Rosalee Brown - DIETITIAN'S DESK

We have all heard that breakfast is important and should be consumed at the beginning of the day. Although breakfast is important for all individuals, we will focus on children going back to school.

After sleeping for hours, greater than eight hours for most children, their blood-sugar levels are reduced and breaking this fast with food can quickly take the blood-sugar levels back to normal so that the child can function properly. Many children commute by themselves and often are seen breaking their fast with sugar-laden 'bag juices' or one of the many popular snack chips. These will offer a quick source of energy, but a limited variety of nutrients.

Breakfast should provide approximately one-third of the day's supply of energy and other necessary macro- and micronutrients. Children need not only carbohydrate and fat, which can be provided by cereals, grains and ground provisions, but they also need good-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals. Let us be reminded of the six Caribbean food groups which, if combined in meals throughout the day, will provide children with their requirements by day's end.

The food groups

Staples - These include cereals such as rice, cornmeal, wheat and oats, ground provisions such as yam and starchy fruits such as green bananas.

Food from animals - These include milk, eggs and sardines.

Legumes - These include peanuts, nut butters, peas and beans.

Fruits - These include oranges, mangoes and ripe bananas.

Vegetables - These include callaloo, carrots, cabbage and tomatoes.

Fats and oils which include, coconut milk, butter and cooking oil.

Parents should ensure that throughout the day, children eat from more than one of these food groups, achieving all by day's end, with the bulk coming from staples.

There are some acceptable and traditional foods which are used for breakfast, but non-traditional options, such as left-over dinner, are acceptable and should be used if this is what is available and is preferred by the child.

Hot cereals

We are all faced with a myriad of challenges but a healthy breakfast can be economical. Hot cereals, such as porridges with milk or cereal porridges cooked with legumes, such as peanuts, are quick and nutritious when served with a fruit, such as an orange or a small mango.

Boiled green banana with callaloo and beans or canned fish is also quick, hearty and nutritious. For those commuting, a sandwich of peanut butter or cheese and an orange can be consumed while commuting, or immediately on reaching school. Unfortunately, even with the most economical options, there are many children who cannot consume breakfast because their parents' cupboards are bare, or they make incorrect choices in stretching their food dollar.

Milk and muffins

Schools must assist these children through breakfast programmes. Help can be provided by good corporate citizens, service clubs and other voluntary organisations. Breakfast can be quick, simple and nutritious as milk and a muffin made with fruits and vegetables; cold cereal and milk; sandwich and fresh juice or fruit. These are options which, with some planning, can be served and consumed quickly by children without too much disruption to the regular school programme. If children arrive early to school, breakfast can be consumed in the classroom if there are no dining areas.

Breakfast is not only important nutritionally but internationally, and local (Tropical Metabolic Research Unit at the University of the West Indies) studies show that children given breakfast improve their attention to set tasks, improve attention and participation in well-organised classrooms, increase school attendance and reduce lateness and improve, though short term, arithmetic scores.

Help our children to have breakfast!

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Breakfast can be simple and nutritious as a muffin made with fruits and vegetables, served with milk.