According to the American School Food Service Association, breakfast at school makes for great performances by kids. Children who eat a school breakfast perform better academically, making this year's National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) theme particularly appropriate. From March 7-11, 2005, schools nationwide will celebrate breakfast with the theme: "School Breakfast: Great Performances."

Members of the School Nutrition Association in thousands of schools in the U.S. will host National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) celebrations with guest speakers, live student performances, activities, decorated lunchrooms and innovative breakfast menus. Research shows that children who eat breakfast have improved memory, problem-solving skills, verbal fluency and creative abilities. Qualitative research, including studies conducted by Harvard University and the University of Minnesota, also point to improvements in standardized test scores in children who ate a school breakfast.

As School Nutrition Association president Karen Johnson, SFNS, points out, "Every weekday morning in a school near you an impressive performance takes place. Nutritionally balanced meals have the lead role. And audiences of hungry children enjoy the show." She concluded that school breakfasts give children the energy they need to be a star every day.

Research by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion found that children who eat school breakfast eat more fruits, drink more milk and consume less saturated fat than those who don't eat breakfast or have breakfast at home. On a typical day during last school year, 8.7 million children in more than 78,000 schools and institutions participated in the School Breakfast Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sets the nutrient standards for the federal School Breakfast Program, requiring breakfasts provide less than 30 percent of their calories from fat, and 10 percent or less from saturated fat, meeting the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The School Nutrition Association (formerly ASFSA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The Association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals. Founded in 1946, SNA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children's health and well being through school meals and sound nutrition education.

The Antioxidant Miracle

If you have not yet read The Antioxidant Miracle by Dr. Lester Packer, we highly recommend you do so. This brilliant scientist—long heralded as the worlds foremost expert and pioneer in the field of antioxidant research—presents irrefutable evidence on the vital importance of antioxidant nutrients and their ability to help prevent numerous ills including heart diseases, cancer, and Alzheimer's, among others. Dr. Packer emphasizes that although single antioxidants are powerful, these compounds work more effectively as a team. Individual chapters are devoted to Dr. Packer's five star players—vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, lipoic acid, and co-enzyme Q10—as well as others of critical importance, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and selenium. Dr. Packer argues convincingly that these antioxidants are the key to preventing numerous diseases, premature aging, and memory failure—and appear to extend the length and quality of human life.

Although Dr. Packer doesn't discount the importance of fruits, vegetables, beans, and other plant foods, his emphasis is clearly on supplements since, for most Americans, it is virtually impossible to derive optimal levels of these key nutrients from food alone. If you want to understand the myriad ways in which free radicals can harm your health and how antioxidants protect it, you would be well advised to learn from an expert who's pioneered much of the major research in the field. You can purchase this book new and used at amazon.com.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

By now, you have certainly heard green tea is good for you, but did you know how far reaching the benefits are? Research now indicates that green tea may help prevent cancer, as well as protecting your heart. Tea consumption in general has been linked to reduced risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.1 Green tea stands out in particular due to its powerful antioxidant benefits. It's cancer preventive effects appear to be due to its polyphenol content. Numerous animal studies have shown that green tea inhibits tumor incidence and multiplicity in organs such as the skin, lungs, mammary glands and colon.2

Green tea extract has been shown to protect the cardiovascular system, by means of one particular polyphenol, EGCG (epigallocatechin-3 gallate) that has been found to reduce LDL oxidation,3 which is implicated in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the cardiovascular system. Other studies have confirmed green teas' ability to reduce the odds of developing heart disease and hypertension,4 while minimizing stroke risk. Further, green tea appears to help prevent Type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy glucose metabolism.5

References available upon request

Tegreen 97® 120 capsules

Green tea has been used in China for thousands of years for its health-preserving and revitalizing power. Modern science has identified powerful antioxidants in green tea called polyphenols. One group of polyphenols called catechins is particularly potent and is highly effective at neutralizing free radicals at the cellular level. Catechins support healthy cell function while providing antioxidant protection to critical cell structures such as DNA. Clinical studies show catechins interfere with the production of certain enzymes involved in cell damage. Additionally, catechins have been demonstrated to cause a thermogenic effect that enhances the body's metabolic rate.

Tegreen 97 ® from Pharmanex is a proprietary, highly concentrated extract of the catechins found in green tea. Tegreen 97 ® is one of the most potent antioxidant supplements on the market with a 97 percent polyphenol content, 65% catechins. Each Tegreen 97 ® capsule contains the catechin equivalent of approximately seven cups of green tea and is 99.5 percent caffeine free. For more information and to purchase at wholesale pricing, contact kiki@aboutnhs.com or call Kiki at 408.226.3223.