Good morning!

We all know the importance of breakfast to jump-start the day, but how do we define a
good breakfast? One that will nourish, satiate and sustain us?

For many in our fast paced society, the breakfast featured above is  our go- to choice because of its ease of preparation and popularity with children- after all, most children are fed these cold cereals as their first finger foods!

But, are they really the best choice for growing children (or anyone for that matter?) Today, we’re going to touch on the cereal (we’ll save the milk discussion for another time!)

You see, all breakfast cereals are made out of grains. And in the outer layer or bran of all grains, there is an acid (phytic acid) which, if left untreated, can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption.

Eating a diet high in grains (particularly whole grains with the bran still intact) can lead to significant mineral deficiencies and bone loss.
So, now what?

Well, if we look at how our ancestors and preindustrialized communities prepared grains, we would see that they soaked or fermented their grains before preparing them for consumption.
We now know that soaking grains in acidulated water  for about 8 hours allows enzymes and beneficial organisms to breakdown and neutralize the phytic acid.
We may then prepare the grains as we normally would (into porridge, casseroles, breads, pancakes, etc.).

So what about those breakfast cereals?
Well, obviously those grains are not soaked, so  that right there makes them difficult to digest,
BUT, the process of making these cereals can actually render them toxic to the body!
To make the cereal, grains are put through an extruder, a machine which exerts high temperature and high pressure in order to get that end product ( a flake, an O, a chex, etc.). This high heat makes the fragile oils present in the grain become rancid and renders certain proteins in the grain toxic!
Maybe not the best choice for growing children, huh?

And, with all that is going on with genetic modification these days, studies of even “natural cereals” show that they are loaded with GMO’s.  So, DEFINITELY NOT something we want to be consuming! (But, more on that next week!!)
So, what are some breakfast ideas that are quick, nourishing and tasty for children?

Try some of these:
French toast made with sprouted or traditional sour dough bread (without yeast)
Hot cereal- soaked oatmeal, soaked quinoa, millet, etc. with lots of good fat (butter, ghee, coconut oil)
Frittata or fried eggs with sausage
Leftover dinner from the night before (c’mon- think outside the box!!)
Creamy soup made with nourishing bone broth, vegetables and cream or coconut milk
Smoothie with yogurt, fruit, and good quality fat (you can even add a pastured egg yolk in here!) And, if you or your child can’t do dairy, use coconut milk!
Please see the video below to learn how to soak and prepare your grains.
Your body will thank you!!