Originally published August 22 2005
Kids need a healthy start to their day, studies show
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A multi-study review leads to a new reminder that children really do need a healthy breakfast.
When her kids roll out of bed in the morning, Becky Lewandowski makes sure they eat before heading off to school.
"Gotta have your fruits, gotta have your proteins," the Plymouth resident says.
Her four children -- the oldest an eighth-grader, the youngest a second-grader -- enjoy a variety of breakfast foods, she says.
As another school year approaches, an American Dietetic Association review of many studies confirms what parents have long known: Breakfast is the day's most crucial meal, especially for youngsters.
The review indicates that children who eat breakfast think better than those who don't.
In addition, the review shows, breakfast eaters earn better grades, score higher on tests and miss less school than breakfast skippers.
An early-morning meal goes a long way, says Dawna Summers, a clinical dietitian at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Plymouth.
Beth Thayer, a Detroit-based registered dietitian for the American Dietetic Association, says breakfast time is nutrient time.
"When you think of traditional breakfast foods, it's a good way to get some nutrients in that you may not get (elsewhere) during the day," she says, adding that the day's first meal is a great time to eat vitamin-rich fruits, as well as whole grains and proteins.
"If you can enter school with a good meal each morning, it's amazing what a difference it makes," says John Hill, superintendent of the Plymouth Community School Corp.
They tend to model the parent's behavior."
But making time for breakfast doesn't mean taking a great deal of time, she says, adding that a few tricks can help parents save those precious early-morning minutes.
For instance, she says, parents can make fruit smoothies that youngsters can slurp down on the school bus.
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