Breakfast is often called the “most important meal of the day”, yet many people skip it on a daily basis, either because they aren’t hungry in the morning, or because they think it will save them calories for later in the day, helping them lose weight. The truth is that skipping breakfast has the opposite effect. Apart from negatively impacting weight loss, skipping this important meal can also have a negative impact on mood, cognition, and hormonal health.
The purpose of breakfast is right in the name; it’s to break the fast that you’ve been on since your last meal the previous day. Skipping it adds significantly to this fasting period, and as a result can disrupt your blood sugar balance and insulin output. This can also cause you to over-eat the rest of the day. By eating a healthy, balanced breakfast you keep your blood sugar stable and can avoid afternoon cravings. Eating breakfast boosts your metabolism and will give you increased energy throughout the day. .
Many people are willing to admit that they’re not a morning person. What they don’t realize is that their bad mood in the morning is not actually part of their temperament, but rather a consequence of low blood sugar. Not eating breakfast increases the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This can often cause mood swings, something many of us experience in the morning.
Skipping breakfast can also cause diminished cognition, which is why there have been nation-wide initiatives to get children to eat breakfast before going to school. According to studies by the Center for Disease Control, skipping breakfast has been shown to impact the ability to problem-solve. Eating breakfast will set you up for a more productive day.
Breakfast may be often over-looked, but it truly is one of the most important meals of the day. That’s one of the reasons that here at Eatology, all of our standard meal programs include breakfast. Recipes like our Alaskan omelet which are high in protein will set you up properly for an energized day. Even if you aren’t accustomed to eating breakfast, give it a try. Your body will thank you!
