Relationship between breakfast and school performance - Is there any relation?

8. Eating breakfast boosts cognitive performance?

True. Most research-including studies of federally funded school breakfast programs-shows that people who begin the day with breakfast are more alert and lively than those who skip the meal. Moreover, some evidence suggests that any food in the morning can help, not just carbohydrates.

Researchers in Toronto recently gave 22 older volunteers a breakfast drink containing an equal number of calories of either pure carbohydrate, protein, or fat. The carbohydrate drinks improved long-term recall for about an hour, compared with 15 minutes for the other drinks. But the protein and fat drinks improved some mental capacities-such as alertness and short-term memory-that the glucose drink didn't.

Another recent study found that a balanced breakfast provides the best overall effect on morning alertness, boosting reaction time, attention span, and memory. Protein and fat not only provide mental benefits complementary to those of carbohydrates but also slow the body's conversion of carbohydrates into blood sugar, providing the brain with a steadier supply of fuel. The bottom line: Don't skip breakfast, and include more than just toast.

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