Breakfast Bar Promotes Alertness

CARDIFF, Wales—Struggling to find time for breakfast? Recent research showed volunteers who ate a cereal bar for breakfast felt more alert, happy and sociable, and less anxious (Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009) (DOI:10.1080/09637480802438305). Thirty-two volunteers (16 males, 16 females; mean age, 20 years 9 months) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: cereal bar versus no breakfast or cereal bar versus no snack. Volunteers who consumed a cereal bar for recalled more words in a free recall task. When the cereal bar was consumed as a mid-morning snack, alertness and hedonic tone increased, especially in the group who received no breakfast. The group who had no breakfast reported reduced anxiety after eating the snack. Recall was also improved after the snack. Researchers said consuming cereal bars in the early and mid-morning lead to beneficial behavioral effects and may have important practical applications especially in situations where preparation of breakfast is difficult.