For years, nutrition experts have said that a healthy breakfast is a key start to the day. Not only do we think and perform better on the job, they tell us, it supports our well-being in many other ways.
Fuel and Nutrition
The basic formula for breakfast: Pair carbs with proteins. The carbs give your body energy to get started and your brain the fuel it needs to take on the day. Protein gives you staying power and helps you feel full until your next meal.
It can be as simple as a combo of:
- Whole-grain cereals or bread for carbs
- Low-fat milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese for protein
- Fresh fruit or veggies, again for the carbs
- Nuts or legumes for even more protein
The most common mistake we make is not enough protein at breakfast. Adults need 20-30 grams of protein in the morning, which varies by gender and how active you are, to keep up our muscle mass and metabolism.
When you haven’t had breakfast, you’re more likely to get “hangry,” which can lead you to overeat later in the day or choose unhealthy foods like those doughnuts someone left behind in the break room. The science seems to back her up. In 2017, a review in the journal Circulation found “an abundance of data” to show a link between skipping breakfast and being overweight.
The bulk of the science favors a healthy breakfast. “It’s not just about your weight. It’s also about vitamins, minerals, and muscle mass. We have to think of larger pictures, of what food is really doing for your body versus ‘I want a quick fix for weight loss.’ “
Control Blood Sugar
Eating breakfast helps keep your blood sugar steadier throughout the day, whether you have diabetes or not. For people with normal glucose test results, this might help you avoid insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. Drops and spikes in your blood sugar can also affect your mood, making you more nervous, grumpy, or angry.
Good for Your Heart
Recent studies show a link between breakfast and heart health. In 2017, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported that people who skip breakfast are more likely to have atherosclerosis. That’s when your arteries narrow and harden because of the buildup of plaque. It can lead to heart attack and stroke. These people were also more likely to have bigger waistlines, weigh more, and have higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Do Better at Work or School
The other reason we tell people ‘Don’t skip breakfast’ is when you kick-start your day, you need your metabolism to be up and working.
Regularly eating a healthy breakfast helps us pay attention, remember, and perform better. Children and teens concentrate better at school, get higher scores on tests, and are less likely to be tardy or miss school days.
A pre-workout snack can help your focus as well as your efforts.
Without breakfast, your body to goes into conservation mode. That’s when your brain slows everything down because you don’t have enough energy.
Research is ongoing into how breakfast affects the way your brain works.
If breakfast is not your thing (It’s not my husband’s or son’s), or you never have time for breakfast incorporating the right amount of protein and carbs, I have the perfect solution for you! My company has an amazing breakfast replacement shake that is completely macro balanced along with 23 vitamins and minerals, amino acids and 7 digestive enzymes.
We have also just released a child’s version for those fussy kids or those who only want to eat sugary cereals!
We have also just released a child’s version for those fussy kids or those who only want to eat sugary cereals!
Contact me for more details 🙂