Dr. Gourmet Newsletter:
April 2, 2007

Dr. Tim Says...

Your mother was right (she knew it all along). It turns out that breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day.

There are a number of reasons that you should make a healthy breakfast part of your life. When you consider that you had dinner at 6:00 or 7:00 the night before and you might get up for breakfast at 6:00 A.M. you have already gone about 12 hours without eating. Not having breakfast and waiting until your “coffee break” or lunch adds even more time. By the time you get around to eating it could be that your body has been starving for as long as 18 hours.

We now have a lot of research showing that extended periods of starvation can change your metabolism. The body effectively slows down to preserve the calories that it has stored, since there's a perceived lack of calories coming in. The science shows that this can affect how easy it is for you to lose weight. What about breakfast?

Featured Recipe: Bay Scallops with Mushroom Bisque and Tomatoes

This is the dish that you can serve for a special meal or dinner party. It’s so simple, and while it takes some time, most of it is waiting for the mushrooms to cook. Everything can be done in advance and the soup and mushroom/tomato mixture heated at the last minute while the scallops cook. Best of all it’s good for them and they won’t even know it! Bay Scallops with Mushroom Bisque and Tomatoes

Ask Dr. Gourmet

I was wondering if (and how) sushi can fit into a healthy eating plan. It might be my only true weakness!

Dr. Gourmet Says...

Sushi certainly has a place in a healthy diet. I eat sushi all the time and it is well known that the Japanese suffer from very low rates of heart disease. The only cautions as a physician that I have for my patients is to make sure you know that the restaurant is a good one. I don't eat sushi at simply any restaurant. Cleanliness is important in all restaurants but more so in those serving raw fish. Likewise, a very busy restaurant is more likely to have very fresh fish.

Sushi is not a weakness -- it is a strength. Enjoy!