Breakfast

Breakfastis the firstmealof the day usually eaten in the morning.The word in English refers to breaking thefastingperiod of the previous night.Various "typical" or "traditional" breakfast menus exist, with food choices varying by regions and traditions worldwide.
InOld English, a regular morning meal was calledmorgenmete,and the worddinner, which originated fromGallo-Romancedesjunare("to break one's fast"), referred to a meal afterfasting.Around the mid-13th century, that meaning ofdinnerfaded away, and around the 15th century "breakfast" came into use in written English to describe a morning meal.
InAncient Egypt, peasants ate a daily meal, most likely in the morning, consisting ofsoup,beer,bread, andonionsbefore they left for work in the fields or work commanded by thepharaohs.
The traditional breakfast believed to have been cooked in ancient Egypt was fūl (made fromfava beans, possibly the ancestor of today'sful medames),baladibread, made fromemmer wheat, andfalafel, and a mixture of fava beans with onions,garlic,parsleyandcoriander.
In Greek literature, there are numerous mentions ofariston, a meal taken not long after sunrise. TheIliadnotes this meal with regard to a labor-weary woodsman eager for a light repast to start his day, preparing it even as he is aching with exhaustion.The opening prose of the 16th book of theOdysseymentions breakfast as the meal being prepared in the morning before attending to one's chores.Eventuallyaristonwas moved to around noon, and a new morning meal was introduced.
In the post-Homeric classical period of Greece, a meal calledakratismawas typically consumed immediately after rising in the morning.Akratisma(ἀκρατισμός,akratismos) consisted ofbarleybread dipped inwine(ἄκρατος,akratos), sometimes complemented byfigsorolives.They also madepancakescalledtēganitēs(τηγανίτης),tagēnitēs(ταγηνίτης),ortagēnias(ταγηνίας),all words deriving fromtagēnon(τάγηνον), meaning "frying pan".The earliest attested references ontagēniasare in the works of the 5th century BC poetsCratinusandMagnes.Another kind of pancake wasstaititēs(σταιτίτης), fromstaitinos(σταίτινος), "of flour or dough ofspelt",derived itself fromstais(σταῖς), "flour of spelt".Athenaeusin hisDeipnosophistaementionsstaititastopped withhoney,sesameandcheese.
Romans called breakfastientaculum. It was usually composed of everyday staples like bread, cheese,olives,salad,nuts,raisins, and cold meat left over from the night before.They also drank wine-based drinks such asmulsum, a mixture of wine, honey, andaromatic spices.1st century Latin poet Martial said thatientaculumwas eaten at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, while 16th century scholar Claudius Saumaise wrote that it was typically eaten at 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. It seems unlikely that any fixed time was truly assigned for this meal.
Roman soldiers woke up to a breakfast ofpulmentus,porridgesimilar to the Italianpolenta, made from roasted spelt wheat or barley that was then pounded and cooked in acauldronof water.
In the EuropeanMiddle Ages, breakfast was not usually considered a necessary and important meal, and was practically nonexistent during the earlier medieval period. Monarchs and their entourages would spend a lot of time around a table for meals. Only two formal meals were eaten per day—one at mid-day and one in the evening. The exact times varied by period and region, but this two-meal system remained consistent throughout the Middle Ages.
Breakfast in some times and places was solely granted to children, the elderly, the sick, and to working men. Anyone else did not speak of or partake in eating in the morning. Eating breakfast meant that one was poor, was a low-status farmer or laborer who truly needed the energy to sustain his morning's labor, or was too weak to make it to the large, midday dinner.
In the 13th century, breakfast when eaten sometimes consisted of a piece of rye bread and a bit of cheese. Morning meals would not include any meat, and would likely include 0.4 imperial gallons (1.8 L) of low alcohol-content beers. Uncertain quantities of bread and ale could have been consumed in between meals.
By the 15th century, breakfast in western Europe often included meat.By this time, noble men were seen to indulge in breakfast, making it more of a common practice, and by the early 16th century, recorded expenses for breakfast became customary. Breakfast in eastern Europe remained mostly the same as the modern day: a "continental breakfast". The 16th century introduction of caffeinated beverages into the European diet was also an addition to breakfast; it was believed thatcoffeeandteaaid the body in "evacuation of superfluities".
Traditionally, the various cuisines ofAfricause a combination of locally availablefruits,cereal grainsandvegetables, as well asmilkandmeatproducts. In some parts of the continent, the traditional diet features milk,curdandwheyproducts. A type of porridge is most commonly eaten. In the bookThe Bible cyclopædia (et al.)published in 1843, it was documented that during this time in theArab world,Bedouinsoften utilizedlocustsmixed withbutterfor breakfast, spreading the mixture on unleavened bread.
In the bookThe Bible cyclopædia (et al.)published in 1843, it was documented that Egyptians were early risers that sometimes had a first meal consisting of coffee along with the smoking of apipe, and did not eat breakfast until noon.At this time, it was documented that Egyptian breakfast foods included bread,cheese,eggs,butter,curds,clotted creamand stewed beans.In addition, fava beans are an established national breakfast dish.
In theMiddle Eastregion ofAsia,Iftarrefers to theevening mealwhenMuslimsbreak theirsawm(fast) during theIslamic monthofRamadan.Iftaris one of the religious observances ofRamadan, and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together.Iftaris done right afterMaghrib(sunset) time. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims replace traditional breakfast withsuhoor, anIslamicterm referring to the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims beforesawmduring daylight hours. The meal is eaten beforefajr(dawn).
In Japan, it is common to eatmiso soupand rice porridge for breakfast.
In the bookThe Bible cyclopædia (et al.)it was documented thatc.1843, poorLebanese peoplewould consume rawleekswith bread for breakfast.
Thecroissantappears to have originated inVienna, Austria, in 1683.
French breakfasts are often similar to the continental breakfast.French breakfastpastriesinclude appleturnovers,brioche, croissantandpain au chocolat.Croissants have been described as becoming a standard fare inFrenchbreakfast cuisine by 1875.
Breakfast usually consists of bread with a wide variety ofcold cuts, cheeses and sweet toppings; such ashagelslag,vlokken,muisjes,gestampte muisjes[nl],chocolate spread,treacle(a thick, dark brown sugar syrup calledstroop),apple butterandpeanut butter.
The wordwafflederives from the Dutch wordwafel, which itself derives from the Middle Dutchwafele,and is likely the origin of the food as it is known today.
In the early 16th century, some physicians warned against eating breakfast, because they said it was not healthy to eat before a prior meal was digested.By the 1550s, however, there were multiple sources that claimed breakfast was an important meal. For example, in 1551, Thomas Wingfield stated that breakfast was essential. In 1589, Thomas Cogan stated that it was unhealthy to miss breakfast in the morning. He was one of the first to claim that it was healthy for those who were not young, ill or elders to eat breakfast.
Thefull breakfastis a staple ofBritish cuisine, and typically consists ofbacon,sausagesandeggs, often served with a variety of side dishes and a beverage such ascoffeeortea. Prior to 1600, breakfast in Great Britain typically included bread, cold meat or fish, andale.Tea,chocolateand coffee were introduced to Great Britain in the mid-1600s, and in the 1700s coffee and chocolate were adopted as breakfast drinks by the fashionable.Tea eventually became more popular than chocolate as a breakfast drink.
The first groups known to have producedmaple syrupandmaple sugarwereindigenous peoplesliving in the northeastern part ofNorth America. According to aboriginal oral traditions, as well as archaeological evidence, maple tree sap was being processed into syrup long before Europeans arrived in the region.
While it has been a source of controversy where the lumberjack breakfast came from, the most cited source is that the lumberjack breakfast was first served in a Vancouver hotel, in 1870. The breakfast consisted of eggs, assorted fried pork strips, andflapjacks. It is said byAnita Stewartthat the tradition of hearty cooking developed because of men needing the energy for manual labor.
A typical Aztec breakfast often included cornporridgewith honey and chillies, or tortillas with beans andsalsa.
Chilaquilesare a staple breakfast dish that dates back to the times of the Aztecs; they consist oftortilla chips(locally known as "totopos") slathered insalsaand usually come with a side ofrefried beans. Depending on the region or person, they may be eaten with fried or scrambled eggs, pulled chicken, sprinkled cheese,crema, diced onion, or chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves.Eggs are also a staple in Mexican breakfasts, scrambled and fried eggs are usually eaten with tortillas, salsa, and beans; local varieties includehuevos rancherosand "huevos con tortilla", which are scrambled eggs fried alongside pieces of corn tortillas.
Breakfast cerealsare also common in Mexico, mainly due to American influence. Health concerns have arisen regarding the nutritional quality of processed breakfast cereal; it is estimated that Mexican preschoolers consume 7% of their total energy intake from processed breakfast cereals and that 6% of Mexican children exclusively have ready-to-eat cereals with milk for breakfast.
In 1620,waffleswere first introduced to North America bypilgrimswho had lived in theNetherlands.Later pioneers consumed largelycornmeal-based breakfasts, and would also consume meals such asoatmealfor dinner and lunch.Common breakfast products includedcorn pone,johnnycakes,ashcakes,hoe-cakes, andcorn dodgers.Ashcakes consisted of cornmeal wrapped incabbageleaves cooked in the ashes of acampfire, while corn pone is baked, corn dodgers are pan fried, and hoe-cakes are similar to pancakes.After theAmerican Civil War, it became fairly common in America to eat sandwiches that were made of ham and eggs. These sandwiches were not strictly consumed in the morning. In 1897, the first truebreakfast sandwichrecipe was published in a cookbook.Popcorn cerealwas consumed by Americans in the 1800s, which typically consisted of popcorn with milk and a sweetener.Coldbreakfast cerealhas been consumed by Americans since the late 1890s, and during the 1920s a considerable number of new cereals were marketed.The reason for this movement towards cold breakfast cereals was inspired by theJacksonian-era Clean Living Movement(1830–1860). This movement focused on a lot of lifestyle changes, but specific to breakfast it claimed that eating bacon, eggs, pancakes and hot coffee was too indulgent.The first prepared cold breakfast cereal marketed to American consumers was created byDr. John Harvey Kellogg, who introduced it in 1878 and named itgranola.The product was prepared with baked wheat, oatmeal and cornmeal, and was the first brand-name breakfast cereal in the United States.
Cannedfruit juicebecame prominent as a breakfast beverage after the discovery ofvitamins.C. 1900, orange juice as a breakfast beverage was a new concept.The development of frozenorange juiceconcentrate began in 1915, and in the 1930s it was produced by several companies.Additionally,mass-producedtomato juicebegan to be marketed in the mid-1920s, and became a popular breakfast drink a few years thereafter.
Haitian spaghettiis a common breakfast dish inHaitian cuisine.
While breakfast is commonly referred to as "the most important meal of the day",some contest the positive implications of its "most important" status.
Someepidemiologicalresearch indicates that having breakfast high in rapidly availablecarbohydratesincreases the risk ofmetabolic syndrome.
Memorywas found to be adversely affected in subjects of a study who had not eaten their breakfast (q.v. alsoStudies using miceunder this heading). Intelligence was not affected.Children aged within 8 and 11 years were found to have differing brainwave;EEGactivity states, causative to breakfast consumption.  Non-breakfasting children were observed to have higher activity of upper and lowertheta wave,alpha wave, anddelta wave, which indicated a causative relationship of breakfast consumption to memory function in the subjects.
A review of 47 studies associating breakfast to (i) nutrition, (ii) body weight and (iii) academic performance found amongst those who had eaten breakfast: (i) better nutrition profiles, many studies found less weight (ii) irrespective of greater calorific consumption per day, although a number did not find this correlation, (iii) studies suggested a possible link to better academic performance in the breakfast eating groups (q.v. Benton and Parker 1998, under this heading).
The influence of breakfast on managing body weight is unclear.
Present professional opinion is largely in favor of eating breakfast,but skipping breakfast might be better than eating unhealthy foods.