Overview
- Amen says foods that quickly turn to sugar, especially when paired with caffeine, trigger a spike then crash that leaves the brain "walking in mud" about 45 minutes later.
- He warns that giving children sugary cereal with orange juice before school can hinder concentration and recommends serving eggs instead.
- Reports underscore his media profile as a TV psychiatrist and author with roughly 3.5 million TikTok followers.
- Benenden Health is cited noting that any alertness from sugar is short-lived, with glucose typically dropping after about 20 minutes and focus waning.
- Healthline advises building breakfast around protein, slowly digested carbohydrates, and healthy fats, citing options like eggs, Greek yogurt, berries, nuts, and cautioning that many oatmeal products contain added sugar.