Breakfast: "The Most Important Meal of the Day"

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Breakfast: "The Most Important Meal of the Day"

            The first meal of the day has been deemed one of the most important, but where does this claim come from?  In this post, I’d like to break down some of the important benefits of eating breakfast.  Is it really the most important?  And lastly, what are some easy strategies you can do to start eating breakfast, even with a very busy schedule.

            Waking up and eating “breaks” the fast that you naturally have overnight while you’re sleeping. This type of fast during your normal cycle slows down your metabolism, and eating breakfast “wakes up” your metabolism to get ready for the day.  What does this boost in metabolism do for you? It can help to avoid weight gain. 
           
            Eating breakfast is associated with weight maintenance and loss. According to the Evidence Analysis Library (EAL), a science-based database used by dietetic professionals, eating breakfast is associated with lower BMI and decreased risk of obesity.  This also may be connected to the fact that studies also show that people who eat breakfast also have better diet quality overall; including higher intakes of vitamins and minerals from the whole grains, fruits, and fortified cereals that are associated with common American breakfast foods.

            Lastly, eating breakfast is also related to increased concentration, memory and cognitive abilities. First thing in the morning, blood sugar levels are low and can cause symptoms to individuals drowsiness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating or recalling information. Along with boosting one’s metabolism, eating breakfast increases your blood sugar levels and can prevent these symptoms. Multiple studies in school-aged children have shown that eating breakfast is associated with better academic performance and classroom behavior.  The benefits of eating breakfast can help everyone.

            As you can see, breakfast has a lot of great health benefits regarding weight, cognitive abilities, and increased vitamin and mineral intake.  However, a good majority of Americans are not eating breakfast.  So what are some easy ways to start incorporating breakfast into our daily routine?

1.     If you find yourself running out of the house each morning to beat the morning commute, try preparing some breakfast foods the night before. Overnight oats, smoothies, hard-boiled eggs, muffins, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches are easy to prepare at night and quick to pull out in the morning.
2.     Not hungry first thing in the morning?  You are not alone.  Try eating something small before leaving for work and/or pack some other snacks for the morning to eat at the desk.  Fruits like grapes, blueberries, apples or other easy to pack foods like cheese sticks, nuts, or rice cakes are very portable. The possibilities are endless, and they don’t have to be “breakfast” foods for you to be sustained during the morning hours.
3.     Got 10-minutes? If you are more of a morning person, wake up 10 minutes earlier to prepare a bowl of cereal, over-easy eggs, or a yogurt parfait, it may make all the difference to jump start your morning.

TB

References:
1.     Juliann Schaeffer. Rise and Dine!  -- A Breakdown of Breakfast’s Benefits With Experts’ Best meal Suggestions. Today’s Dietitian.  https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090111p44.shtml
2.     Ogata B, Feucht SA, Lucase BL. Nutrition and Childhood. In: Mahan LK, Raymond JL, eds.  Krause’s Food & Nutrition Care Process. 14th Ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2017. Pg 324.

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