WEB EXTRA
An Absolute "Need" for Breakfast?
A Fst & Super Healthy Breakfast
Q&A with Doc Wilson, Ph.D.
Q: I’m not a big breakfast person, but I keep hearing that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day.” Why is that, and what do you recommend for a healthy breakfast? – Lily, River Hill
 A: Your question has two parts. The first part addresses the importance (or not) of a sizable breakfast.
The importance of having a great breakfast usually is emphasized in the context of weight loss or weight control. In such a context, having a nutritious, filling, “stick-to-the-ribs” breakfast can greatly reduce cravings later in the day. This means that you have smaller odds of overeating - particularly consuming too many calories for the day (especially from junk foods). It also means that you may not feel the need for a mid-morning snack, and that, if you are forced to eat a late lunch, you may not feel totally famished! Having said that, your body may not feel like having food in your stomach first thing in the day. If that is the case (and it is not an issue of getting up early enough to have breakfast, and you are not in a weight losing mode), then make sure that your nutrition for the rest of the day is stellar.
The second part of your question refers to what constitutes a healthy breakfast. You might also be thinking that you want something that is relatively simple and fast.
There are many possibilities for a healthy breakfast. Personally, I like to have a breakfast that is based on true whole grains (i.e., the intact grains that have not been “mushed” or converted into flour). I also like to get a fair amount of fruit and nuts in this meal. The following is a recipe that incorporates 3 grains, plus (at breakfast time) something in the nuts/seeds category, some fruit and milk. In addition, I usually have a half or a whole grapefruit.
A large batch of the grain mix (it lasts me 3 weeks when refrigerated; consider doing a quarter recipe your first time): Bring 7 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot (I use a 12 quart pot, but you could use a 10 quart pot). Add 4 cups of wheat berries and 4 cups of rye grain, and reduce the heat to a low level boil. At the 60 minute mark, add 3 cups of quinoa grain. At the 80 minute mark, remove the pot from the heat. After letting it partially cool for 20 minutes or so, put the grain mix in containers in your refrigerator.
 One serving is ½ cup of the final grain mix. I have a huge breakfast: To about 1.5 cups (3 servings) of the grain mix, I add walnuts or pine nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, frozen blueberries and soy milk.
Alternatives: Use frozen or chopped up fresh fruit in place of dried fruit. Also, you could try different grains, particularly if you are allergic to glutens, which are in wheat, rye and barley; consider such grains as kamut (a tasty kind of wheat), buckwheat groat, oat groats (the true whole grain that is much healthier than oatmeal), spelt, teff, barley, and triticale, among others. You could also use the “honorary grain” rice: for example, go with black rice, mahogany rice, wild rice, etc., but not white rice or brown rice.
Other uses for true whole grains: Use them in place of flour-based foods, which can lead to many health problems, including diabetes and diabetic damage even in the non-diabetic; instead, use grain mixes in place of pastas and breads (heavy and frequent consumption of even the “whole grain” pastas and breads can cause severe health problems, including increased risks for all of the cardiovascular diseases; inflammation in joints and elsewhere; and cancers). In addition, use the grain mixes in place of white and brown rice, as thickeners in soups and as an addition to salads. Another use: put a quantity of a grain mix in a bowl, add a raw egg or two, gently mix, and microwave until the egg is done.
The healthiest way to eat true whole grains? Violate what your mother taught you! Don’t chew them super thoroughly! The result? The grains will not be fully digested until they reach your colon, where intestinal bacteria will convert them to beneficial short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs). SCFAs help keep blood pressure in the healthy range, reduce the risk of many cancers, and act as anti-inflammatories throughout the body.
Use the above concepts to fashion a super healthy breakfast that not only is quite tasty, but also can help in weight loss and weight control when combined with overall great nutrition, sufficient deep sleep every night, stress reduction (if necessary), great cardio conditioning and great strength conditioning! Note that such a breakfast can constitute a day’s supply of true whole grains (3 to 4 servings is sufficient), 3 to 5 servings of fruit (also a full or almost full day’s supply), 2 to 3 servings in the nuts/seeds category, and one to two servings of cow’s milk, soy or other milk.
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Always check with your physician before starting any exercise regimen or change in diet.
This column is intended to provide only general information that may be of interest to the public and is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for specific medical advice. Any questions regarding your personal health and medical issues should be directed to your physician.
About Doc Wilson
 Doc Wilson is a physiologist, biochemist, nutritionist and personal trainer who does personal training and nutritional counseling at Columbia Association. He earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also holds a Master of Arts in physiology from SUNY at Buffalo, and he conducted a post-doctoral fellowship in biochemistry and physical chemistry at Duke University. He is a past faculty member of the University of Maryland Schools of Medicine (Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology) and Dentistry (Department of Physiology).
Wilson’s areas of specialization include weight loss and weight control, preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes, preventing and reversing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, and exercise and nutrition for optimum overall health. His first book, "Total Health in a Nutshell," is slated for publication in the near future.
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