We’ve all heard the phrase:
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
I know when I wake up I am starving after a long night of beauty sleep.
And I love all breakfast foods! Eggs, donuts, bagels, cereal, oatmeal… okay you get it.
But, I feel like half the time I completely skip breakfast altogether and surprisingly I am still alive.
That got me thinking… is breakfast really that important?
So, I did some research and this is what I came up with:
Why Do We Have Breakfast?
First question I had to find the answer to is why do we have breakfast in the first place?
Breakfast Breaks the Fast
While we sleep, our bodies enter a fasting state. During this time, we use our stored energy to keep us alive.
That is why we usually wake up feeling hungry. Your body used a bunch of your stored energy!
And now it needs more to make up for everything it used overnight.
Remember, after you wake up you start using things like your brain and muscles. These require a lot of energy to keep going.
That’s a big reason why we eat a meal shortly after we wake up. We kickstart our day with nutrients and energy!
Breakfast is Part of Our Evolutionary History
Turns out breakfast is kind of built into our human nature.
You know back in the day (we all remember) when we had to hunt and gather our food. We used a tremendous amount of energy to do that!
So, it made sense for us to wake up and have a big meal before trudging out into the wilderness for hours on end to hopefully find some berries and meat.
Obviously, most of us do not have to go through this much physical demand in our day, but it can still make a day feel easier.
What Are the Health Benefits of Breakfast?
Now that we know why we normally eat breakfast, it’s time to look at some of the reasons why having breakfast in the morning is good for us.
Breakfast Can Improve Energy Levels and Cognitive Function
Like I said above, sleeping uses a lot of energy, and breakfast is the perfect way to replenish all of the energy, vitamins, and nutrients that you used for the upcoming day.
It can be very important to make sure that you get this jumpstart from breakfast.
A good breakfast can lead to increased focus and concentration. There are studies that show that people who have had breakfast that day had improved cognitive function, memory, and alertness over those that didn’t eat any breakfast.
Breakfast can also help you from feeling fatigued and can prevent any of those mid-morning slumps that usually result in drinking a bunch of coffee.
Breakfast Can Enhance Weight Management
Breakfast can also help you manage your weight! There are a few reasons for this.
Eating breakfast helps you feel full for longer.
It reduces cravings, and this can help from overeating later in the day or mindlessly snacking.
Eating as a habit, like having regular meals, is proven to regulate your metabolism, preventing the blood sugar spikes and crashes that are the reason for cravings.
Breakfast Can Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases
After reading a few studies I found another amazing benefit to eating breakfast.
And that is the reduced risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
These studies suggested that skipping breakfast is what potentially leads to an increase in chronic diseases.
So eating breakfast is likely to combat that potential increase.
However, these studies used the word “potential” a lot, and should be taken with a grain of salt since they could not technically establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Breakfast Can Improve Nutrient Intake
Depending on what you choose to eat for breakfast, it’s a really good way to get your nutrients for the day.
If you choose something with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, or dairy you are getting the
vitamins and minerals that are so essential for your health. This is especially important for growing children!
Another important nutrient found in many breakfast foods is fiber. Fiber helps your gut health and digestion, which all contributes to your overall health. Other benefits of fiber include maintaining blood sugar, so you aren’t craving throughout the morning.
Is it Okay if I Don’t Eat Breakfast
So, breakfast sounds pretty great! It’s got lots of benefits for your health, so why wouldn’t anyone want to eat breakfast?
Let’s take a look at a few arguments against eating breakfast.
Thinking About Your Individualized Needs
You might be someone who wakes up in the morning with no hunger!
And it might be hard for you to stuff your face first thing in the morning, so breakfast may not make sense for you.
If you’re one of these people then skipping breakfast doesn’t negatively impact your energy levels or metabolism.
There are Potential Drawbacks of Certain Breakfast Choices
Not all breakfast foods are good for you.
Unfortunately, most of the tasty treats, like cereals or pastries, we have for breakfast are filled with tons of sugar.
A donut every once in a while isn’t going to make a huge impact on your life, but as a daily breakfast, that sugar adds up which can potentially lead to obesity or diabetes.
For Those Doing Intermittent Fasting
Maybe you are someone who does intermittent fasting, which just means to restrict your eating to certain times of day.
This practice has gotten popular in the past few years, and intermittent fasting has its own benefits like improved metabolic health and weight management.
Many people who do intermittent fasting choose to skip breakfast.
The Focus Should be on Your Overall Diet
Many people choose to focus on the quality of their overall diet, and technically that is what’s most important.
Maybe they eat a large lunch or dinner, but they get what they need.
If you choose to skip breakfast, but you get the energy, vitamins, and nutrients by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet elsewhere in the day, then everything is good.
Here are some common myths about breakfast
Now that we know the arguments for and against breakfast, let’s take a look at some of the myths about eating breakfast.
MYTH: You Have to Eat a Big Breakfast
Since breakfast is normally one of the three main meals of the day, it would make sense to us that you would have to eat a big breakfast.
But, not having enough time to make a big breakfast can’t be an excuse.
Studies show that even a small healthy snack can offer many benefits over eating nothing.
The main thing to remember is to find something for breakfast that will keep you energized until your next meal.
Foods like oatmeal,
peanut butter, and yogurt are great because they are high in protein that help you stay full for longer.
MYTH: Skipping Breakfast Makes Your Metabolism Slower
Many people believe that skipping breakfast will make your metabolism slower, thus making you gain weight over time.
This is not true.
There is research that suggests that skipping breakfast a few times has no significant impact on your metabolic rate.
On the flip side, it could change the way your body uses its energy throughout the day.
MYTH: Breakfast is Only Important for Children
While breakfast is very important for children to help them grow, it is also important for adults as well.
Adults take advantage of all the benefits we talked about above.
This includes the improved cognitive function, energy levels, and reduces risks of certain chronic diseases.
How to find the right breakfast
Okay, we’ve learned a lot about eating breakfast today, but how can we choose the right breakfast for us? Here’s some tips:
Listen to Your Body
The main thing you want to do is listen to your body.
Are you even hungry in the morning? Do you feel better on days when you don’t eat breakfast? Can you make it to your next meal without feeling sluggish?
Everyone is different, so finding out what your particular breakfast needs are is the first step.
Choose Healthy Options for Breakfast
Instead of picking up donuts, try an apple.
You’ll get a lot more nutrients and sustained energy from something healthy than something packed full of sugar.
Sugar gets used as energy very quickly, which is why you already feel hungry shortly after eating a sugary meal.
Try to get some fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Experiment to Find What Works for You
Sometimes finding the right breakfast for you is just a big game of trial and error.
If eggs don’t make you feel full in the morning, try oatmeal with fruit instead.
Just keep trying until you find a few foods that work well for you.
Here are some breakfasts you can try: peanut butter with yogurt and granola,
avocado toast with egg, fruit or vegetable smoothies, or leftover dinners especially those with high protein.
How Does Breakfast Fit in With Your Lifestyle?
Our lifestyles can vary. Some people have more time than others in the morning to spend on breakfast.
Do you have time to cook? Or are you rushing out the door with a piece of toast in your mouth?
Time constraints are a big part of finding the right breakfast for you. If you need something quick but filling try oatmeal, a hard-boiled egg, or peanut butter with yogurt.
I’m sure you are already well aware, but your dietary lifestyle also plays a role in picking breakfast.
For example, if you are vegan or need gluten free options, substitute certain breakfast foods for something that will fit into your diet.
Summary
Let’s summarize what we learned about breakfast today, shall we?
We learned all about the benefits of breakfast like the improved energy levels and cognitive function, weight management, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and getting all your necessary vitamins and minerals.
We also learned why sometimes it’s totally okay to skip breakfast. Some people just don’t need breakfast to get through their day, or they may be doing intermittent fasting, and some breakfast foods are just totally unhealthy.
We debunked a few common breakfast myths, too! Like not eating breakfast slowing your metabolism, needing to eat a big breakfast, or breakfast being only good for children.
And finally, we learned how to pick the perfect breakfast for ourselves depending on our bodies, lifestyles, experimenting, and healthy options that we prefer.
If you’d like you can head over to our category page to find some
awesome breakfast recipes!
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