Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! You may have heard of this plenty of times from your parents, friends and relatives. Or read this over the internet as much as you can remember, but do you actually believe in it? If so, do you really know the importance of it?
Some people skip breakfast because they are always in a hurry, while some prefer brunch because it is cheaper than having both meals. Whichever the reason is, it is not healthy. There’s a reason why breakfast is important and there are also health consequences when you skip it.
If you’re wondering about the importance of balanced breakfast, keep reading until the end. Plus, you’ll get to know the reasons why people skipped breakfast, and the solutions for it.
The importance of balanced breakfast
Boosts your energy levels and keeps you in a good mood
If you skip breakfast but still proceed with your everyday routine, you’ll notice that you don’t have the energy to do so. No matter how hard you try, you won’t have enough energy and strength to fulfill your tasks. And in most cases, your mood gets affected. You may feel grumpy, lazy, irritated, or exhausted the whole time.
But when you eat breakfast, you suddenly feel energized to face whatever comes in your day. This is because breakfast replenishes the energy and nutrients in your body. Let’s say you slept for 6 hours or so, during those times, your body goes through a ‘fasting-like process’. Eating breakfast replenishes the lost nutrients, while storing another set of nutrients and energy for your body.
Promotes healthy life
Breakfast is equipped with folate, calcium, iron, B vitamins, and especially fiber. These key ingredients are highly important for developing a healthy life and vitality.
So if you feel hungry after waking up, don’t wait for your hunger to fade and eat a healthy breakfast right away! Eating breakfast also decreases your risk of developing digestive problems.
Helps balance your weight & promotes heart health
People who don’t eat breakfast every morning are more likely to become overweight or obese. This is because they tend to just grab any foods they see, since they are hungry. After eating them, they are still unsatisfied and will grab more. The process pretty much repeats all over again until they feel full.
Those foods are not what your energy demands, and you’re still deprived from nutritional needs. So that pretty much explains why you’re still hungry even if you already ate a lot.
Eating breakfast helps balance your weight since you won’t have unnecessary food urges. And once your weight is healthy, your heart will also be healthy. You can say goodbye to bad cholesterol!
Controls cravings & kick starts metabolism
This is somehow related to the previous example. People who eat breakfast on a regular basis have healthier diets than those who don’t. They also have better metabolism and healthier bodies. When you have better eating habits, you crave less. And what do people normally crave? Junk foods and fast foods! Only a few people crave salads and fruits, right?
These unhealthy foods are low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Meaning, you won’t meet the nutrients your body needs to fuel for the day.
And if you unexpectedly skipped breakfast, opt for a nutritious snack later on. Try yogurt, wheat bread sandwiches, or sliced fruits.
Reasons why people skipped breakfast and the solutions for it:
Skipping breakfast is okay if you’ve done it once or twice, unintentionally. But if you keep doing it, it’ll soon become an unhealthy habit that will negatively affect your health. Excuses are excuses that will never become good results. So here are the truth why some people skipped breakfast, and the possible solutions for it:
1. Not enough time to prepare
This usually happens for working parents, or for individuals who don’t have enough time to prepare during the morning.
Resolution: time management is always the key. Adjust a couple of minutes to your wake up schedule so you will have more time to prepare your breakfast. Also, prepping your breakfast the night before will save you more time and energy for the next morning.
2. On a strict diet
Some people who are trying to lose weight think that they will gain additional weight by eating breakfast, so they will just avoid it. But as I mentioned earlier, skipping breakfast will just make you crave more, eventually leading to obesity.
Resolution: eat low carb foods and light healthy breakfasts.
3. Bored eating the same breakfast foods
Well, who wouldn’t be? Eating the same food everyday is not appetizing.
Resolution: the best way to resolve this is to experiment with different healthy foods and learn new recipes. A trip to the grocery store will also encourage you to buy your prefered breakfast.
4. Too lazy or tired to prepare
This is probably one of the most common answers. Your body may not be ready or fully energized yet to prepare breakfast, especially if it’s too early in the morning.
Resolution: if you’re too lazy or tired to prepare, choose a food that’s easy to make but still healthy and energizing. Like munching on a banana dipped in peanut butter. Protein bars are also a must-try.
Healthy breakfast ideas
If you lack ideas for a healthy breakfast, here are some delicious breakfast you can try:
- Wheat bread with peanut butter
- Boiled egg (prepped the night before)
- Whole grain cereal
- Oatmeal topped with fruits (like blueberries or banana)
- Yogurt (or go for Greek yogurt for a healthier option)
- Omelette or scrambled eggs
- Sunny side up and toasted wheat bread
- Dark chocolate + banana smoothie
- Quinoa muffins
- Granola paired with yogurt
- Chicken or tuna sandwich
- Beef w/ veggie burrito
Conclusion:
A balanced breakfast supplies your adequate nutrition needed for the day, and it also contributes to numerous benefits to the body.
But keep in mind that the food you eat plays a very important role. Because even if you do eat breakfast, if the meal is not healthy, you still won’t be healthy. Therefore, start your day right by beginning with a healthy breakfast.
