Breakfast for Better Health

For breakfast eaters and skippers alike…there are so many healthy options for breakfast, small to hearty. Why eat breakfast at all? According to a meta-analysis of research studies published in the journal ‘Obesity Research & Clinical Practice’ in 2020, skipping breakfast is associated with overweight/obesity and skipping breakfast increases the risk of becoming overweight/obese.

Results are consistent. Breakfast eaters have a decreased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease. Breakfast eaters typically enjoy higher energy levels throughout the day as well as cognitive performance.

In fact, research also shows that healthy adults that eat breakfast have an advantage over breakfast skippers in terms of memory (especially with delayed recall). Similar benefits were seen in breakfast eaters in the areas of attention span/attentiveness, motor function and decision making.

5 Creative breakfast suggestions

1. Hot bulgur: cook bulgur according to package directions (much like oatmeal and other whole grains). Serve with 1/4 chopped apple, 1 TB raisins or currants and chopped pecans as well as a small amount of maple syrup (try 1o-2 tsps first) and 1/3 cup hot milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

2. Whole wheat toast with 1 TB peanut butter and sliced banana

3. A smoothie, try blending frozen/fresh fruit with Greek yogurt and a splash of milk

4. Fried egg with Canadian bacon or turkey bacon on a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with fresh spinach or arugula.

5. Breakfast Fruit Wrap: Top a medium-sized whole-wheat or corn tortilla with 2 tsp all-fruit preserves, 2 TB reduced-fat ricotta cheese, 1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced strawberries and 2 TB toasted almonds. Roll up, tucking in the tortilla at the sides.

Pear: A Lucious Fall Fruit

In case you missed the chill in the air, the abundance of seasonal autumn produce – crisp apples, colorful squash, and pears should tell you that winter is just around the corner. Why pears? Why now? They are a truly versatile, luscious, flavorful and healthful fall fruit. Most North American pears are grown in Oregon and Washington. Though you can find some variety from August through May as some type is harvested year-round, true ‘pear season‘ begins in September/October. That is when they are most abundantly available, less expensive and flavorful. In case there is any doubt – just look at the range of skin colors among pear varieties. They match the gorgeous hues of the fall leaves: gold, russet, mauve, pale green, ginger, crimson and more.

Pear Varieties

Not a fan? Perhaps it’s because you’ve always eaten canned pears or rock hard, out-of-season green Anjou pears which are available almost year-round in supermarkets. It’s time to broaden your horizons and enjoy new varieties…as there are many. The first pear varieties to explode on the scene in September are Bosc (russet-colored and firm even when ripe), Bartlett (green and red, ultra juicy) and Comice (green with brown flecks, firm flesh). By October you can find Anjou (red and green), Concorde (pale green), Forelle (green skin spotted with red flecks) and Seckel (shiny skin, often mostly a muted green color with a patch of reddish-orange) appear…and that’s hardly a comprehensive list!

Some varieties might be harder to find in your region than others but make it your goal to try at least one new variety this season. You’ll find in-season pears to offer a firm but juicy texture and flavors that range from very sweet to tart. Use this as a guideline, but keep in mind most pears, as with many fruits and vegetables, can be eaten raw or cooked (except Bartlett).

Eating versus Cooking

Best for eating raw: Bartlett (soft, lose their shape when cooked), Comice (also juicy, very sweet, may not cook well), French butter, Anjou and Asian (‘crisp’ flesh, like an apple, good for dicing and adding to salads or using in tarts or crisps)

Best for cooking: Bosc, seckel (tiniest variety, very firm, slightly acidic) and forelle (sweet-tart, snacking or cooking)

Pear Nutrition and Health Benefits

The pear is a relatively low-calorie fruit. One medium-sized fruit, or about 175 grams, offers about 95 calories. Calories per fruit vary according to variety and size. They are fat, cholesterol and sodium-free but high in dietary fiber, providing roughly 6 grams per medium-sized fruit. Pears (and apples) contain an appreciable amount of soluble fiber, which may help to lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels (slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream).

Selecting and Storing

Choose firm, blemish-free, stem-on pears with unbroken skin. They ripen quickly and bruise very easily so handle with care. Store them at room temperature until they reach desired ripeness. Though you can store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days to ‘hold’ them at a certain ripeness, pears are best, and juiciest, when eaten at room temperature. They are ripe when the flesh ‘gives’ gently when pressed at the neck of the fruit.

What is Clean Eating?

Eating clean or ‘clean eating’ refers to a popular diet trend characterized by a few key features. Some of these features include eating locally (and supporting sustainable practices), minimizing processed foods, nourishing yourself on whole foods, such as whole grains, fruits and veggies regularly throughout the day. Clean eating also recommends limiting unnecessary extras, such as alcohol, added sugars and sodium. Clean eating is not an ‘all or nothing’ concept. Small changes add up over time and can make a difference in your environment and your health.

One of the key characteristics of clean eating is minimizing processed foods. What is a processed food? A processed food is a food item that has been modified through mechanical or chemical operations to change it. According to the USDA, this includes, but is not limited to milling, chopping, heating, drying, canning…etc. Clean processed foods do exist such as whole grain pasta, whole oats and plain yogurt. However, many processed foods contain sugars and other additives (natural and man made). Part of the recommendation for limiting packaged foods is because of BPA, a chemical found in cans, as well as chemicals in plastic. Explore your grocery store for ‘cleaner’ versions of many packaged and bottled foods, such as condiments.

Clean eating is a trend geared towards minimizing food waste, promoting local foods and sustainable farms and minimizing the ‘junk’ in the American diet. It is not just a diet trend but a food movement.