Why is breakfast important for our health?
Breakfast is known to be the most important meal of the day, as it follows an 8-12 hour fasting period (at night). It must therefore be large enough to meet our energy needs for the first part of the day and thus give us the strength to last until lunch. Thus, missing breakfast can manifest itself in a state of fatigue or even concentration problems, as we will see in the next point.
The benefits of breakfast:
- It improves concentration and memory.
During the night, the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood drops, our organs (especially organs that can only function with glucose as fuel – e.g. the brain) then function less well because they do not receive enough energy to function properly, which explains why we lack energy in the morning.
Studies show that children who eat breakfast before school are in better mental shape during the morning: their memory is better, their creativity and their concentration are also better, unlike children who do not eat breakfast who then show more problems with concentration or memorization. (This observation is also valid for adults: eating breakfast allows you to be more productive in the morning.)
Eating breakfast therefore gives us the “strength” we need to tackle the morning – enabling us to think clearly, learn or even work. - Less risk of deficiencies.
Breakfast is an opportunity for your body to receive essential nutrients for its functioning. People who skip breakfast are at greater risk of deficiencies in the long term, especially if their diet for the rest of the day is unbalanced. - It prevents snacking.
If you start the day on an empty stomach, you'll probably feel a bit peckish in the morning, which could distract you or even cause you to snack.
Unfortunately, the things we snack on outside of meals are often the least balanced: pastries, biscuits, cereal bars, etc. These are often full of sugars and fats: nothing good for your body in the long term. - It prevents weight gain.
Some people claim that skipping breakfast can help you lose weight. Think again!
Numerous studies have been conducted on the subject, and the findings are surprising: people who don't eat in the morning have a much harder time controlling their weight. The study conducted by The American Journal of Epidemiology shows that people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight or obese.
These results could be explained, among other things, by the fact that, having not satisfied their morning hunger, these people would be more inclined to snack and consume meals or snacks richer in calories to compensate for their hunger at the next meal. - It stimulates metabolism.
Another benefit of breakfast: did you know that eating a good breakfast in the morning can boost your body's metabolism? This first meal of the day signals your body to burn calories, thus preventing fat storage and massive weight gain.
Yet another point that would confirm that eating breakfast would help you stabilize your weight and not gain it! - It allows you to eat healthier.
Eating breakfast is one of the ways to maintain a balanced diet. It allows for a structured diet with meals at regular times.
Based on this and having listed all the importance of breakfast, we have all the arguments to make you appreciate breakfast and even want to get up: Do you know sweet potato flour and its benefits?