This podcast from a recent Study Spotlight with Chef Dr. Mike from The Center for Food as Medicine & Longevity examines the prevailing notion that breakfast, especially breakfast cereal, is the "most important meal of the day." It highlights how this idea originated from early 20th-century advertising campaigns by cereal companies, rather than unbiased scientific research, a practice that continues today. The featured "Children's Health and Breakfast Cereals" article specifically reveals a concerning trend: between 2010 and 2023, children's ready-to-eat cereals saw significant increases in fat, sodium, and sugar, alongside decreases in protein and fiber, with a single serving often exceeding the American Heart Association's daily sugar limit for children. The author, Dr. Michael S. Fenster, emphasizes that these cereals are often ultra-processed and that these marketing-driven dietary patterns contribute to the rise in chronic diseases among the youngest and most vulnerable populations.