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Why is Breakfast So
Important?
How Eating Breakfast Helps You Stay Healthy &
Lose Weight
Your mother, your high
school health teacher, and the guys who make cereal
advertisements for
television have all told you countless times that breakfast is the most
important meal of the day. But during the morning rush – waking up,
showering, walking the dog, getting the kids off to school, dressing for
work – who has time to bother? If you think about it, the steamed milk in
the Starbucks latte you grab every morning is pretty nutritious – it’s got
calcium and stuff, doesn’t it?
Actually, this time the cereal guys are right. Breakfast really is more
important than any other meal of the day, whether you are trying to
lose
weight, keep your focus for the big meeting, or study for an exam. How does
eating breakfast have such a big impact on the way our bodies (and minds)
function?
1. Breakfast is the fuel that keeps you running throughout the day.
Skipping breakfast before you start your busy day forces you to run with
the fuel gauge on empty. Think about it: the last time you ate was probably
no later than 8 or 9 pm the night before. This means that if you wait until
noon or 1:00 pm to take a lunch break, you have gone 16 hours without
filling the tanks, so to speak.
Waiting so long to eat means your
blood sugar levels are at a minimum. You
may feel nauseous or light-headed, and you probably have trouble
concentrating. Eating breakfast ensures that you have the
energy you need to
keep your focus and feel energized throughout the
morning.
2. Breakfast keeps the synapses firing.
Your brain and nervous system depend on constant supplies of
glucose to
function properly. Skipping breakfast deprives you of the nutrients you need
to keep your memory, cognition, and analytical abilities functioning
normally. In fact, studies have shown that people who miss breakfast score
consistently lower on memory tests.
3. Breakfast prevents binge eating.
When you skip breakfast, you naturally get very hungry before lunch
time. Studies have shown that this encourages
overeating and poor
food
choices – when you are excessively hungry, you are more likely to choose
foods that are unhealthy and contribute to
weight gain. Eating a healthy
breakfast controls your hunger and has also been shown to limit stress
eating.
4. Breakfast helps you lose weight.
If you are on a diet, it may seem like skipping a meal can help you to
limit your calorie intake and speed the weight loss process. But the body
actually doesn’t work that way; going for long periods without eating shifts
the body into a “starvation mode,” where the
metabolism switches into low
gear in order to conserve any calories that are available. By skipping
breakfast, you slow your metabolism and inhibit your ability to use the
calories that you consume, thereby leading to weight gain. By eating a
sensible breakfast, you can kick-start your metabolism and improve your
body’s fat-burning ability.
What are the Best Breakfast Foods for Weight Loss?
Yes, breakfast is important, and finding breakfast foods that you like can
help you to lose weight and improve your physical and mental health.
However, you do need to make smart choices. Filling up with donuts and
coffee or loads of bacon is not the solution you need. Instead, focus on
foods like the following:
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Cereal: Hot or cold,
whole-grain cereals are the perfect breakfast food. They are packed with
nutrients and can keep you feeling full and satisfied until lunchtime. Skip
the over-sugared kiddie stuff and look for unsweetened varieties; dress them
up with fruits or honey, and you have a nutritional powerhouse that can keep
you going all morning.
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Eggs: Despite their
bad rap as cholesterol-laden time bombs, eggs are actually an extraordinary
food. They are packed with protein and essential
vitamins, and when they are
poached or boiled (rather than fried in butter), they are also
heart-healthy. Eating eggs with whole-grain toast will keep you satisfied
all morning long.
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Yogurt: A serving of
yogurt is full of calcium and other healthy nutrients. Paired with wheat
toast or a whole-grain bagel, yogurt is satisfying and nutritious.
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Peanut butter and toast:
A tablespoon of peanut butter has lots of protein and contains only
heart-healthy oils. Spread it on whole-grain toast for a tasty and healthful
breakfast treat.
If you are not a big
breakfast fan, you don’t have to limit yourself to traditional breakfast
foods. A bowl of brown rice and chopped fish, for example, is packed with
vitamins and protein and tastes great. Let your imagination be your guide,
and choose healthy foods that are low in refined sugars and animal fats.
By selecting foods you enjoy, you can make breakfast something to look
forward to rather than one more chore to get through in the morning.
The Benefits of Eating Breakfast Slowly
You must seek approval from your doctor
before starting any new diet.
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