Getting up early, running through the morning chores and getting to the office on time is taxing and can sometimes get on nerves. In such a rush, one always tends to skip breakfast to save some time and get going. But in doing so, we are depriving ourselves of the most important meal of the day.
Why Is Breakfast Important?
One may ask, “Why is breakfast important?” A healthy break fast meal is directly linked to a healthy body and mind leading to overall healthy lifestyle. Ideally, healthy breakfast meals should consist of carbohydrates, good fats, proteins, minerals, and fiber. These can be consumed via healthy break fast recipes that include whole grains toast, cornflakes, porridge, skim milk, eggs, yogurt, fruit juices or even salad with lean toppings. This will keep you satisfied until lunch hour.
5 Key Things You Didn’t Know
These 5 things that you will know now will surely help you realize the importance of breakfast:
1. Losing Weight is Easier with Breakfast
- Skipping breakfast will help lose weight is a myth. In different studies, it has been repeatedly seen that people who eat proper break fast have calories under control and have low-fat levels. Skip breakfast leads to starvation and stomach sends wrong signals to the brain to store fat for an eventuality.
- Since you might get hungry at odd hours, you pick up whatever junk food you can get your hands on, like cookies, chocolates, pizza slices, burgers, fries etc. So naturally, this leads to putting on more weight.
2. Eating Breakfast Improves Digestive System And Heart Health
A healthy breakfast that might include lots of fiber helps improve your digestive system. It kick starts the metabolism and helps retain water within your intestines thereby regulating the outflow of wastage. In addition, drinking juices in the morning helps rejuvenate the digestive system, releasing digestive fluids that builds body resistance and help control blood cholesterol levels and reduce heart-related problems. So a healthy stomach means a healthy heart, two good things with just one morning meal.
3. Eating Breakfast Improves Concentration, Memory And Mood
Studies have corroborated that having a healthy break fast meal can positively impact your brain and your mood for the entire day. Every morning, it starts the flow of glucose in the body and necessary nutrients to the brain. When the brain gets enough fuel to function, it boosts the nervous system, thus improving your concentration levels and memory. As a result, your mood and stress levels improve. Therefore, eating in the morning makes you productive as you are focused.
4. Avoiding Breakfast Leads To Headaches And Other NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases)
Lack of a good breakfast meal can take a toll on your health. An adult man on an average needs 2500 kcals and a woman needs approximately 2000 kcals per day. In the absence of breakfast, your energy levels are depleted. When you set out to work without breakfast, you feel weak and can often have severe headaches (read hunger pangs). Also, skipping this first meal puts you at a greater risk of stomach ulcers, kidney stones, heart diseases, blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic diseases as well. These problems you face makes it clear why is breakfast essential and must be had daily.
5. Skipping Breakfast Can Lead To Type-2 Diabetes
- A large study conducted in 1992 concluded that men who skipped breakfast had 21% higher risk of Type-2 diabetes.
- Skipping breakfast leads to insulin resistance in the body, which is the leading root cause of Type-2 diabetes.
Hence eating regular breakfast meals ensures blood sugar levels are stable throughout the day.
When we make our breakfast choices, we often neglect nutrition and choose to satisfy taste buds, which can have adverse effects. So it’s important to inculcate good eating habits while you are young because as they say, old habits die-hard.
Two Things You Need To Pay Attention At While You Go For A Healthy Break fast: It isn’t always so iff it says “Nutritious” on the packaging material. Manufacturers these days have taken to a regular habit of attaching “Nutritious” labels to every food item.
- Avoid processed food items, especially fancy cereals; simple cornflakes and oats are the best.
- Avoid eating doughnuts and other foods rich in sugar. They induce a sudden surge in your body’s sugar levels and then cause them to die suddenly. This weakens the body and puts you in danger of blood sugar.
Thus, you know why is break fast important and the adverse effects if you don’t have it. If you are looking for nutritious options to eat in the morning, go for some healthy breakfast recipes that you can cook.