Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?
One of the questions I get asked most often by my clients is: “Should I eat breakfast?” Lots of nutrition questions can be looked at from different angles. If you are asking about breakfast in terms of weight loss, there is mixed evidence on whether you should or shouldn’t eat breakfast. Some research has shown that eating breakfast is linked to a healthier body weight, and some has shown that omitting it links to greater weight loss. It’s also been shown that eating breakfast doesn’t necessarily increase your metabolism or the amount of calories you burn throughout the day.
Here at JuliENERGYnutrition, we think breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
The foundation we build for our clients regarding food intake is on honoring hunger and fullness. Hunger and fullness can be affected by many factors, two of them being glucose regulation and hormone regulation. If a person is susceptible to high and/or low blood sugars (which, let’s face it, most of us are), that person needs to eat consistently to ensure their blood sugars are as even as possible for as long as possible. Both high and low blood sugars can influence our levels of hunger and fullness. Therefore, starting the day off with breakfast sets a person up for greater success over blood sugar regulation.
There is research that shows blood sugar levels and inflammation are higher after lunch on days when people skipped breakfast. This could raise the risk for obesity and type two diabetes. It is also noted that people who skip breakfast have higher average blood glucose levels. Because our insulin resistance is higher at night, by not eating breakfast, we potentially force ourselves to eat more calories later in the day or at night which can potentially cause our bodies to have a tougher time breaking down blood sugars.
In some studies, we see that memory, concentration and energy levels are better during the day after eating breakfast. This is why it is suggested that children eat breakfast before school and adults eat breakfast before work.
3 Benefits of Breakfast:
Regulating hunger and fullness
Regulating blood sugars
Increasing energy and focus throughout the day
Ideas for Healthy Breakfast:
2 eggs with 1 slice whole wheat toast and a side of berries
1 easy egg cup, 1 whole wheat English muffin and a side of berries
½ cup cooked oatmeal, ¾ cup berries, ½ cup cottage cheese, 2 TBS almond butter
1 (5.3 oz) Greek yogurt, ¾ cup berries, 22 almonds
2 egg whites, 1 slice whole wheat toast with avocado and a side of berries
½ cup cooked tofu (in scramble), ½ cup black beans, ½ avocado, veggies
1 C almond milk, 1 (5.3 oz) Greek yogurt, ½ banana, ¾ berries, 1 - 2 TBS almond butter + spinach blended into smoothie
3 TBS hemp seeds, ½ cup cooked oatmeal, ¾ cup berries OR overnight oats
2 slice whole wheat bread, 2 TBS almond butter, ½ banana (slice banana on bread)
Looking for more stabilized blood sugar levels, more energy, better focus and more consistent intakes through the day? Try eating breakfast. Contact Julie Rothenberg MS, RD, LDN with JuliENERGYnutrition at 954.655.8543 or email at JuliENERGYnutrition@gmail.com for more information.
*At JuliENERGYnutrition, all of our recommendations are based on verified scientific reports and research. A few studies were cited in this blog post. Please reach out if you’d like more information about these studies.*
