Breakfast Foods for Your Brain

Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie
Cranberry Muesli
Egg & Salmon Sandwich
Maple-Nut Granola
Peanut Butter-Cinnamon English Muffin

How a healthy breakfast can keep you satisfied and focused.

Reams of studies show that fueling the brain with breakfast is important for thinking and learning; in fact, that’s the basis for the federal School Breakfast Program, which aims to make sure every child begins the school day with an a.m. meal. Basically, eating after an all-night fast replenishes the brain with glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar), which seems to improve memory—but some breakfasts are better than others at feeding your mind. Research has shown that slower-burning (“low glycemic index,” or “low-GI”) carbohydrates—think oatmeal or a high-fiber, whole-grain cereal—are associated with sustained concentration and attention. In other words, your brain won’t check out midmorning. Choose a breakfast with a little protein—which keeps you fuller, for longer—too, to stay satisfied till lunch. Who can stay focused, after all, with a grumbling tummy?

Try these attention-enhancing breakfasts:

• • Whole-grain cereal with nonfat milk and sliced banana
• • Oatmeal topped with dried fruit and slivered almonds
• • A cup of low-fat yogurt topped with sliced berries and low-fat granola
• • Peanut butter on a whole-grain bagel and an orange
• • Whole-wheat English muffin with an egg and slice of cheese
• • A whole-grain breakfast bar, a nonfat latte and an apple