I’m sure everyone has heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But do you understand why that is the case? Here’s my take… Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast” that the body has gone through whilst you were sleeping. We need to eat food to provide the body with fuel and energy to be able to carry out day to day activities. The most important time to eat a meal is breakfast because the consumption of an early meal kick starts the body into gear and increases your metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories).
If you skip breakfast, when you come to eating your next meal, the body attempts to hold onto the nutrients instead of burning them straight away. It is also the case that people who skip breakfast tend to eat a much bigger meal later on and also snack on high calorie foods to keep hunger at bay. This can lead to weight gain even though you may think you are saving calories by skipping your breakfast meal.
How does skipping breakfast affect the body ?
Memory
If you skip breakfast the chances are that by the time you get to work in the morning your brain will feel frazzled. several studies have been carried out on adults and showed that those that skipped breakfast underperformed in short term memory tests compared to those who had eaten. One study used a group of people who only had coffee for breakfast. Although coffee can give you a small buzz this group of people also performed badly in short term memory tests.
Energy Levels
The longer you go without eating the more the body starts to slow and shut down. Food is the bodys main source of energy just like petrol is used for your car. Without fuel you will eventually run out of energy and come to a standstill.
Impulse Control
Research has shown that when you skip breakfast you tend to look for high calorie foods to snack on to fill a gap. This is because the body craves sugar and carbs because they are a fast source of energy. These foods take less time to break down in the body so you will be hungry again in no time !!!
Your Heart
Studies have shown that adults who skip breakfast tend to have higher cholesterol levels and higher insulin levels. Theses are precursers to heart disease and diabetes.
What should you eat for breakfast?
- Porridge – Oats are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and potassium. They also contain beta-glucan which is a fibre shown to lower cholesterol. Make it with Advanced Oats or, for the ultimate convenience, check out Protein Porridge.
- Greek Yoghurt – This is loaded with calcium and contains nearly twice as much protein as normal yoghurt.
- Grapefruit – These fruits contain fat burning properties and have a beneficial effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. They also contain loads of anti oxidants to boost your immunity.
- Bananas – Contain healthy carbs that make you feel fuller for longer.
- Eggs – A very good source of protein and vitamin D. No time to crack eggs but want to harness the nutritional potential – check out Egg White Protein 80.
- Almond or Peanut Butter – Good source of protein and contains lots of good fats.
- Flaxseed – A couple of spoon fulls on your breakfast is great as they contain lots of healthy fats and anti oxidants.
- Blueberries – High in antioxidants and have been shown to improve memory and metabolism.
Many people use the excuse they they do not have time to eat breakfast. Well a tasty protein shake or porridge pot can be made in the same time as it takes to make a brew. Hopefully you can see how important your breakfast really is so set yourself up right for the day by eating a nutritious breakfast everyday.
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