Scientific evidence proves that breakfast is crucial for the nutrition and health of primary and secondary school students. American scientists have experimentally proven that, under the same experimental conditions, children who eat a high-protein breakfast perform better academically than those who have a vegetarian breakfast, and children who skip breakfast have even worse academic performance. Nowadays, with heavy academic workloads, many students neglect breakfast, which can not only affect their normal studies but also lead to various diseases.
Skipping breakfast can easily lead to digestive diseases. It impairs brain function and affects brain development. Skipping breakfast results in high cholesterol in the body. Long-term skipping of breakfast also increases the risk of gallstones and affects a child's development.
Many people are accustomed to eating steamed buns, fried foods, and soy milk for breakfast. Others consume eggs, meat, and dairy products. Although the foods mentioned above are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, they contain high levels of sulfur and phosphorus elements, making them acidic. Vegetables, on the other hand, are rich in carotene and various water-soluble vitamins, and also contain plenty of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, thus they are alkaline foods. If the diet is not properly balanced, it can disrupt the body's physiological acid-base balance. An excessive amount of acidic foods in the diet can easily lead to slightly acidic blood, which darkens the blood's color and increases its viscosity, and can also cause calcium deficiency. In children, this can easily lead to skin problems, fatigue, excessive stomach acid, and constipation.
Recently, nutritionists have recommended that a student's breakfast should provide sufficient energy while also enhancing brain function. It is essential to have a good breakfast, preferably with some fresh vegetables. Breakfast should account for 25-30% of the total daily energy intake, with the energy sources being 11-15% from protein, 20-30% from fat, and 55-65% from carbohydrates.
There are two types of foods that should not be consumed excessively for breakfast: one is carbohydrate-rich foods. Because they contain large amounts of starch and sugar, they can lead to the synthesis of more serotonin, a substance with a calming effect, in the body, which limits the activity of brain cells and prevents the full mobilization of mental capacity, thereby reducing work and study efficiency. The other type is high-fat foods like egg yolks and fried items. Because they contain excessive fat and cholesterol, they take a long time to digest, which can cause blood to pool in the abdomen for too long, reducing blood flow to the brain. This leads to a lack of oxygen in brain cells, resulting in a muddled mind and slow thinking throughout the morning. Brain nutritionists believe that the scientific principle for breakfast should be low-fat and low-sugar. It is advisable to choose foods rich in protein, vitamins, and trace elements, such as lean pork, poultry, vegetables, fruits or juice, and low-fat dairy, supplemented with grains and staple foods.