"Breakfast" is a word that is made up of two words, "break" and "fast". That's what it does. It breaks the fast after going all night without anything to eat.
The sooner it does that in the morning, the better. That's because by the time you wake up your body has already been without fuel for a long time. If breaking that fast is put off for too long, nasty symptoms can arise.
Skipping breakfast can lead to feeling shaky and tired. It can result in headaches and difficulty in being able to think and concentrate. It can also set you up for overeating when you finally get something to eat, with fat storage being an unfortunate outcome.
So not eating breakfast can ultimately lead to gaining weight you don't want. Now, if you'd eaten your breakfast in a timely fashion, you'd be burning up the calories, rather than storing them.
According to forecast.diabetes.org, people who don't eat breakfast are more likely to be deficient in the fruit and vegetables department, as well as in some minerals. People who don't eat breakfast are more likely to depend on sweetened snacks and carbonated drinks.
They are also more inclined to eat too much, too late at night. All of this action leads to more weight gain.
While eating something in the morning is important, what you eat is equally important. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are traditionally considered breakfast foods are not healthy.
Constance Brown-Riggs, registered dietician, certified diabetes educator, and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes, recommended focusing on protein to take care of your hunger.
Heather Leidy, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri, led a study in which some participants ate a high carbohydrate, high sugar breakfast. The other participants ate a high protein, low saturated fat, low sodium breakfast.
The high protein group felt full later in the day than the high carbohydrate group. More protein at breakfast prevents blood glucose from spiking after breakfast is eaten.
If you live an active lifestyle, you can still make time for a quick but healthy breakfast. Grab a handful of nuts and sunflower seeds. Hard-boil an egg or two.
Vegetable juice has less sugar content than fruit juice, but read your labels to make sure that sugar, or other sweeteners haven't been added.
Proteins don't have to be traditional breakfast foods. In fact leftovers from last night's dinner can be great as this morning's breakfast. A few slices of turkey or chicken in a lettuce wrap can get you off to a good start.
So maintain and protect that active lifestyle. Fuel yourself in the morning with a breakfast that will help to keep you going strong all day.
Jody Smith is a freelance writer for EmpowHER.com.
Sources:
The Importance of Breakfast
http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/food-thought/the-importance-breakfast
Breakfast Guide
http://www.helpwithcooking.com/healthy-eating/breakfast-guide.html
