Are you tired of hearing “don’t skip breakfast?” This is because breakfast is the most important meal in the day, it should not be missed. The literal meaning of the word “breakfast,” is to break the fast between dinner and the meal eaten after a person wakes up the next morning. About 18 percent of males and 13 percent of females between the ages of 35 and 54 are breakfast skippers, according to a 2011 study by the market research company NPD group.
For most people, it can be up to 12 hours since their last meal, and yet they are quick to skip it as they rush out the door.
Here are 10 benefits of eating breakfast and why it should be considered the most important meal of the day:
1. Energy Boost to Start the Day
Every morning, you will wake up with an empty stomach, unless you are the type that stay up all night watching the television and eating late in the night at the same time. Everyone should start off their day right by taking a well-balanced meal for breakfast. There are so many common breakfast foods that can be considered super-foods because of their nutrition value. They are:
Eggs: Including an egg or two for breakfast may require a few extra minutes of preparation time, but the potential health benefits make them worth cooking and eating. Not only are eggs packed with protein and amino acids, they are also one of the few significant sources of vitamin D, which is important for absorbing calcium for stronger bones. You can have two boiled eggs with avocado and cucumber, and green tea; or have it fried with olive oil and enjoy it.
Whole grains: Whether you are taking them in the form of bread, cereal or oatmeal, breakfast is one of the best times to enjoy whole grains in your meal. This super-food is a great source of fiber, which is essential for a healthy heart and digestive tract, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. You can top your oatmeal with strawberries or slice banana and pour nourishing almond milk in it.
Vitamin C: You can hit your daily intake of vitamin C in your very first meal of the day, whether it’s in the form of a juice or solid fruit. Oranges, grapefruits and apples are common fruits on the
breakfast table
2. Sharper Focus
Whether you are in class or on the job or even just going for a visit, the last thing you want on your mind is food, because once the thought of a hearty bowl of cereal with a side of fruit yogurt enters your brain, there is no use trying to focus on anything else. By eating breakfast every morning, you are able to be more focused and productive until it’s time to refuel at lunch. But when you skip out on breakfast, it’s hard not to think about food, especially with a noisy stomach that needs to be fed.
3. Breakfast Helps Reduce Morning Crankiness
Feeling cranky during the morning is understandable – you probably wanted to stay in bed for a few extra winks. You don’t feel like going to work, and what most people forget, you’re starving! Imagine going without food for 8 to 12 hours during the day; you probably won’t be the most approachable person in the office or classroom. Do yourself, your classmates and your co-workers a favor by eating breakfast to help you deal with any morning moodiness and stress.
4. Metabolism Boost
when you sleep, your metabolism tends to slow down. The only way to jump start your metabolism for the day is to start off right with a healthy breakfast. This will allow your body to start burning through calories from the very beginning of the day, rather than in the middle
of it after you have had lunch. Some people will even skip lunch after they must have had breakfast. But this depends on the kind of breakfast you had.
5. Prevents Starvation
When you are asleep, your body isn’t burning as many calories as you need to. If you delay your first meal of the day till lunch, your body goes into survival mode and starts storing calories, creating fat which many people are scared of. Do yourself a favor and take the time to have breakfast so your body doesn’t think you are starving and needlessly store calories.
6. Keeps You from Overeating
One truthful fact about you skipping your breakfast is that you end up overeating. If you prolong the amount of time between dinner and your next meal of the day, it’s only natural that you end up eating more than you should. The thought of food all morning will only cause you to gorge at lunch, eating extra calories that can lead to obesity and other health complications.
7. Allows You to Properly Portion Your Meals
you may not feel very hungry when you initially wake up, but eating a healthy, balanced breakfast can help you plan and portion out your meals for the rest of the day. That way, you won’t be tempted to binge eat or snack unnecessarily, both of which are unhealthy habits that
can lead you to ignore your nutrition by satisfying hunger cravings with fatty foods anytime you like.
8. Helps lower the “Bad” Cholesterol
eating breakfast every morning can help lower LDL cholesterol, also known as the “bad” cholesterol. When you skip breakfast, you are creating a chain reaction within your body:
• First, you slow down your metabolism.
• Second, fat is stored longer in your body.
• Third, you have a higher tendency to overeat at your next meal.
• Fourth, you gain weight and your LDL cholesterol goes up.
• Obesity is bad for health and it can trigger heart problem.
9. Breakfast Can Be Nutritious and Delicious
Don’t let a shortage of time keep you from enjoying a bite to eat upon waking up. Start the day off with a healthy and delicious meal. You can even indulge a bit with some crispy bacon, sausage links or pancakes. Just make sure to have something with a high nutritional value on the side like a bowl of fresh strawberries.
10. Eat Breakfast to Lose Weight
One of the greatest benefits of eating breakfast every morning is you can lose weight by doing so. Numerous studies have also shown that an increase in weight is commonly associated with skipping breakfast. The best part is, even if you eat too much or have something a little unhealthy, you still have the entire day to make up for it. Eating breakfast every morning is one of the easiest ways to lose weight and eat healthier.
BY MAIMUNA BAGUDU
