You’ve heard the same refrain over and over again: “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But is it really? Is there actually harm in skipping it?
Sure, eating breakfast helps fuel your morning and help you stay focused until lunch. But what if you’re not hungry when you first get up?
And what about the folks who swear by intermittent fasting?
Here’s the deal with breakfast…
According to a 2003 review found in the American Journal of Epidemiology, forgoing breakfast could potentially lead to obesity.
However, what we ate in 2003 versus what our diets consist of now has likely changed quite a bit.
The thing is, the science behind the study still makes sense. Eating a healthy breakfast ensures that we minimize snacking and overeating come lunchtime.
Not hungry in the morning? It could be the result of eating too much the night before. So, take that into consideration as well.
For some people, breakfast is absolutely a necessity. This includes folks who are diabetic and need to regulate blood sugar levels and people who take medications with food.
When you skip breakfast, you could end up not only with low energy levels but also low blood sugar. This can lead to lightheadedness, low energy levels, and fatigue.
Even those who practice intermittent fasting could benefit significantly from getting some of their calories earlier in the day. So, if you have a specific eating window, it might be worthwhile to move it to encompass the morning.
Breakfast doesn’t just supply your body with nutrients, it also provides you with energy and glucose for your brain. Additionally, it can help stabilize your glucose levels for the rest of the day.
Of course, it does matter what you choose to eat. A breakfast of donuts and coffee isn’t exactly a smart one. Instead, it’s a good time to get a healthy helping of protein.
That’s not to say you should force yourself to eat right when you get up either. For some, it might make more sense to eat breakfast later in the morning.
However, if you’re skipping breakfast to lose weight, you might want to rethink your approach. Multiple studies have proven that skipping breakfast won’t help in that regard.
In other words: if you’re hungry, you should eat breakfast. If not, first ensure you aren’t overeating at night, then consider eating a late breakfast to help fuel your day.
