U.S. Research Finds Eating Lower Energy Dense Breakfast Helps Maintain Healthy Weight

Shrewsbury, MA (AHN) - Eating a lower energy dense breakfast may help people maintain a healthy weight, researchers say.

Foods that have the lowest calories per gram, such as fruits, vegetables, soups and whole grains like oatmeal and rice that soak up water are examples of lower energy dense foods. Eating those foods, instead of high energy dense foods like pastries, fats, oils and fried foods, is better for overall health too, researchers say.

Breakfast Research Institute funded the study that was sponsored by Quaker and Tropicana and managed by Shrewsbury, MA-based Rippe Lifestyle Institute.

Researchers found that people who eat a less energy dense morning meal have diets that contain more important vitamins and minerals while being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol compared to people who eat more energy dense meals.

In a statement Wednesday, study co-author, cardiologist Dr. James Rippe of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute said that a breakfast pastry would have more calories per gram (more energy dense) than consuming both a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of 100 percent orange juice.

And Jeff George, vice president of research and development at Quaker Oats gave some simple tips for healthy eating.

"One simple way to choose breakfast items that are low in energy density is to immediately increase the ratio of high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your morning meal. These foods are less packed with calories, but nutrient-rich, providing a concentrated amount of valuable nutrients to start your day off right," George said in the statement.

The study analyzed the food choices of 12,000 adults for the study and compared the total 24-hour diets among both breakfast eaters and non-eaters.

Study findings were published in the November 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.