
A bowl of whole-grain cereal (cold or oatmeal), preferably with
nuts, milk, fresh fruit.
Whole-wheat toast, 1 or 2 eggs, milk, fresh fruit
What to avoid: Any concentrated sweets that are eaten
alone. These would include sugared cereals, fruit juice alone or breakfast
pastries alone. Breakfast meat is okay if not consumed in excess and if there
is a whole-grain carbohydrate source included.
J. Michael Murphy, senior psychologist, Massachusetts
General Hospital and associate professor of psychology, Harvard Medical School
What I ate this morning: Oatmeal — right from the box — and
milk topped with raisins. I don't cook it. I checked with the scientists from
Quaker and they said it is fine to eat it this way, too. Cooking the oats just
softens them up. [Editor's note: We asked a brave volunteer to try uncooked
oats and milk; her verdict: "Okay, but not nearly as good as
cooked."]
General recommendation: Whole-grain cereal like oatmeal or
shredded wheat with low-fat milk, topped with fresh or dried fruit and honey.
What to avoid: Foods with empty calories like soda and
potato chips.
