Breakfast: Is It the Most Important Meal?

Breakfast: it’s the most important meal of the day! Right? This popular platitude has been echoed time and time again, but what kind of scientific support is there to back it up? Breakfast helps many people kick start their day with energy, but some morning meals can do more harm than good.

The word “breakfast” means exactly what it says: a breaking of your overnight fast. There are plenty of scientific studies that show just how important a healthy breakfast is. Reasons include boosting your metabolism and giving your brain energy to focus, to name a couple. it’s no wonder we put so much emphasis on the first of our daily three square meals!

More specifically, eating in the morning helps replenish your body’s stores of glucose, which your brain converts into energy. Sometimes you might feel sluggish in the morning, or maybe it takes you a little longer to “wake up” and focus on a task; that’s because your brain doesn’t have enough glucose to work at its best. Glucose is the main source of energy for all bodily functions and is the primary type of sugar in our blood. Natural sources of glucose include fruits, vegetables, honey and complex carbohydrates that your body can turn into glucose. There are also less-healthy sources of glucose, such as processed foods, juice and sugary snacks, but those aren’t terrific choices for breakfast.

Your body needs a steady supply of glucose 24/7. Even while you’re asleep, your body uses glucose to regulate blood sugar levels. Thus, when you wake up, it’s important to restock on glucose so you don’t get a dip in blood sugar before lunch. Dips in blood sugar can result in fatigue, inability to focus and brain fog. Sound familiar? If you want to stay sharp until your afternoon meal, a balanced breakfast in the morning is key.

Besides glucose, your brain also relies on other sources of energy, like fatty acids. Fatty acids are the result of our bodies breaking down fats we ingest into something more usable. Usually, fatty acids are stored in our blood. Since fatty acids are something your body creates from the fat in our food, you need to eat a balance of healthy fats to produce them. Some natural sources of healthy fat are nuts, olive oil, avocados, eggs and seed oils. A less-healthy source is fatty meat, which should be eaten in moderation or avoided.

While fatty acids can be converted into useful energy, they can only do so with a healthy supply of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, commonly referred to as carbs, are a form of sugar molecule that we ingest and process into glucose. A healthy supply of carbs is vital to keep us up and running. 

Carbs sometimes get a bad rap. The ones you want to avoid are highly processed simple carbohydrates, like refined grains that have been stripped of their nutrients, bran and fiber. Sugars are another simple carb worth avoiding or eating in moderation. Foods containing simple carbs include white rice, white bread, white flour, pizza dough, many breakfast cereals, cookies, cakes and desserts.

Complex carbs, on the other hand, are a terrific source of energy. You’ll find complex carbs in whole grains like rye, barley, quinoa and oatmeal. Unprocessed or minimally processed fruits and vegetables are great sources too. 

Now that we understand how the body uses the food we eat, let's talk about the results. We know that our bodies need the right fuel to thrive, and many breakfast foods are meant to provide the exact nutrients to help us get going in the morning. Think eggs and whole grain toast: eggs are a source of fat, whole grain bread is a healthy, complex carb. Or a hearty bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, topped with a little honey and skim milk – now that’s a breakfast powerhouse!  

The first meal you eat is what kicks off your metabolism for the day. Your metabolism is the process or system through which your body converts food into energy to power all of your internal systems There are a number of different ways you can boost or lower your metabolism, and many studies show that eating breakfast in the morning can give you a big metabolic boost. If your metabolism is running nice and fast, it means that your body can quickly and efficiently process foods and turn them into usable energy. If your metabolism is slow, your body takes longer to complete the process. People with faster metabolisms are generally less likely to become overweight, so by eating in the morning you are actually helping yourself manage a healthy weight.

Breakfast is also a great opportunity to get a good portion of your daily vitamins and minerals. Think about it this way: if you only eat two meals instead of three, you’re only giving yourself two chances to get all the nutrition you need for the day. If you add a healthy breakfast to the mix, you’ve just made it that much easier to meet your daily nutritional values! This, of course, depends on what you decide to eat in the morning. When you choose a donut or sugary cereal instead of something more useful to your body, like eggs and whole grain toast or oatmeal and fruit, your breakfast won’t have the same impact.

Studies also show that people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to be physically active throughout the day, which is part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Remember how eating breakfast increases your metabolism? Well, regular exercise has the same effect. Eating a healthy breakfast is actually a key component of staying healthy and energized. If you eat three square meals a day at regular times, you’re more likely to curb your hunger and keep cravings down.

That means that instead of hitting the vending machine for a quick snack in the late afternoon, you can comfortably wait for a healthy dinner at home. What’s more, children who eat breakfast each day have been proven to have higher test scores in school and are more likely to make healthy food choices later on in life. So, keeping your family in the habit of fueling both body and brain is a near-surefire way to set your kiddos up for better health today and later on!

So, to review:

• Breakfast matters because it gets your glucose levels back on track after sleeping. 
• It gives your body fuel to convert into usable energy, for your body and brain, so you can be on your A-game every day. 
• Depending on what you eat in the morning, breakfast can help you get your daily vitamins and nutrients (along with lunch and dinner). 
• People who eat breakfast generally lead healthier lives than those who do not, and a good breakfast helps boost the metabolism and keep you fit. 

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