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(#10) American Breakfast: STOP Burning Fat?

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December 17, 2009
	Dr. Gary Huber : Head Medical Ego

American tradition dictates that carbs rule when it comes to breakfast. American tradition also dictates expanding waistlines and larger seats. There is a correlation that needs to be explored.

For many of us the first meal of the day is either “nothing,” which is far and away the worst option as you continue to breakdown muscle to fuel your brains need for sugar.  The other common option is a high carb offering of toast and cereal. This high carbohydrate start to your day will surely send blood sugar levels soaring high, followed shortly thereafter by soaring insulin levels that work to bring blood sugar back down.  This ritual will most certainly lead to weight gain and pre-diabetes for many people.

So how does the body awaken each day? Excellent question. The typical physiologic response is that light hits your eyes and triggers the brain to send signal to your adrenal glands to pour out cortisol. Cortisol is a necessary chemical that awakens your body by stimulating the production of adrenaline and blood sugar to start the body’s machinery in motion. So there is a natural subtle rise in blood sugar each morning as your cortisol is produced. 

When we go looking for breakfast in the form of carbohydrates such as bread, pastries, cereals, grains, orange juice, jelly, syrup, bagels, English muffins, cereal bars, pancakes, waffles or any starchy food then we are greatly increasing our blood sugar rise which will lead to a greater rise in insulin.

Insulin’s effect on the cells of our body is to usher the glucose out of the blood stream and into the cells to fuel their function and this is an important and normal action. However, insulin also tells the cells that times are good and calories are plentiful so don’t burn fat. Store fat as fast as you can. Insulin accelerates our fat storing capacity.  I repeat:  Insulin tells our body “Stop burning fat.” Not a signal that most of us want to stimulate.

A better option is to eat protein in the morning in conjunction with some carbs. Fire up that skillet and scramble some eggs, cook some nitrate free turkey bacon, organic sausage, or even last nights beef stew. For those of you still living in the 60’s with the notion that these foods are fatty and will make you fat search under “saturated fat” on our site to see some articles that discuss these fallacies. 

Eggs are great food and improve lipid levels. The Harvard School Of Public Health states there is no connection between egg consumption and heart disease or stroke. Get over your fat phobia. Throughout the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s modern food manufacturers took all the fat out of food and look what happened. We ballooned as a nation and developed diabetes in record numbers. Healthy fat is not the enemy.

Protein is needed to blunt the rapid rise in blood sugar that occurs when you eat carbs. It is also important to fuel your body with amino acids (from protein) to aid muscle recovery and lean body mass. Eating fat and protein creates a greater sense of satiety, that feeling of being full and satisfied and will delay hunger much better than cereal and toast.  Blood sugars remain more stable and insulin production drops dramatically in the face of a high protein meal. 

Yes I mentioned beef stew for breakfast. Don’t you make that face, I know what you are thinking. Have you tried it? Many cultures eat last night’s left-overs as breakfast. 

Have some vegetables blended into a protein shake. A protein shake is a quick and easy breakfast and is very portable. Put three eggs into a glass bowl and throw them in the microwave for 2 minutes. You can get the kids ready for school while they are cooking and they will be ready to serve. Nitrate free turkey bacon is delicious and can be cooked ahead of time and then eaten cold or put in the microwave for 20 seconds. This stuff is too easy and too healthy not to do. Cooked chicken breast cut into strips can be placed in a portable container with apple slices and eaten on your daily commute. This is quick, easy, and powerful in its ability to fuel those busy muscles while not creating a sugar spike.

I make a protein shake 6 days a week. It takes me 90 seconds and I drink it on the road.  It contains some fruit, some vegetables, organic green tea, some flax seed meal and if I’m headed to the gym it will also have some oats or millet for carbs to fuel my workout. I take it with my fish oil and multivitamin. Easy, easy, easy.

So look hard at your morning ritual and look to get at least 20 grams of protein in the morning. Limit the high glycemic carbs, look for low glycemic offerings like vegetables or fruit.

The grains of American tradition are not the wonders you think they are. There is MORE fiber in veggies and fruit than there is in most grains. Grains lead to sugar leads to insulin leads to big pants.

So far I am on track for this holiday season. I have no weight gain thus far but the big challenge is coming, as Christmas is just a week away. Big weekend plans and the cookies will start piling up so I’m off to the gym as soon as I finish my protein shake, for some kick-arse squats, lunges and core training. A good breakfast followed by a good sweat. Now that’s living.

Note: In case you missed one, all of Dr. Huber’s posts for the Holiday Weight Loss Challenge are featured in the Holiday Weight Loss Challenge Section of our website.