We’ve all heard it before—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It jump starts metabolism, helps cognitive performance and stabilizes hormones, which prevents turbulent energy levels. When Americans think of breakfast, most picture a heaping plate of greasy bacon strips, fried hash browns and doughy pancakes or waffles. If it’s a particularly busy morning, a quick bowl of sugary cereal will suffice. And of course, coffee is a must, so a large calorie packed Starbucks latte is often grabbed on the way to work or school. While most Americans can’t imagine kicking off their morning in any other way, breakfast looks vastly different—and healthier—in other countries.
In Japan, they start the day with a smorgasbord of cooked vegetables, fish, rice and miso soup. In Mexico, a typical forenoon feast consists of beans, corn tortillas, salsa and fresh juice. The most famous breakfast dish in Egypt is ful medames–fava bean stew with a sunny side up egg and pita bread.
These nutritious morning meals are a sharp contrast to indulgent American ones that are drowned in butter and syrup. Beginning the day with foods like fish or rice is a foreign concept to most U.S. citizens. However, a savory swap for the disguised desserts passed off as ‘breakfast’ could greatly benefit the overall health of America.
Breakfasts in other cultures are wildly different, and the health effects that stem from it are too. Middle eastern breakfasts are rich with lean protein and healthy fats. Asian breakfasts are usually low in calories but high in nutrients and fiber. Common American breakfast foods, however, contain large amounts of corn syrup, processed white flour and sugar, not to mention the copious amounts of grease. These harmful agents lead to weight gain, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
These startling effects are especially clear when the health of America is compared to that of other nations. The U.S. is ranked the ninth fattest nation globally with 35 percent of the population being obese, which is an appalling percentage compared to fellow countries such as Japan (4.5 percent) and Korea (4.3 percent). Diabetes is more ubiquitous here than in any other developed nation at roughly 11 percent. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. In order to have healthier Americans, healthier breakfasts are needed.
Mrs. Kimberly Combs, a health science teacher at Green Hope, gave her insight on American breakfast culture. “Other cultures place more emphasis on taking time off when you need it and on mandatory holidays. In our country, we do too much work outside of work, which can lead to poor sleeping and eating habits,” she said. “It’s hard to spend time doing what you need to be doing, like making a nutritious breakfast.”
According to Combs, Americans over-excel at work but cut corners at nutrition. “In America, breakfast is made to taste good rather than to be healthy. Unfortunately, the stuff that tastes good is easy to get, like fast food. Creating a balanced breakfast requires more effort.” Considering that the U.S. leads in fast food consumption, it’s no surprise that many Americans regularly consume it for a quick morning meal. Combs chipped in on the health aspect as well. “We are a quick fix nation. If I have high blood pressure, instead of being told I need to change my diet or to exercise, I’m just going to be told to take a pill. We lack care about our diets.”
However, there is still hope. In recent years, the U.S. has begun to slightly shift from classic diner dishes, and more nutritious meals such as avocado toast and overnight oats have been trending on various social media platforms. Additional nourishing and easy to make alternatives include greek yogurt, fruit and peanut butter spread on whole grain toast. Unlike common U.S. breakfast dishes, these nutrient packed foods have numerous health benefits, such as a lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
One doesn’t have to go cold turkey to eat healthier in the mornings. It’s ok to start slow–many Americans are starting to add greek yogurt to their waffles and pancakes instead of maple syrup. It’s a small swap, but a step in the right direction. Perhaps take notes from different countries and add beans or rice to your mornings. Breakfast doesn’t have to have rules; if you’re feeling leftover pasta salad rather than french toast, then go for it!
Rather than consuming sugar-laden, unbalanced and oversized breakfasts, we should be more aware of what we’re putting on our plates and in our bodies. Observing breakfast from different cultures globally is a great way to draw inspiration for more nourishing ways to start the day. Breaking out of old meal habits can be difficult, so another strategy is to start with simple exchanges or add-ons, as easy as adding a handful of berries on top of a cereal bowl.
