Remember how mom used to say, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? She was right. Eating a healthy breakfast is key to staying healthy, being productive throughout the day, and managing your weight. There is even a proven correlation between eating daily breakfast and a higher daily nutrient intake, as well as a more balanced diet.
Why is breakfast most important meal of the day?
As you sleep, your body continues to burn calories as it restores itself through rest. That sounds great, right? However, after 8 to 12 hours of sleep-imposed fasting, your body wakes up hungry for more fuel. Even though your glucose levels are low and you need energy for the day, sugary breakfast options aren’t the best choice. Your body can make glucose, so you don’t need to eat that much. So while a cereal sold by cartoon characters is fast and easy, it only gives the body more of what it already makes on its own. Instead, you should break your fast with the essential nutrients your body can’t produce for itself, like fiber, protein, and healthy fats. After all, studies have shown that the brain functions at its best when running on fats rather than sugar. Eating breakfast essentially restarts your body in the morning. So the infusion of the right kind of food can set you up with high energy for the rest of the day.
Skipping breakfast
Skipping breakfast may cause us to look for a mid-morning snack, and that is the pitfall. On-the-go snacks often consist of highly processed foods, containing loads of refined carbohydrates. Muffins, donuts, candy bars, and typical vending machine fare burn like newspaper in our body, releasing a flash of energy, but ultimately leaving you depleted and setting you up for cravings brought on by massive swings in your blood sugar. Researchers originally thought these extra unhealthy calories were the reason behind all the health risks associated with skipping breakfast. However, new studies show that while this is a contributing factor, it does not affect health nearly as much as the length of time your body is in the overnight fasting state.
The fasting state is stressful for your body. It disrupts your metabolism in considerable ways, and can be harmful if not done properly. Prolonged fasting leads to increases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, blood concentrations of insulin, triglycerides, and free fatty acids—all of which are known risk factors for developing major heart health problems. Researchers believe these effects are a contributing factor in the correlation between skipping breakfast and high blood pressure, being overweight, an unhealthy assortment of blood fats, and an increased risk of disease.
Luckily, avoiding these risk factors is all too easy—just break your nightly fast with healthy food! Bodies need regular food to maintain healthy levels of blood lipids like cholesterol, hormones like insulin, and normal blood pressure. Eating breakfast restarts your metabolism just in time for the day’s activities. To really boost your metabolism, get some exercise first, and then eat breakfast.
But what about skipping breakfast makes you overweight? Skipping breakfast means fewer calories consumed, and thus, a skinny life, right? We know it’s hard to shake ingrained ideas like fewer calories equals less weight gained, but these assumptions aren’t scientifically accurate. If you’re just starting a weight loss journey or even stuck at a weight loss plateau, breakfast is integral to long-term success. Numerous studies prove that people who maintained a 30 pound or more weight reduction for at least a year—and some as long as six years—eat breakfast almost every day and, of those success stories, almost 90 percent eat breakfast at least five days each week.
As a bonus, those who make a habit of eating breakfast find it easier to plan workouts and exercise regularly. That means you’re that much closer to your weight loss goals. Breakfast ignites the body’s metabolism—the system that converts food into energy. And when the metabolism gears up, the body starts burning calories. Eating a hearty, nutritious breakfast actually results in fewer calories consumed throughout the day, not only because your metabolism starts earlier, but also because a healthy breakfast keeps your mind off food, eliminating morning binge snacking and helping to tame your appetite at lunch. This makes breakfast a crucial component of the lifestyle strategies needed to lose weight and keep it off.
But what about those mornings you can’t concentrate or stay awake, even when you’ve had three cups of coffee and a granola bar? Well, the simple answer is: coffee and granola are not real breakfast. Breakfast should contain one-third to one-half of the daily dietary needs of the body—that’s both calories and vitamins and minerals. Research has shown that eating a full breakfast improves concentration, memory, and ability to solve problems. School children who eat breakfast tend to score better on tests and do better in the classroom. Fortunately, it’s very easy to spiff up your breakfast with nutrient-dense foods instead of relying on sugar-filled lattes.
Breakfast high fiber
A breakfast with whole grain breads and cereals is an easy way to inject important nutrients and fiber into your diet. Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are also great options. These high fiber foods allow you to eat more food yet consume fewer calories. Skip the traditional bacon and eggs or sausage and biscuits covered with gravy, and choose a whole grain cereal with fruit or juice instead. If you’re craving an egg, eat an egg white omelet filled with vegetables.
Some think breakfast is routine and boring; we think those people are wrong. Just don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations to avoid getting stuck in a breakfast rut. A great way to add some variety and extra nutrients is to try specialty juices such as Eden Foods’ Organic Tart Cherry Juice. You can avoid processed juice altogether by juicing your own fruits and veggies, or reaching for some fruit-infused water.
Imagine yourself entering the grocery aisle—you know the one—it has cereal stacked to the ceiling, colorful cartoon animals and pirates exclaiming about the texture and sound of their respective products, and endless, endless, choices. Given all the options, and how easy it is to pour a bowl, it’s no wonder cereal is one of the most popular breakfast foods. It is important to be aware of what exactly is in the cereal behind the fancy packaging. Many contain sugar-coated grains with little nutritional value and elevated calorie counts. Instead, seek products like those on page 00. We’ve selected healthy whole grain cereals that taste great without the added sugars. A high-fiber cereal, 3 to 5 grams per serving, is optimal as well, but don’t overdo the fiber if you’re not used to it. Too much fiber can cause constipation, bloating, diarrhea, and upset stomach.
For those who either don’t allow enough time to eat breakfast in the morning or who prefer to wait a bit before eating, breakfast bars or fresh fruit provide a better choice than a doughnut or pastry. Several soft cereal bars and chewy granola bars fit the bill. These bars make a great mid-morning snack or quick breakfast on-the-run. Try to find bars that are packed with natural ingredients and labels that show a high amount of fiber and protein for an extra nutrient boost in the morning.
A healthy breakfast may seem like a lot of work. It must be elaborate to include all the necessary nutrients, right? Not necessarily—eating a healthy breakfast is one of the simplest changes you can make to improve your life. It is easy to do, takes minimal time, and provides day-long—and lifelong—benefits.
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