No Fast Food chain is selling it yet. And I, for one, have not had a chance to taste one. But a noted nutritionist has shared his recipe for the ‘perfect’ breakfast burrito. Which FF brand will be first to jump on this out-of-left-field gift?
Dan Beuttner: Intrepid nutrition explorer… Author of The Blue Zones –
Secrets for Living Longer and The Blue Zone Cookbook...
The story up to now…
Rush University longevity researcher Dan Buettner claim to have found the world’s healthiest breakfast – in Costa Rica. And he’s only too happy to share the recipe
For a start, Beuttner says folks who actually eat breakfast – any breakfast – reap important benefits:
- They tend to have a lower BMI (body mass index).
- They eat less fatty food throughout the day.
- They consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.
- They have higher daily calcium intake.
- They have higher daily fiber intake.
- They stay more focused throughout the day.
But what’s the absolute best breakfast you can eat?
Here’s his nominee
Beuttner says he found this burrito in a small town in Costa Rica. And it’s as close to perfect, nutritionally, as he’s ever seen.
The recipe is simple: Put together black beans, rice, onions, red peppers and fresh local herbs, and roll them up in a fresh corn tortilla.
“The corn tortillas, chewy with a nutty flavor, are an excellent source of whole-grain, low-glycemic complex carbohydrates,” Beuttner told MSN.com. “The wood ash [traditionally used to break down the corn’s cell walls], makes niacin (a B vitamin that plays a role in cell signaling and DNA repair) available, and frees amino acids so the body can absorb them.”
The filling ingredients are all nutritionally sound. Some, in fact, are super foods. The black beans are a great source of protein, fibre and antioxodants. The onions and red peppers are storehouses of essential vitamins and minerals.
Additional plusses
In addition to the nutritional advantages of Beuttner’s burrito, there’s also the obvious plus that it’s a vegan creation. So everybody gets to play.
The easy availability of all the ingredients makes the ‘perfect’ breakfast accessible to pretty much everyone, as well. Yes, produce prices remain high. But you only need a relatively small amount of the most expensive constituents to make the burrito properly. And it uses no expansive animal proteins.
Come to think of it – you could enjoy it as a taco, too!
My take
I expect the major Fast Food chains will rush to put the ‘Perfect Breakfast Burrito’ on their day-starter menus. They might even line up at the Patent Office to claim ownership. The only question is, who will be first?
It’s a perfect fit for the prevailing publicity commitments from the industry to respond to consumer demands for healthier, better-value menu items.
And Dan Beuttner may become the next Fast Food sphere poster boy!
~ Maggie J.