Eat your Breakfast, Kid!

Two interesting studies were reported this morning about the impact of breakfast, and fructose consumption in our diet.

The first one relates to kids' breakfast. A large study, reported by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, compared breakfast-skippers, cereal eaters, and kids who had "other" breakfasts. Cereal-eaters came out on top for healthiest diets. The breakfast skippers got more of their daily energy from "added sugars" than breakfast eaters and ended up with less fiber, fewer nutrients, and the smallest percent of their daily energy provided by protein, resulting in larger waists and a higher BMI.
Although not related to the study, we always recommend cereal with the minimum amount of sugar to kids. This will help them develop their taste buds for healthier foods!

The other study, released by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, links fructose consumption to high blood pressure.Fructose, such as the sweet syrups made from corn used to sweeten beverages, baked goods and other processed foods, can raise levels of a compound called uric acid, resulting in contracted blood vessels and increasing blood pressure.
That is not the case with other sugars such as sucrose, made from sugar cane or beets and found in table sugar. Several studies have suggested that cutting back on sugary soft drinks could significantly reduce blood pressure risks. A study last month in Circulation found drinking one less sugary drink a day significantly helped lower blood pressure.

Sources: Reuters, msnbc and American Dietetic Association and American Society of Nephrology