CHAPTER 2 BREAKFAST GETS THE DAY'S WORK DONE

SIXTY or more nutrients are needed to build health.
Valuable unrefined foods such as milk might supply all
60 of these nutrients, whereas a highly refined food such as
sugar supplies only one. Single nutritional deficiencies, therefore, apparently never occur in humans.{b. person whose diet /
is faulty suffers from multiple and overlapping deficiencies
simultaneously Ahe symptoms of a single deficiency resulting when animals are given diets adequate except in one
nutrient are far simpler than the symptoms found in people.
The discussions of single deficiencies in this chapter and the
following ones are therefore unavoidably oversimplified and
unrealistic. A single deficiency can, however, predominate
over other deficiencies. For example, an undersupply for only
a few hours of the amount of sugar furnished your tissues can
wreck your day.
(You determine how you will feel throughout each day by
tfte type of breakfast you eat. You can produce inefficiency in
yourself by eating too little food or too much of tlle wrong
kind of food. Your breakfast establishes how readily your
body can produce energy that d~h?r, more specifically, the
amount of sugar in your bloo~~ ~ our energy production,
which corresponds to the quantity of sugar available, determines' how you think, act, and feel. Energy is produced in
your body by the burning (oxidizing) of sugar alone or
sugar and fat together. Only when the blood plasma contains adequate amounts of sugar can each cell select the
9
10 LET'S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
quantity it needs) The amount of sugar in the blood is an
index of the quanfity availablelto each cell.
Thousands of blood analyse~ have shown that a normal
person who has not eaten for 12 hours has 80 to 120 milligrams of sugar in about % cup (100 cc.) of blood. This Rgure, known as the fasting blood sugar, depends on the kind
and amount of food eaten at the previous meal. The average
is 90 to 95 milligrams. At this point energy is rather well produced. As the supply of blood sugar is used, energy is produced less readily, and lassitude sets in. When the sugar
falls to about 70 milligrams, hunger is experienced, and lassitude gradually becomes fatigue. If the blood sugar drops to
about 65 milligrams, a craving for sweets is often noticed
and/or "growling" in the intestines. A continued drop in
the sugar supply causes fatigue to become exhaustion. Headaches, weakness, and wobbliness often occur; palpitations
of the heart may be noticeable; the legs may suddenly give
a~ay; nausea and even vomiting are often experienced.
The cells of the nerves and brain can produce their energy
on y from sugar, never from fat by itself or protein. Even
when the amount of sugar available to the cells decreases
only slightly, thinking becomes slowed and confused, and
nerves become tense. The person whose blood 'sugar falls
below normal becomes progressively more irritable, grouchy,
moody, depressed, and unco-operative. Since the brain derives its energy only from sugar, blackouts or fainting may
occur if the supply drops 'dangerously low.
On the other hand, if your food intake is sufficiently adequate to cause your sugar to increase above the fasting level,
energy is easily produced; you fe~l wonderful and full of
drive. Your thinking is quick and clear:You.have no desire to
eat; sweets seem distasteful. Your disposition is at its best;
your attitude gra,cious, cheerful, and co-operative, .At this
level, life is good.1' .
l\lany studies nave been made of the f!lctors influencing
BREAKFAST GETS THE DAY'S WORK OONE 11
the level of blood sugar. In one such study/ for example,
200 volunteers ate various types of breakfasts; each individual's blood sugar was determined before the meal and
hourly for three hours afterward. After black coffee alone,
the blood sugar decreased, and the volunteers experienced
lassitude, irritability, nervousness, hunger, fatigue, exhaustion, and headaches; the symptoms became progressively
worse as the morning wore on. Two doughnuts and coffee
with sugar and cream caused a rapid rise in blood sugar, but
the amount fell within an hour to a low level, again resulting
in inefficiency and fatigue. A basic breakfast was selected because it was typical of the morning meal eaten by millions of
Americans: a glass of orange juice, two strips of bacon, toast,
jam, and coffee with cream and sugar. The blood sugar rose
rapidly but fell far below the pre-breakfast level within an
hour and remained below normal until lunch time. The next
breakfast was the same except for the addition of a packaged
cereal; again the blood sugar rose, fell quickly, and remained
below normal all morning. A fifth breakfast was the basic
one plus oatmeal served with sugar and milk; the blood sugar
rose rapidly but fell more quickly and to a lower level than
after any other breakfast studied. Then 8 ounces of whole
milk fortified with 2% tablespoons of powdered skimmed
milk was drunk with the basic breakfast of orange juice,
bacon, toast, jam, and coffee. After this meal the blood sugar
rose above normal and stayed at approximately 120 milligrams throughout the morning; unusual well-being was experienced. Two eggs were then served instead of fortified
milk; again a high level of efficiency was maintained. The
last breakfast was the basic one with eggs or fortified milk
and larger amounts of toast and jam; efficiency stayed high
once more.
1 E. Orent-Keiles and L. F. Hallman, "The Breakfast Meal in Relation to
Blood Sugar Values," U: S. Department of Agriculture, Circular No. 827
( 1949).
12 LET'S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
These scientists then studied the effect of the different
breakfasts on the well-being of the volunteers throughout the
afternoon. Persons who had ea(ten the different breakfasts
were given lunch: a cream cheese sandwich on whole-wheat
bread and a glass of whole milkj. Blood samples were taken
at hourly intervals. In all cases the blood sugar increased soon
after lunch. Persons who had eaten eggs or fortified milk for
breakfast showed a high blood sugar all afternoon. When the
breakfast allowed blood sugar to be low during the morning,
the increase after lunch rose to the level of cheerfulness and
efficiency for only a few minutes; then it fell to a low level
which lasted throughout the afternoon. Your selection of food
at breakfast, therefore, can prevent or produce fatigue
throughout the day.
A similar study was made at Harvard University by Doctor Thorn 2 and co-workers who determined blood sugar
levels for six hours after meals high in carbohydrate (sugar
and starch), fat, or protein. A high-carbohydrate breakfast
consisted of orange' juice, bacon, toast, jelly, a packaged
cereal, and coffee, both with sugar and milk. The blood sugar
rose rapidly but fell to an extremely low level, causing fatigue and inefficiency. A packaged cereal eaten .only with
whipping cream formed the high-fat breakfast, after which
the blood sugar increased slightly, then remained at the fasting level throughout the morning. The high-protein meal
consisted of skimmed millF, lean ground beef, and cottage
cheese; the blood sugar rose slowly to the high level of 120
milligrams and remained there throughout the entire following six hours. To determine the effect of different types of
food on energy production, metabolism. tests were taken at
frequent intervals. The metabolism, or-=energy production,
2 G. W. Thorn, J. T. Quinby, and M, Clinton, Jr., "A Comparison of the
Metabolic Effects of Isocaloric Meals of Varying Compositions with Special
Reference to the Prevention of Postprandial Hypoglycemic Symptoms,"
Annals of Internal Medicine, XVIII ("1943), 913.
BREAKFAST GETS TIlE DAY'S WORK DONE 18
increased only slightly after the meals high in fat or carbohydrate. Mter the high-protein meal, however, the metabolism rose more quickly than did the blood sugar and stayed
high throughout the entire six-hour study period.
Studies similar to these have been conducted in many universities. The results have been consistently the same: wellbeing and the level of efficiency experienced during the hours
after. meals depend upon the amount of protein eaten; the
meals which produced a real zest for living also contained
some fat and a certain amount of carbohydrate. It is only
when there is a combination of sugar, which is the source of
energy, and protein and fat, which slow digestion, that sugar
is gradually absorbed into the blood, and energy is maintained at a high level for many hours.
The sources of sugar and starch in our American diet are
cheap and overabundant; proteins are expensive and scarce.
Typical American breakfasts, therefore, consist of fruit or
juice supplying natural sugar; cereals, hotcakes, waffles, coffee cake, toast, or other starch quickly changed. into sugar
during digestion; usually refined sugar is added to cereal and
coffee; jam or jelly may be eaten; quantities of sugar pour
rapidly into the blood. In a matter of minutes the blood sugar
may increase from 80 to 155 milligrams. Any rapid increase
stimulates the healthy pancreas into pouring forth insulin;
the insulin, in tum, causes the liver and muscles to withdraw
, sugar and store it as a form of starch, or glycogen, or change
it into fat, thus preventing it from being lost in the urine. As
the digestion of a high-carbohydrate meal continues, however, sugar keeps pouring into the blood. In effect, it calls to
the pancreas, "Send more insulin I More! More!" The pancreas
obeys; it is overstimulated; because of its efficiency, it sends
too much. The tremendous amounts of sugar defeat the purpose for which sugar is needed: to produce energy efficiently.
Too much sugar is withdrawn due to the oversupply of insulin; the result, ironically, is fatigue. The more carbohydrate
14 LET'S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
eaten, the greater the insulin oversupply. For example, in the
studies mentioned, the largest bmouut of sugar was freed
during the digestion of the breakfast containing oatmeal.
When three high-carbohydrate meals are eaten daily, the
pancreas becomes overefficient, .or trigger-happy; too much
insulin is produced too quickly. Persons eating such meals
often produce actual insulin shock in themselves. This fact
is emphasized by a diabetic specialist 3 who observed insulinshock symptoms among his non-diabetic patients. Since
American meals are largely carbohydrate, self~produced
insulin shock is probably much more common than is realized. The same symptoms, however, can occur whenever the
blood sugar drops far below normal because no food has
been eaten and/or because exercise has used up the available
sugar.
,(The cells can store only a little glycogen; any remaining
sugar is changed into fat. After digestion is completed, however, the only normal source of sugar is stored glycogen,
which is broken down into sugar again; this sugar is soon
used up, especially if vigorous exercise is taken. Most of the
cells then bum fat alone to supply energy, but fat is not
burned efficiently without sugar; it leaves "clinkers" or
"ashes" in the form of acetone and two acids, all somewhat
harmful to the body. Energy ebbs, and damage is done by
the acids. The brain and nerves, however, must have sugar
to sustain life; the adrenals senii out cortisone, and cells are
destroyed so that their protein can be converted in part to
sugar. Bad eating habits thus force' the nervous system to
become a parasite, living off other body tissues. If you allow
this destruction to happen often, y.2.~ will not like the sags
and bags you see in your mirror. ) ;--
On the other hand, if breakfast has supplied a small amount
of sugar and fat and mode:ate protein, digestion tak~es place
3 E. M. Abrahamson and A. W. Pezet, Body, Mind, and Sugar (Henry
Holt and Company, 1951).
I
BREAKFAST GETS THE DAY'S WORK DONE '15
slowly; sugar trickles into the blood, giving a sustained
pickup hour after hour. Insulin production is not overstimu-
~ated. Glycogen storage proceeds normally; no hated fat is
formed. Energy urges the body into activity; warmth is produced as needed, or the cooling system functions with equal
efficiency if the weather is hot.
Proteins are measured in grams. For example, an egg supplies 6 grams of protein; a quart of whole milk, 32 grams
(see table, pp. 32-3). In the studies mentioned, efficiency for
three hours after a meal was produced only when 22 grams
or more of protein were obtained. The meal furnishing 55
grams of protein sustained a high level of energy and a high
metabolism for six hours afterward. It now appears that the
more protein eaten at any meal, the greater is the efficiency
and the longer it is maintained. Lunches and dinners must
also supply high protein with some fat and carbohydrate if
well-being is to be sustained for hours after the meals.
Further studies show that blood sugar levels are lower during
hot weather, when little protein is eaten, than in winter,
when sharp winds whet the appetite.
Another means of maintaining a high blood sugar level,
now studied extensively, is to eat between meals. The objections to' this procedure are that nutritious foods are frequently
unavailable and non-nutritious ones too readily available.
Also people often gain too much. The mid-meals found most
effective 4 contain protein, fat, and carbohydrate; of midmeals studied so far, a glass of whole milk with 100 calories
of fresh fruit has produced the greatest efficiency.
If we now consider typical American meals with a critical
eye, we see innocent stupidity elevated to an art. Breakfast
may supply too little sugar to maintain the blood sugar level
or so much sugar that insulin is oversupplied. Lunches are
4 H. W. Haggard and L. A. Greenberg, "Between Meal Feeding in Industry: Effects on Absenteeism and Attitude of Clerical Employees," Journal
IJf the American Dietetic Association, XV (1939), 435.
16 LET'S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
usually sketchy; mid-meals, if taken, are usually coffee, soft
drinks, or sweets; thus is ineffidiency produced until dinner
time. Protein is eaten. at dinner Ibut, alas, efficiency does not
always follow. The accumulatio:o of the day's fatigue may be
too great unless masked by alcohol and/or coffee; so much
food may be eaten that drowsiness is induced. The husband
may snore in his chair while his wife reflects bitterly that
their marriage has gone to pot. If it is a social evening,
the time is often passed in desultory, boring conversation. By
bedtime, the acetone bodies have been excreted, and the food
is largely digested; efficiency is then produced and slept off
much as a drunkard sleeps off a binge.
There is nothing new about high-protein breakfasts. For
morning meals on our Indiana farm when I was a youngster,
we had hot cereal, steaks, ham and/or eggs, huge patties of
sausage or fried chicken with country gravy; a large pitcher
of milk was regularly on the table. Remember the English
novels where buffet breakfasts of fish, meats, eggs, hot cereals,
and creamed dishes were described? A friend returning from
the Scandinavian countries recently told of haVing a smorgasbord with thirty kinds of fish, cheese, and meats served at
breakfast. Actually, breakfasts need not be large.
You may say you are not hungry in the morning; this remark means, "I overate last night." Hunger sets in only when
the blood sugar drops to about 70 milligrams; 12 hours after
a typical American dinner .the blood sugar is usually 95 milligrams or even higher. To launch a campaign of efficiency, the
best technique is to have a mid-meal in the late afternoon.
Dinner should be simple and graciously served: a soup or
salad so delicious that everyone wa!!_!:s a second helping, meat
or meat substitute, perhaps a 10w-stafCh"egetable, milk, buttermilk or yogurt, and fruit. Appetites caiLbe satisfied and the
meal enjoyed without potatoes; gravy, and dessert, provided
the afternoon snack is sufficient. Such a meal is easy to prepare, creates less havoc in the, kitchen, and .~llows you eager-
BREAKFAST GETS THE DAY'S WORK DONE 17
ness for breakfast the next morning. The objection to small
dinners is that husbands have no time to eat a large meal in
the morning or at noon. Why eat a large meal at any time?
All meals should be simple, filling, and enjoyable. When hungry, one always finds time to eat. I have yet to meet a redblooded man who did nO,t enjoy a high-protein breakfast.
Many of our national problems can be traced directly to
our faulty eating habits. For example, a third of our population is obese; high-protein breakfast alone would largely correct this problem. Ninety-eight per cent of Americans have
tooth decay caused by eating too much sugar; the craving for
sweets disappears when the blood sugar is kept high. Lassitude, fatigue, nervousness, irritability, even exhaustion and
foggy thinking are widespread indeed. Prevention or remedy
are easy; for the essentially healthy person, fatigue can be
changed to amazing vitality in a single day. School children are difficult to handle and often learn slowly; thus much
school-tax money is wasted. Confused thinking in political,
pubfic, and private life is all too common. The greater number of automobile accidents occur when the blood sugar is
lowest, when thinking is confused and reactions are slow. Our
excessive use of coHee, cigarettes, and alcohol is related to
our level of blood sugar; they stimulate the production of
adrenal hormones which cause the blood sugar to be increased; thereby prodUCing the needed "lift." Irritability resulting from low blood sugar can be a factor in divorces. It
now appears that polio is contracted only when the blood
sugar is particularly low; the summer heat decreases the appetite for proteins and increases the craving for sugar-filled
iced drinks and ice cream; exercise, such as swimming, uses
up the sugar available.
Blackouts or near-blackouts resulting from low blood sugar
are not unusual. For example, I was consulted by a woman
who blacked out almost every time she went shopping; on
each "dollar day" she carne to in the nurse's office of some
18 LET'S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
department store. Her meals customarily were largely carbohydrate. She hated breakfast; ,*hen she became hungry, she
bought a pound or more of c~ndy and ate it on the spot;
approximately an hour later she blacked out. Another example was a student too psychologically upset to eat; for a
short period she blacked out many times daily and had to
drop college. She had had so many accidents and near-accidents that only her friends were driving her new Buick convertible. Still another was a motorman on a streamliner who
had blacked out on the job and had become so frightened
that he had taken sick leave; he had been eating huge meals
almost entirely of carbohydrate. Persons who have blacked
out usually know when to expect a recurrence by the pounding of their hearts; several tell me that at such times they
have parked their cars only in the nick of time. My advice is
that if you value your car and/or your life, you should not
drive when your blood sugar is low. Low-blood-sugar driving is almost as dangerous as drunken driving.
Weakness or faintness, legs givin~ away and/or a blackout, together with a pounding heart, cause many people to
believe they are having heart attacks. Within the last few
months, four men have consulted me because of "heart conditions"; three had "heart atta'cks" in the evening. One had
been hunting all day, a packed lunch forgetfully left behind.
A second owned a garage, had gone to work without breakfast, and had been too ~usy to stop for lunch. A third was
vacationing in the mountains; he had taken a walk before
breakfast, decided to climb a mountain, and had exercised
all day without eating. The fourth was following a strict reducing diet; his "heart attacks" u£Q,ally occurred between 3
and 7 A.M~ PhYSicians could find notli!ng-wrong with these
men's hearts, but each man was still1>everely frightened when
I first saw him; each was,taking as good care of hiIp$elf as if
he were a premature baby; and the life of each family revolved around "Father's heart condition." Certainly a person I
BREAKFAST GETS mE DAY'S WORK DONE 19
experiencing such symptoms should see his physician imme·
diately; if the physician can find nothing wrong with the
heart, however, a blood sugar analysis should be requested.
When the blood sugar is extremely low, the resulting irritability, nervous tension, and mental depression are such
that a person can easily go berserk. If hatred, bitterness, and
resentments are harbored, and perhaps a temporary psychological upset causes a person to go on a candy binge or makes
it impossible for him to eat or digest food, the stage is set;
violence or quarreling can occur for which there may be no
forgiving. Add a few guns, gas jets, or razor blades, and you
have the stuff murders and suicides are made of. The American diet has become dangerous in many more ways than one.
Our nursery-rhyme thinking of baby-bear-papa-bear meals
needs revising. Maximum well-being and efficiency can and
should be produced for every hour we are awake. The general rule is to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince,
and dinner like a pauper. Your meals, however, should be
planned to give efficiency when you need it most. For example, if you are on a swing shift, your meal highest in protein should be eaten before you go to work.
Two of the finest looking and most energetic men I know
of, both physicians about sixty, tell me they eat 50 to 75
grams of protein every morning for breakfast. If you eat such
a breakfast daily for a week, I guarantee that you will not go
back to low-protein breakfasts.