For this month’s theme — Revenge of the Nerds! — I created an oatmeal recipe. What does oatmeal have to do with being smart? Um, just about everything! I will explain to you how this brilliant, brain-boosting blueberry oatmeal recipe will increase test scores and improve skills needed for academic success. I am here to renew your faith in breakfast.
In one of the largest studies conducted regarding breakfast, Kellogg’s surveyed over 14,000 Americans and found: “While nearly all toddlers and preschool-age children are eating breakfast, consumption of breakfast dips as American children grow older; 77 percent of young children eat breakfast every day, but the number falls to 50 percent in the middle-school years and 36 percent among high school students.”
The value of breakfast in our lives is huge.
Breakfast is the FUEL that gets you moving in the morning.
Breakfast is the ENERGY needed for your body to function.
Breakfast is the SPARK that’s crucial for learning.
In another study, test scores of children who did not eat breakfast tended to be lower than those who had eaten a nutritious meal that morning. Besides test scores, it is proven that a morning meal improves concentration, participation, and attentiveness in school settings. While it’s important that adults eat breakfast, it is even more crucial for kids and adolescents. This cohort needs a hearty breakfast to sustain their growing bodies, rapid brain development, and energy-consuming schedules. Without a nutritious breakfast, humans simply cannot function to their greatest potential.
This oatmeal recipe I created is unlike any other one you’ve tried. Each of the ingredients included is vital to the recipe as it plays a key role to kick-start your day.
I chose to include blueberries in my recipe because they are shown to improve short-term memory loss and to contain a high source of antioxidants. They can also be eaten fresh, frozen, or even freeze-dried! Great for studying purposes.
Pumpkin seeds are a must in this recipe since just a handful is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc. Zinc is important for memory and thinking skills as well as for sleep and mood regulation. Perfect before an exam!
Oats are slow-digesting carbohydrates that keep hunger at bay as they’re converted to glucose. Oats are also a rich source of fiber. This healthy comfort food provides you with sufficient energy and fullness to get you through a troublesome test, lame lectures, or gruesome group work.
So what are you waiting for? Break the fast and learn to eat (and enjoy) breakfast. Now, for the recipe you’ve all been waiting for…
Brain-Boosting Blueberry Oatmeal
Ingredients:
Serves 1
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of almond milk
- ½ cup of oats
- ½ banana
- ½ cup of blueberries
- 2 tablespoons of walnuts
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of peanut butter
Directions:
1. Pour the water and almond milk into a small saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high until boiling.
2. In the meantime, mash the banana.
3. Add the mashed banana and oats to the boiling water and milk combination.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
5. Stir occasionally for approximately 5 minutes.
6. Once the oatmeal begins to thicken, add the blueberries, walnuts, maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, and peanut butter.
7. Continue mixing occasionally until the oatmeal reaches your desired consistency. I like mine fluffy!
8. When it’s ready, turn the stove off, scoop the oatmeal into a bowl, and add toppings!
We’ve all heard the phrase “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and now you know why.