I recently had the opportunity to do a media interview with a reporter about breakfast. This topic is near and dear to my heart, because I love breakfast and I am eat something for breakfast every morning. But I have found that you normally fall into one of two camps regarding breakfast … you love it or you don’t eat it.
Breakfast Myths
Breakfast is essential for weight loss - What you eat or don’t eat for breakfast does matter. If you eat breakfast, make it a healthy option. If you skip breakfast and eat later, make sure you don’t over eat. Whatever sets you up for success in your day, follow that routine. One of the main reason to consume something for breakfast is to help keep your blood glucose levels stable by providing your body with fuel. Aim to consume some protein option with your breakfast meal and just not empty calories.
Skip the boxed breakfast cereal - Yes, there are definitely some sugary options out there when it comes to breakfast cereal and they are not all nutritionally dense. Aim to find a cereal that is whole grain (may have oat/barley added to it) and pair that cereal with a protein source (like an egg, yogurt or even a cheese stick).
Eating 3 meals a day will mean you eat less - That is not always the case, lots of time we snack because we are bored, stressed or trying to stay awake. We often snack for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. So if you eat breakfast (choose options with 3 food groups) and watch out for late night snacks or other mind-less eating. Think about why you are eating and if you are really hungry.
I’m too busy for breakfast - There are lots of easy and fast things you can grab on the run for breakfast. You can grab a granola bar, bring a hard boiled egg, grab a cheese stick, eat some yogurt topped with fruit and cereal or even something savory like a sandwich with meat, cheese and veggies.
Why is a healthy breakfast helpful for your body? A healthy breakfast is important, because it is the act of breaking that fast your body has been in overnight. You want to fuel your body with healthy foods to provide it with all those essential vitamins and minerals to function to the best of its ability. When we consume a healthy breakfast we are providing our body with the fuel/energy to work and do whatever tasks we have to complete for that day. If we skip breakfast, your body might take longer to “wake up” or “kick into gear” and that might be why you feel sluggish in the morning. You might also notice if you eat some food items that are not nutritionally dense (like a donut and sugary coffee) then you might feel a “crash” a few hours later, because your body has quickly processed/metabolized that food and if needed more fuel.
How accurate is it to say “breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” I would have to say that isn’t super accurate. I would argue that one meal isn’t the MOST important, but instead all the meals matter that you choose to eat. Your body runs on whatever food you consume and each time you put something in your mouth that matters. This is a positive thing, because if you have had a rough day and made some not so healthy choices, that is ok, because that next meal you have a change to make a healthy choice. So what you choose to eat at each meal is important. If you choose to eat breakfast, great … if you choose to skip an early morning meal and you eat a little later, that is fine too as long as you are choosing healthy foods!