While it’s important to eat regularly throughout the day, breakfast is one meal that deserves special attention. It breaks the overnight fasting period and provides essential nutrients for good health.
Eating a healthy breakfast can improve your energy levels, weight management and heart health. It also has a positive effect on cortisol, your main’stress hormone’.
Energy
A healthy breakfast is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. Not only is it essential for sustaining energy, but it also has the power to help you focus, remember and perform better at work or school.
A good breakfast should contain a combination of protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates and healthy fats to ensure you have a steady supply of energy throughout the morning. The type of foods you choose can make a big difference in the healthiness of your meal, so stick to nutrient-dense options like whole grains, fruit and veggies.
Skipping breakfast can throw off your metabolism and lead to weight gain later in the day. Eating breakfast, on the other hand, helps your body burn calories and keep insulin levels in check all day long.
Weight Management
Having a healthy breakfast is important because it fills you up before you become very hungry, which helps prevent you from overeating at other meals. It also gives you the nutrients and energy you need to stay alert and healthy.
It is a good idea to start your day with a meal that has some protein and fiber. This will keep you fuller longer and stabilize your blood sugar during digestion, preventing spikes and crashes that may lead to hunger pangs and overeating later in the day.
In addition to a high-protein breakfast, include fruits and vegetables in your meals. These are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which help keep you feeling fuller.
To make your breakfast extra nutritious, add a small amount of ground flaxseed to your oatmeal or yogurt. This soluble fiber will slow down your digestion, lower your blood sugar, and help stave off hunger pangs.
Heart Health
Throughout our lives, the heart pumps millions of gallons of blood to all parts of the body, providing oxygen, fuel and nutrients. It also whisks away waste products of metabolism.
Having a healthy breakfast is important for your heart because it provides essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed to function properly. It also gives your body energy and keeps you focused.
One study found that people who skipped breakfast had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death. They were 2.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who ate breakfast every day.
Other studies have shown that a heart-healthy breakfast can help reduce your risk of high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. It can also lower your blood pressure and protect you against heart attacks and strokes.
Mental Health
Several studies have shown that eating a healthy breakfast is associated with better mental health. Those who skip breakfast or eat it too late in the morning are more likely to develop depression or mood disorders.
To ensure you’re getting a healthy breakfast, fill your plate with nonstarchy vegetables and lean proteins (such as eggs and beans) or nuts. Be sure to also drink water or a low-calorie beverage, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
The study used data from the Raine Study, a population-based cohort of young people in Perth, Western Australia. Adolescents ages 13 to 15 years completed food diaries that included information on core food groups and mental health. The association between breakfast quality and mental health was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist tool. Increasing breakfast quality lowered the total mental health score by 1*66 (95 % CI -2*74, -0*59) after adjustment for potential confounding factors.