Healthy breakfast menu for children, is it better to serve rice or bread?

Usually rice or bread is a choice of parents' favorite breakfast menu to be served at the dinner table every morning. In addition to serving quickly, rice and bread are relatively easy to create into a variety of dishes. So if you want to compare the nutrition of the two, which one is better as a breakfast menu for children - rice or bread?

Ideal nutritional intake in one portion of the children's breakfast menu

Breakfast provides the energy supply for children to get through a tiring day. The reason is, breakfast contributes up to 20-25% of total energy needs per day (the standard calorie requirement for school children aged 7-12 years is 1,600-2,000 calories). Breakfast can also help the body to more efficiently process food as energy, so that children feel hungry less often.

To be able to achieve these benefits, a healthy breakfast menu for children must consist of 300 grams of carbohydrates, 65 grams of protein, 50 grams of fat, 25 grams of fiber, and the intake of various vitamins and minerals. Don't be surprised to see the large amount of carbohydrates your child needs. Children's glucose needs are two times greater than adults. Carbohydrates are important for improving children's brain development. Glucose which is broken down from carbohydrates is the main energy for the brain. In addition, glucose is also used by the brain to regulate and run its nervous system.

That's why studies have shown that a high-calorie breakfast menu can help children learn better in school. This means that children can concentrate more on remembering and solving problems in each subject. But of course the selected carbohydrate source should not be arbitrary. Rice and bread are high carbohydrate food sources. Then, which one is better for children?

Healthy breakfast menu for children, is it better to use rice or bread?

Before determining which one is better for a child's breakfast menu, it's a good idea to first understand the concept of the glycemic index in food. The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly the carbohydrates found in food are converted into sugar by the body. The higher the glycemic value of a food, the higher the increase in the body's blood sugar levels.

This level of the glycemic index can affect the work of the child's brain. As described above, glucose is the brain's main energy source. Therefore, the higher the GI score of a food, the higher the blood sugar levels produced, the better the child's brain will work. Reported by Harvard School that the glycemic index in white rice (72) is lower than the GI score of white bread (75). So, does this mean that automatically white bread is better than rice for a child's breakfast menu? Not necessarily.

Rice or bread is actually the same

Rice and bread are both classified as high glycemic index foods. Foods with a high glycemic index are digested more quickly by the body so that they increase blood sugar faster. But on the other hand, the resulting blood sugar will drop back very quickly so that those who eat high glycemic index foods will feel hungry faster.

The feeling of hunger that arises also affects concentration when working or studying. Children who are hungry during teaching and learning activities tend to have more difficulty concentrating than those who still feel full. Conversely, foods that contain a low glycemic index will make blood glucose levels last longer and more stable than those with high glycemic index levels.

A healthy breakfast menu for children is a balanced one

Regardless of your child's choice of carbohydrates for breakfast, a healthy breakfast requires a balanced portion of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to keep energy levels stable throughout the day.

An easy way to determine the ideal breakfast portion is to divide your dinner plate into four portions. Each part should be filled with each of the nutrients your body needs in the morning.

Fill the first section with complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, or whole wheat porridge (oatmeal). The second part you can fill with unsaturated fats such as nuts. The third part should be filled with protein, either from eggs or lean meat. Finally, complete your healthy breakfast menu with fiber sources such as vegetables and fruits.