When it comes to typical American breakfast foods, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and pancakes all immediately spring to mind. Of course, other countries have their own traditional breakfast foods ...

Key points The typical American breakfast is notoriously unhealthy. What the brain prefers us to eat for breakfast, and when, is not always good for the rest of the body.

Key points The typical American breakfast is notoriously unhealthy. What the brain prefers us to eat for breakfast, and when, is not always good for the rest of the body.

"Breakfast just means 'break fast'," Kremer said, reiterating that certain foods like "pancakes, waffles and cereal are all cultural." "We can break our fast with whatever we'd like," she said.

Only 35% of Americans eat that sort of traditional breakfast seven days a week, according to a recent study by CivicScience, a consumer analytics platform.