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Now whether you hear it from someone or read it online, time and time again we are told that we should be eating breakfast. This is because the first thing we consume breaks the overnight fasting period after a good night’s rest.
As kids, our caregivers frequently said we needed breakfast to be big and strong. Whilst this is sort of true, now we’re adults, are we actually aware of the benefits of eating breakfast.
The answer is, probably not!
Countless people go on about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Besides, other than the obvious that it is the first meal of the day, what actually are the benefits of eating breakfast?
Let’s take a look.
How important is breakfast?
There are multiple reasons as to why our parents persuaded us to eat breakfast in the morning.
Now nearly all of us have heard the timeless ‘eating your carrots will help you to see in the dark’, and as kids, who were we to challenge why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It was pleasing enough for our parents that we ate it in the first place, let alone actually knowing the benefits of eating breakfast.
Yet, as adults we often skip breakfast due to a lack of time, we’d rather snack on the way or at work, we’re trying to lose weight or just simply because it’s an inconvenience.
That’s why I’m here to tell you the benefits of eating breakfast and to understand why breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and no that is not what I meant, put down that twinkie.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
So you’re thinking ‘is breakfast really important for my health’… well of course it is.
Alongside the fact that breakfast delivers vital nutrients and minerals to your body, research has shown that those who eat breakfast reduce their chances of developing heart disease.
If you’re that person that goes straight out the door without having something to eat, you’re potentially increasing the likelihood of developing heart disease by a huge 27%, according to studies, and that’s not the half of it.
Further research has revealed that skipping breakfast in the morning is associated with a 20% increased risk of type 2 diabetes in women.
Perhaps, before you rush out of the house, make time to consume something and absorb the many benefits of breakfast and get your first portion of energy, focus and those all-important nutrients as well.
Key vitamins and nutrients
As a kid, my Mom would always tell me that unless I ate all my fruit and vegetables, I wouldn’t grow to be big and strong… The same rules applied to my breakfast too!
I absolutely see how important breakfast is, and not just for the energy it gives us, but for all the other health benefits it provides.
Depending on what you choose to have for breakfast, a lot of breakfast foods hold the key nutrients we need to give our bodies to stay healthy, function and grow. Several of these foods are high in vitamin B, fiber, calcium, iron and folate, giving us that daily dosage of vital nutrients.
If you’re that person that always skips breakfast, you’re potentially missing out on essential nutrients and not reaching the daily recommended intake. It may be that your body has enough energy to get to lunch before eating, but skipping breakfast will still leave you without those crucial vitamins and minerals.
Stay energised
There are so many reasons as to why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Energy is most definitely one of these. The energy source our body uses is glucose, this comes from the breaking down of carbohydrates. Now it is likely that you’ve heard this before, but not all carbs are bad for you.
Foods containing fat aren’t necessarily bad for you either! Hang on though, before you scoff that bag of cookies, it’s important you understand the benefits of eating breakfast, and a healthy one at that.
Also Read: How to suppress your appetite naturally
Our bodies naturally store energy as fat. However, some glucose gets stored too, mainly in your muscles and liver. So, this is why if we want to lose weight, we need to consume fewer calories and burn more. This will then make our bodies turn to these fat stores to find energy.
So, when you opt to not eat (fast), like when you’re sleeping, your liver will break down the glycogen and gently release this into the bloodstream as glucose. This is what looks after and makes sure your blood sugar levels stay stable.
Upon waking up our glycogen stores are rather low, due to the fact we haven’t eaten for 10 hours or more.
Whilst having a nice hot coffee instead of eating breakfast might be appealing, one of the benefits of not skipping it is that it is a stable source of energy.
When you opt for a filling and healthy breakfast such as oats, you’ll feel fuller for longer and the nutrients from them will gently release energy to keep you going.
Keep an eye on your weight
According to research, being obese or overweight is often associated with those who skip breakfast on a regular basis or completely. Whilst there is more than enough room for more studies to take place into the benefits of eating breakfast for controlling our weight, some research has shown that:
- Eating breakfast helps us to retain steady blood sugar levels, this stops big shifts that could lead to unhealthy snacking.
- Healthy breakfast foods are still filling, this assists in stopping those snack cravings and curbs hunger.
Although, many believe that not eating until lunch helps them to manage their weight goals. This of course depends on your willpower to resist those convenient, sugary snacks.
Eating a healthy breakfast: the benefits
Scoffing any old baked goods in the morning just isn’t the same as making yourself a healthy breakfast. I mean yes, eating something first thing in the morning can help to get us ready for the day ahead, but convenience foods are full of sugar and are less effective than you may realise.
Why not make the switch from sugary cereals to oatmeal, it’s very nutritious and can aid in lowering your cholesterol and protect LDL (good cholesterol).
Besides, these oats are also full of antioxidants, meaning they not only give you the boost you need, they make you feel fuller for longer, so you don’t feel the need to snack between meals.
Breakfast foods: what are the best ones
Now, we’ve already talked about how choosing sugary cereals may not be the best decision as they don’t fill you up nor give you the important nutrients needed.
Alternatively, give some of the suggestions below a try, they don’t take forever to put together and are very affordable.
- Fresh fruit with natural yogurt for a naturally sweet meal
- Whole wheat toast with boiled or packed eggs
- Nuts and fresh fruit
- Smoothies – great if you’re on the go or you don’t feel like a sit down meal. Easy to make the night before with milk, yogurt, fresh fruit or even veg too.
- Wholegrain cereals – bran cereals and untoasted muesli – just add natural yogurt or low fat milk
- Oatmeal – go for plain oats and flavored ones tend to have extra sugar and preservatives. If you want them sweet, just add some fresh fruit
Benefits of breakfast: healthier food choices
People that opt to have breakfast generally have better eating habits, a healthier diet and are less likely to fill a cart with sugary snacks when they go grocery shopping.
If you were encouraged to start every day with a healthy breakfast, this is likely to stay with you into adulthood. Those who skip breakfast in the morning are more likely to opt for quick meals that are full of sugar and usually processed.
It comes as no surprise that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Especially since there is so much to obtain from it! When we eat a healthy, fulfilling breakfast, we snack less, keep ourselves focused and make healthier food choices.
Those healthy food decisions allow us to consume food that is high in fiber and contains all the crucial vitamins we need – compared to those sweet convenient snacks that are full of sugar, fat and sometimes salt too.
Breakfast: helps you stay focused
In addition to that boost in the morning, another benefit of eating breakfast is its ability to increase your focus.
If you’re one to have a sugary snack for breakfast or skip it altogether, it’s easy to quickly feel fatigued and have no motivation to complete daily tasks.
Our sugar levels are low when we wake up and then we skip breakfast, we’re depriving our brain of the energy it needs to get us going.
It’s simple really, you wouldn’t be able to drive your car with no gas in the tank!
Also Read: Mood boosting foods
Now if you’re finding yourself wrestling to stay awake and focused, it’s likely time to fit breakfast into your morning routine.
The consequences of skipping breakfast
As we’ve covered how important breakfast is and the benefits of breakfast, let’s talk through what happens when you don’t eat it.
You’d think it’s just the opposite of the benefits of eating breakfast… well let’s find out.
Generally, it is older women who are the most likely to not have breakfast in the morning, as well as:
- People who are overweight or underweight
- Those who don’t get enough rest
- People with low activity levels
- Those who have a poor diet
The question is, why are so many of us skipping the most vital meal of the day? And realistically how important is breakfast for our health?
Let’s take a further look.
There’s plenty of reasons why someone may choose to skip breakfast, here are some of the most common ones:
- Not hungry in the mornings
- Cultural reasons
- Bored of the same foods each day
- For weight loss and eating less
- Tiredness – can’t be bothered to make breakfast
- No breakfast groceries in the house
- Money involved with buying breakfast
- No time in the morning or opting to spend more time in bed
Whilst we’ve now covered the many benefits of breakfast, if you then choose to skip it, your remaining meals for the day will need to make up for the nutrients you’ve missed out on.
Too busy in the mornings?
Now, most of us would definitely prefer to spend the extra time resting in bed, or we have so much going on in our lives that there is no time for a healthy breakfast each morning.
Luckily for us, so many of the healthy breakfast foods mentioned can be prepped the night before, like muffins, overnight oats and smoothies.
If you find that you really have no time, maybe try keeping some breakfast groceries at work (if the situation allows) to eat once you’re there. Of course, we’d suggest having breakfast at home and perhaps setting your alarm a little earlier to allow for this.
So instead of scrolling through social media and laying in bed, get your ass up out of bed, go to the kitchen and make yourself a healthy breakfast!
No appetite for breakfast?
Lots of us are seemingly just not breakfast people! Saying that, there is usually a reason why so many of us prefer to skip the many benefits of breakfast. These include:
- Eating too late the night before, so we don’t feel hungry the next day
- We feel bored with breakfast foods. If this is the case, try out some new recipes to get yourself feeling excited for breakfast again!
- Not feeling ready to eat first thing? Try keeping some food at work (if you can!) or eating a little later. Smoothies can be great for on the go
Ready to reach your body goals?
We totally understand that having breakfast isn’t always that easy! Life can simply get in the way.
However, skipping breakfast can cause you to lose track of your weightloss goals, with the temptation for unhealthy snacks getting greater! It’s time to get on top of your goals, with Trimtone.
Trimtone is a 100% natural fat burner for women, helping you to kick the urge to snack to the curb, while burning maximum calories! Get ready to achieve your body goals – fast.
