The most important meal of the day is breakfast! We’ve all heard that saying, right? Well, if you’re not the type to wake up hungry, it’s probably a hard idea to swallow.
But here’s the question: Does skipping breakfast really hurt your health?
We asked Beth Czerwony, RD, a registered dietitian if it’s true that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day.” (Spoiler alert: She thinks it’s important to start the day with some food so you can do your best.)
What’s good about eating breakfast?
Observational studies show that eating breakfast within a few hours of getting up is good for you in the following ways:
Fuel your tank.
Breakfast gives you the energy you need to start your day and helps your body work at its best.
Czerwony asks, “Would you start a long trip in your car if the gas tank was empty?” “Think about how you eat breakfast. You are asking a lot of your body if you only use your reserves to get moving.
Make your heart healthier.
Your body is most sensitive to insulin in the morning, which means it can use blood sugar more efficiently. So now is a great time to choose carbs that are high in fibre and will help you get at least 25 grammes of dietary fibre a day to help lower your cholesterol.
And if you want to eat a breakfast that is good for your heart, here are five ideas.
Lower your diabetes risk.
People who skipped breakfast four or five times a week were up to 55% more likely to get Type 2 diabetes, according to an observational study.
Be careful about what you put on your breakfast bowl or plate, though. Sugary cereals and traditional breakfast foods like doughnuts, muffins, waffles, pancakes, and bagels can be high in sugar, starch, or fat.
Get rid of brain fog
For your brain to work, it needs food. Having breakfast can help you feel more awake, alert, and happy. (Just don’t drink too much coffee, because that can make you tired later in the day.)
Breakfast is a very important time for kids to feed their minds. Studies show that kids who eat breakfast are better able to pay attention in school, which helps them do better in their classes. “It’s much easier to focus when your stomach isn’t growling,” says Czerwony.
Is skipping breakfast bad?
Czerwony says that a lot of the advice about how important breakfast is is based on observational studies. These are not randomised clinical trials that show how important they are. (This is good news if the thought of eating breakfast in the morning makes your stomach turn.)
So, if you don’t wake up hungry, it might be better to wait until later to eat. Some people skip breakfast as part of a way to eat called “intermittent fasting.”
“Not everyone likes an early breakfast,” says Czerwony. “Pay attention to your hunger signals to figure out how important it is for you. What you eat all day is more important than what you eat in the morning.”
This doesn’t make the advice to “eat breakfast” useless. It just means that people have different ideas about what’s important.
When is the best time to eat breakfast?
“Breakfast” is short for “break the fast.” And we all do that at some point in the day, whether it’s 7 a.m. or noon. The best thing to do is to eat something within two hours of getting up in the morning.
Some people, though, seem to have trouble getting that time to eat. Many of the 25% of Americans who don’t eat breakfast in the morning because they don’t have time say that they just can’t fit it in.
Czerwony says that if your mornings are busy, you should plan ahead so you can just grab and go.
“Think about what might get in the way of breakfast the night before,” she says. “Do you need the toaster and other things to be set up on the counter? Can oatmeal made in a crock pot save your morning? When it comes to getting out the door and to work on time, a little planning goes a long way.
An added bonus? If you start your day with a protein-rich meal, you may feel full for longer and be less likely to snack, which could help you lose weight. (Find out how to make a healthy breakfast to lose weight.)
Breakfast foods that are good for you
Choose whole foods instead of processed foods with extra sugar if you don’t want your eyes to be closed by 10 a.m. By eating a variety of healthy foods, you can feel full longer and make it to lunch.
Czerwony suggests that you start your day with these quick and easy meals.
Cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt.
This combination of protein and fat can make you feel full for a little longer. You can add fruits, nuts, or cereal with whole grains. Czerwony says that some people like to spread cottage cheese on toast.
If you really want to try something new, you could make cottage cheese pancakes for a protein-rich way to start the day.
Grain and peanut butter.
Peanut butter’s healthy fats and protein go well with high-fiber toast, a frozen waffle, or an English muffin. If you’re missing your PB&J from when you were a kid, try this grown-up version with lots of fruit.
If you can’t eat peanuts, avocado is a good alternative to spread on toast. (Find out more about how avocados are good for your health.)
Oatmeal
Mix it with berries and nuts or seeds like flaxseed or walnuts. “Making oats in a microwave only takes 3 minutes, so it doesn’t have to take a lot of time,” says Czerwony.
Try overnight oats if you like to make plans ahead of time. This ready-made breakfast is made with oats that have been soaked in water, milk, or yoghurt overnight. Here are seven delicious ways to start your day off right.
Omelettes
Want to take the leftover vegetables from last night out of the fridge? The best choice is an omelette.
Use these foods from the farmer’s market to make an egg or tofu and vegetable scramble. ( Here’s how to make a tasty and healthy garden omelette with Brussels sprouts, kale leaves, spinach, and avocados.
Want to try something else? Add the scrambled egg or tofu, black beans, salsa, and cheese to a whole grain wrap. These breakfast burritos can be made ahead of time and heated in the microwave or eaten cold.
shake for breakfast.
If you still don’t want to eat breakfast, you can always just drink it. So, if you want a very healthy breakfast, you could try the “Ultra Shake.”
“A drink might be better for kids or adults who aren’t hungry,” says Czerwony. “A cup of milk with a piece of fruit or a meal replacement shake with low sugar may do the trick.”