What’s your idea of a healthy breakfast drink? Coffee? Tea? Water? Milk? Soda? When we were young and working in the same company I used to meet one of my friends in the break room where she began each and every day with a can of Coke for breakfast! It seemed disgusting to me then and even moreso now. I never developed a taste for soda and it turns out that was a very good thing.
I know from week to week coffee changes from a healthy drink in moderation to practically poison. But honestly, organic coffee in moderation is not an unhealthy food. Well, PepsiCo has a brand new beverage they are hoping will become a breakfast staple in American homes. It’s called Kickstart. It is basically a soda but because it contains 5% juice,according to the FDA, it isn’t considered a “soda” even though the remaining 95% is corn syrup, phosphoric acid, artificial chemical sweeteners and 92 milligrams of caffeine. Because it has that 5% juice, it’s considered a juice, not a soda. Makes perfect sense, no?
If that wasn’t illogical enough, because it’s considered juice, it could make its way into the diets of public school children. So even if you don’t buy it for your children, they could get it at school. A healthy breakfast is one of the most critically important habits to instill.
Childhood is the time when diet and lifestyle habits are taught. According to a study from the University of Pennsylviania School of Nursing, children who regularly skip breakfast have lower verbal, performance and full-scale IQs than other children. Children’s brains are growing well into their 20’s and beginning the day after a good night’s sleep with the proper nutrition can make a huge difference in their health and success in school.
Skipping breakfast is associated with unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, frequent alcohol use, lack of exercise as well as higher weight, eating more junk foods and fewer fruits and vegetables.
It’s just one more reason to be aware of what you are putting into your body and being even more vigilant about what your children eat and drink, especially for the first meal of their day. In my opinion we can’t trust the government or anyone else to be responsible for our health.
One of my main goals this year is to help parents improve their children’s health. Please click this link to see what I am offering.
Do you and your children, if you have them, start the day with a healthy breakfast? If not, why not?
Want to see more articles like this? Subscribe to this blog (just click on “Follow” above) and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader. And while you’re at it, visit my Today’s the Day and 3D Living Nutrition Blogs and subscribe to them too! You’ll get articles to help you lose weight, get fit and improve your nutrition!
3-D Vitality 
What a sorry excuse for a breakfast beverage by Pepsi…disgusting
Unfortunately, people will see it advertised as “juice”, think it’s healthy and give it to their kids because they trust the advertising.
On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 10:47 AM, 3-D Vitality
Ann, thank you for your enriching posts! I agree: it is vitally important for us to be aware of our health habits and those of our children. It is wonderful that you have a program created specifically for children; I know all who register will find their families not only healthier but also happier. You exude such passion for your work! Much gratitude and many blessings!
Caroline, thank you for your comment and encouragement – always.
Right on, Ann… I’m pretty intentional about my kids eating well before they begin the day… I know I get good energy from eating well in the morning, so I would probably feel pretty awful if I was depriving them of that energy and overall good health sense… Thanks as always for your heart and wisdom!
Thank you Rob.
On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 2:18 PM, 3-D Vitality
I do my best to get Isaiah to eat a balanced diet although he is very picky at this age and going through a stage where he claims to not like most fruits and vegetables. So I have to be sneaky and hide them in soups, casseroles, meatloaf, smoothies etc. Today he had whole grain spelt banana pancakes with 100% maple syrup, turkey bacon, and chocolate almond milk. As far as beverages, we do not even buy soda or other soft drinks. We drink mostly the almond milk, water and juice. We have even cut down on prepackaged juice lately and instead I have been making fresh fruit and veggie combinations with my juicer as well as smoothies in the morning. My husband drinks his 1 cup of coffee with his breakfast in the morning and I drink fresh juice and an occasional green tea with a bit of raw honey. For my hubby and I this week I made a breakfast casserole with eggs (Isaiah does not like eggs) turkey sausage, potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, and cheese. I typically use feta cheese and a bit of 2% cheddar. It is a high protein and very balanced meal that usually lasts 4-5 days and saves time in the morning.
Dr. Delain – as always your comments are so well thought out and the recipes you share always sound delicious. I agree, children can be quite picky – my daughter was one of the pickiest eaters around. But you are providing him with healthy choices in the almond milk and the healthier take on pancakes as well as the freshly juiced fruits and veggies. That’s absolutely the best any parent can do.
On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM, 3-D Vitality
Ann,
I start my day with coffee, but later in the morning (~8:00AM), I drink my Victory Shake which has a lot of good stuff — liquid vitamins, protein, veggies, fruit, essential oils, etc.
As a kid, I lived next door to someone that drank soda and ate poptarts for breakfast. i thought it was cool because we had “real” food at my house. I think I’m healthier now because of all of the “real” food that my Mom fed me as a kid.
I’m sorry to hear that Pepsi is contributing to the bad health of kids.
Have a Victorious Day!
Marianne
You definitely have a great routine Marianne – and I’m sure you are healthier today because of the “real food” your mom fed you as a child. That’s why I feel this is such an important issue – what we feed our kids matters.
On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 6:15 PM, 3-D Vitality
My idea of a healthy breakfast drink is 100% Orange Juice (The not-from-concentrate stuff).
I agree that it is sad that thinks can be marketed to us as “Juice” when 95% of what’s in it isn’t even close.
~Cam
–things (instead of thinks)
Our 7 yr old is quite picky and funny about smells, textures, etc to boot, so if she likes something we try to stick with it. My wife introduced “proteins” to her at some point and we try to make an effort to get her to pick a protein for each meal since it’s easier to find carbs that she likes. Unfortunately, she is terrified of eggs for various reasons, so she eats bacon (not the best I know) or I fix muffins with a scoop of whey protein included. I would have to say I’d be quite embarrassed to have to list out the actual daily foods CK eats….it’s not great, but we try!
This post reminds me of my mom who was a bigtime Coca-Cola morning person for years until her blood pressure went sky high and she quit that habit.
Michael it is not always so easy with children – I had my share of picky ones as well. You do MUCH better than most and it sounds like she is getting excellent choices in her diet.
On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 7:26 PM, 3-D Vitality