Would you start a journey in a car with an empty tank?
According to nutritionists, this is exactly how we should approach the issue of eating breakfast in the morning.
It's true that, unlike a car, our bodies have their own reserves for energy, but constantly forcing the body to function at the expense of these reserves is not a good idea.
It is confirmed that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day..
Breakfast is considered the ideal time to eat. Within a maximum of two hours of waking up.
Why breakfast is important
Breakfast Kickstarts metabolismIn order for metabolic processes to continue normally until the end of the day - the absorption of food and the use of calories.
When you start your day by eating right after waking up, your body perceives this as meaning that there will be plenty of calories available throughout the day. However, if you don't eat in the morning, it's a signal to your body that it needs to conserve energy for the rest of the day and slow down its metabolism to do so.
Breakfast Gives energy For the physical and mental activities we have to perform during the day at home, work, or school.
Eating breakfast prevents large fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which Appetite regulation and control It helps.
Additionally, starting the day with breakfast helps us Choose healthy food. During the day. Unlike a full body, a strong feeling of hunger usually pushes us to consume easily available, unhealthy ready-made products.
It's hard to say whether breakfast itself is a factor in better health, or if people who eat breakfast regularly also lead a healthier lifestyle in general, but it's clear that studies show that eating breakfast regularly is associated with better health. Better memory and concentration skills In parallel, associated With better health, lower cholesterol levels, reduced risks of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
What happens if you skip breakfast?
When you wake up, your blood sugar (glucose) content is low and needs to be replenished before you start an active day, because that's when Glucose is the main energy source for the proper functioning of muscles and the brain..
Low blood sugar is the reason why skipping breakfast can lead to a much stronger feeling of hunger later in the day, which increases Overeating და Excessive intake of easily digestible carbohydrates This also affects weight and general health.
Strong hunger pushes us to eat food that is more quickly available at a given moment, and this often turns out to be the so-called "fast food", various confectionery products, products with a high content of sugar, fat, and salt.
By skipping breakfast, you may feel tired all day long. Unable to meet the recommended daily intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
As a result of regularly skipping breakfast Attention, concentration, and memory decline.
According to studies, skipping breakfast 4-5 times a week is associated with With a 2% increase in the risk of developing type 55 diabetes.
The impact of breakfast on body weight
If you're trying to lose weight, cutting calories by skipping breakfast isn't a good idea.
Studies show that people who lose weight and successfully maintain the weight they lose, They eat breakfast regularly..
However, it is necessary to pay attention to How much food do we eat for breakfast?Because people who start their day with a large meal often continue to eat large meals throughout the day.
It is also important to What's on the breakfast plate?. It should not be food rich in simple carbohydrates (sweets, pastries, confectionery). Starting the morning with such products usually continues with an increased desire for sweets throughout the day.
During a diet aimed at weight loss, breakfast can be 300-500 calories, but it is more important than counting calories that it be Balanced and composed of foods that have high nutritional value for the body.
As already mentioned, regular breakfast eaters They lose weight more easily and maintain the lost body mass more easily.
Breakfast helps the body Appetite control, because it maintains blood glucose at a stable level and eliminates the feeling of intense hunger, which can lead to the consumption of uncontrolled amounts and composition of food.
In addition, it has been observed that breakfast consumers They are more physically active. They burn more calories throughout the day.
The importance of breakfast for children
This part of the diet is even more important for the child's actively growing body.
Children who skip breakfast have a reduced ability to concentrate. They tend to get tired easily, lack energy, and are moody. Consequently, there is a high risk that such a child will perform poorly in school.
Lunch and dinner alone may not be enough to replenish the body and we may end up lacking vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
In the case of children, hunger also increases the likelihood of consuming "junk food," which affects weight and overall health.
Children who develop the habit of eating breakfast tend to make healthier food choices later in the day and generally into adulthood.
It plays a huge role in instilling the habit of eating breakfast. The example set by parents.
What should we have for breakfast?
The breakfast diet should include:
- Carbohydrates – which provides the body with energy Shortly after eating
- Proteins – which provides energy Later in the day after a meal
- Cellular – which causes a feeling of fullness and delays hunger
- Healthy fats, vitamins, minerals.
These types of products include: less processed complex carbohydrates, low-fat dairy products, fruits, and nuts.
Some ideas for breakfast
- Whole grains with fruits and nuts. For example, oats with berries and nuts.
- Peanut butter and toast made from whole wheat flour. You can replace the peanuts with avocado.
- Eggs or omelet with various vegetables.
- Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, natural yogurt without additives or sweeteners.
- Shake with milk and various fruits.
Coffee instead of breakfast
For many people, it is a common routine to start the day with coffee upon waking up, and even replace their entire breakfast with one cup of coffee.
in fact Coffee is not the drink that fits into the morning routine. And there are several reasons for this.
Due to its specific effect on the hormone cortisol, drinking coffee upon waking causes a surge of energy in the body, although later in the day this effect is replaced by a sharp decrease in energy and increased irritability.
In addition, after 8 hours of sleep, the body is somewhat dehydrated, meaning it experiences a lack of water, and coffee, with its pronounced diuretic effect, further exacerbates this condition.
There are currently no studies confirming a solid association as to whether drinking coffee on an empty stomach provokes gastrointestinal problems, although some people associate drinking coffee in the morning with various unpleasant sensations, such as heartburn, bloating, nausea, and vomiting.
To protect yourself from these negative influences, this is the ideal time to drink your first cup of coffee of the day. 3-4 hours after waking up.
Common reasons for skipping breakfast
On average, every second person's morning routine does not include breakfast.
The reason for this may be:
- Difficulty finding time to prepare and eat breakfast or wanting to spend more time in bed
- Fatigue
- Lack of feeling hungry in the morning
- Boredom of the same products
- Lack of suitable food for breakfast at home
- Lack of funds to supply products
- Desire to lose weight
- Ethno-cultural reasons
For many people, finding time to prepare meals in the morning is a difficult task.
In such a case, a better option is to prepare breakfast the night before – non-perishable products can be placed on the table in advance, and the rest can be placed in the refrigerator in an easily accessible place.
For greater simplicity, it is possible to plan together with family members at the beginning of the week which products will be used for breakfast on which day.
Another option is to prepare breakfast in a way that it can be eaten on the way to work or upon arrival at the destination. Or, if the appropriate environment and conditions exist, to store products in the office itself that can be used to make breakfast.
It is important to plan to set aside 10-15 minutes each morning for breakfast. This can be done by removing non-essential tasks from your morning routine, such as checking social media, and dedicating that time to breakfast.
Preparing your clothes and bag the night before for going out will also help free up time for breakfast the next day.
Some people find it impossible to start their morning with breakfast because even the thought of food upon waking up causes unpleasant feelings. This can be caused by: Late night eating habit ან Less interest in foods associated with breakfastTherefore, to increase appetite in the morning, it is recommended to reduce the portion size of the last meal of the day and eat it at least 2-3 hours before bedtime (not late at night).
Try new recipes. Adapt breakfast foods to your taste.
If these measures are ineffective, move breakfast time a little later, but try to eat healthy foods.
Even if you skip breakfast, you should choose healthy foods for lunch and dinner to meet your daily nutrient needs.
Author: Elga Giorgadze (Endocrinologist)
