The Early Show

Breakfast On The Go

By Rome Neal

August 20, 2003 / 5:00 PM EDT / CBS

Most people love breakfast, but many of us only experience this morning meal on Sundays.

Nutritionists and health experts agree that breakfast is an important meal, and so to encourage early-morning eating, the editors at Real Simple magazine have developed a list of nine easy and healthy breakfast options.

The magazine's food editor, Jane Kirby, visited The Early Show to explain that almost any breakfast can be healthy, as long as you add the right things.

Kirby says a well-balanced breakfast should provide 1/4 to 1/3 of your daily calories. Also, it should include protein, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates and a little fat to fill you up and keep you satisfied until lunchtime. But, Kirby says, the nutrient content is more important than calorie count.

Generally, the prepared breakfast foods that most love don't deliver enough fuel to last to lunchtime. Items like fruit juice, sweet pastries, a bagel and jam contain skimpy amounts of protein and have no staying power, according to Real Simple. When you consume protein such as a hard-cooked egg or a slice of cheese, you digest more slowly, thereby maintaining a steady level of energy -- the opposite of a sugar spike and crash. The addition of the right energy-boosting ingredients can get your mind and body through the day.

Pop-Tarts more than meet the recommended daily allowance for frosted deliciousness, according to Real Simple magazine. But there is no nutrition in the food. The USDA puts them in the "treats" category, outside the respectable confines of the five major food groups. About a third of the 190 to 210 calories in one Pop-Tart come from sugar (the equivalent of 4 to 5 teaspoons), and the refined-white-flour crust has barely a wisp of fiber. Kirby says Pop-Tarts may feel nice and toasty, but as a meal, it's toast.

According to Kirby, the biggest mistake people make when it comes to breakfast — besides skipping it — is that they introduce sugar, and only sugar, to the body. It is the reason people say that eating breakfast makes them hungry all day. Kirby explains that's because sugar gives the body a temporary "high." It later crashes, and gets hungry. You need to add some protein to give your body real energy. Kirby says that is what people fail to do. Protein, she says, normalizes the body and metabolism.

Kirby says people just need to add a few things to their feeding habits to make a better breakfast.

Fast Food

Egg McMuffin: Kirby says if you have to have fast food, try McDonald's Egg McMuffin. At only 300 calories, it's not an outrageous meal. The egg and the Canadian bacon also provide good lean protein. To cut calories, don't eat the top half of the muffin. Add a fresh orange for extra fiber.

Plain Doughnut with Chocolate Milk: At Dunkin Donuts, a plain cake-style doughnut
has 300 calories, while a corn muffin has 510 calories. Kirby suggests having this with chocolate milk instead of coffee. Add fiber with a 1/4 cup of almonds or dried fruit.

Huevos Rancheros Rapidos: A hard-cooked egg is portable protein, but it doesn't have any fiber or carbs, says Kirby. So, she says, slice it and roll it in a tortilla with a piece of Canadian bacon or lean ham. Add salsa for flavor and Vitamin C.

Sophisticated Tastes

Cereal "Sundae": A bowl of fiber-rich bran flakes with 8 ounces of low-fat milk is nearly the perfect breakfast, but it's not easy to take with you on the run. Kirby recommends substituting lemon or vanilla yogurt for milk to make it portable. Add a 1/4 cup of nuts or fruit for extra fiber.

Dinner at Dawn: Who says breakfast foods have to be limited to cereal, eggs or muffins? Some of your favorite lunch/dinner foods can be just as delicious in the morning, says Kirby. Spread three tablespoons of low-fat ricotta cheese on a slice of crusty bread. Add tomatoes and drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Strawberry Shake: Combine a packet of vanilla or strawberry instant-breakfast powder (Kirby says look for the "no-sugar added" variety such as Carnation)and 1 cup of low-fat strawberry cow's milk or soy milk in a cocktail shaker. Blend in fresh strawberries or banana for extra fiber, and a scoop of protein powder, such as Genisoy Natural.

Classic Tastes

Peanut Butter Waffle: Kirby says to stop dousing your waffles in sugar and instead cut down on sugar by eliminating the syrup. She recommends adding protein with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of raisins, sesame seeds or extra peanuts for even more fiber.

Fruit and Cheese: You can't get simpler than this. Grab an apple, 1 to 2 ounces of Cheddar cheese (wrapped in plastic) and 1/4 cup of fiber and protein-rich walnuts in a plastic bag. It's balanced and easy-to-assemble, Kirby says.

Energy Bars: As a meal substitute, an energy bar should have at least 3 to 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. Real Simple recommends Odwalla, Go Lean Kashi and TruSoy. For kids who like cereal bars, add a stick of Go-Gurt and a sleeve of peanuts.

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