“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. You have probably heard this statement all your life. Some of you even take it to heart, so much so that you never skip eating your morning meals for anything.
And I mean anything. So much that this is you in the morning at 5 am, preparing to pay ransom to your stomach…
Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day. It also gives you the energy you need to get things done and helps you focus at work or at school.
Many studies have linked eating breakfast to good health, including better memory and concentration, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and lower chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight.
It’s hard to know, though, if breakfast causes these healthy habits or if people who eat it have healthier lifestyles.
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Breakfast: Etymology
Breakfast literally means “to break the fast.” It is the first meal of the day after a stretch of not eating overnight. It earned its title as the most important meal of the day back in the 1960s after American nutritionist Adelle Davis suggested that to keep fit and avoid obesity, one should “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”
In recent years, it has been implicated in the control of weight and cognitive performance, and considered a cardiometabolic risk factor. Moreover, the prevailing opinion is that breakfast is an important factor that helps consumers attain an optimal nutrition profile – although this does not consider the macro and micronutrient content of the foods consumed.
And though a recent study of 30,000 adults found that 15% regularly skipped eating in the morning, many still believe it to be the most important meal of the day. Breakfast provides the body with important nutrients, to start the day feeling energized and nourished. Many also believe that it can promote weight loss.
But is it really the most important meal of the day?
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Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
There is no denying that breakfast is an important meal. Every meal is an important meal. Just ask the Hobbits from the Lord of the Rings, who eat seven meals per day: breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper.
Despite these claims, the scientific literature is inconclusive regarding the precise health benefits of eating breakfast.
Several studies have been conducted that compare daily food and nutrient intake in people who eat breakfast versus those who skip it. And despite this, significant variation exists in the methodology used to compare the two groups as well as the methods used to analyze nutrient intakes and overall diet quality.
Intervention studies attempting to quantify the response to chronic breakfast consumption or admission do not provide clear evidence in comparison to laboratory investigation. Two recent studies using crossover designs of one-week duration reported no difference in energy intake when participants either fasted or consumed a high carbohydrate morning meal in laboratory conditions.
In another study, no dietary limitations were imposed on participants in the group consuming breakfast. In lean individuals, the group found that limited dietary compensation occurred in the breakfast group; they consumed 539 calories more compared to those in the lean fasting group.
In the obese cohort, however, the energy intake was not statistically significantly different between the breakfast and fasting groups. Those who ate in the morning consumed 338 calories per day more than their obese counterparts in the non-fasting group.
The findings from earlier studies suggest that obese individuals tend to compensate more for a morning energy deficit than lean individuals in non-laboratories conditions.
The discord between the two groups of people suggests that lean and obese people are differentially affected by environmental factors. For example, the energy intake compensation found in the obese cohort could be a result of food choices and frequency of eating.
What all of this means, for those who got lost in the labyrinth of the science of it all, is that due to disparity in people’s lifestyles, it is hard to draw conclusive evidence on whether or not breakfast is scientifically the most important meal of the day.
That answer lies in the nutritional aspect.
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Breakfast and nutrition
According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is because it helps you stay healthy and energized all day long. It is the first meal of the day and it sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Breakfast provides nutrients and energy to help the body start off on a positive note. It keeps us healthy throughout the day and regulates our moods. And there’s a lot of truth to that statement.
Ask me why? Just try joking with someone who has been up since the crack of dawn but hasn’t had breakfast and see the kind of response you get.
When you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to make unhealthy choices later in the day. This is because whenever you are hungry, you don’t tend to concentrate and you won’t be alert.
Additionally, breakfast is a time for family and friends to gather and share stories, eat together, and generally get settled in for the day. This creates a strong bond between every member of the family.
A balanced breakfast should include both protein and carbohydrates. Protein helps keep you feeling full throughout the morning, while carbs provide your body with energy. Some good protein sources include eggs, yogurt, and nuts. Good carbohydrate sources include whole-grain toast, oatmeal, and fruit.
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If time is tight in the morning, you can always grab a quick and healthy breakfast like a yogurt or a piece of fruit. But if you have a little more time, try making some overnight oats or a veggie-packed omelet. So you can drop the turning stick and please turn off the gas for the water you wanted to use to make eba.
Wrapping up breakfast as the most important meal of the day
Yeah, that was a pun. Probably intended, probably not.
However, it seems we can now agree that breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day. It provides your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly. It also helps to jump-start your metabolism and give you energy for the day, and you are doing yourself a disservice by skipping it.
So, make sure to eat a healthy breakfast every morning to help you stay productive and energized.
