Most of us know the word breakfast means to break the fast from the night before, but here are some things you might not know.

Originally, dinner, not breakfast was referred to as the first meal of the day. It was derived from the French word “disner” meaning breakfast. Today’s American breakfast is a reflection of the history of our country. Some typical breakfast foods include corn muffins and grits (introduced by colonists), potato pancakes and doughnuts (brought by immigrants) and corn flakes and granola (from 19th century food reformers who advocated a healthy diet).

Other foods like waffles, coffee, Pop Tarts, cereals, low-fat bacon, cholesterol-free Egg Beaters and instant oatmeal were partially the result of modern convenience, nutrition legislation and scientific advancement. We’ve heard “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but why? It’s simple, really.

After going all night without food, we need food to resupply ourselves with glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) converted to glycogen (polysaccharide) by the liver. Glycogen is to you, what starch is to a potato.