Most Important Meal of the Day...Breakfast!

Importance of Breakfast

How many of us out there believe that skipping breakfast will help us lose weight? Do we think we are eating fewer calories because we are “skipping” a meal? Well think again. In reality, most of us probably know that breakfast has the reputation of being the most important meal of the day. But do we know why?

There is plenty of sound research available that supports the notion that eating breakfast not only helps to lose weight, but to also keep it off and maintain a healthy weight. Think about it, during the 8 (or so) hours we are sleeping we are generally not eating (if we are, we have other problems to address). Therefore, we are “fasting” sometimes 15-20 hours. When we eat breakfast it prevents us from being ravenous wolves when we FINALLY do eat. Plus, eating breakfast also helps start our metabolism for the day.

A large base of research shows that eating breakfast prevents overeating throughout the day. Eating breakfast helps us to naturally spread out what we eat throughout the day. This is better for our body because we are constantly fueled throughout the day and we also have the time needed to burn the fuel we consume.

Eating Smart for Breakfast

Now that we understand the importance of eating breakfast, what should we eat? Just like eating breakfast is important, it is also important that we make smart choices in what we eat for breakfast.

Fruits and whole grains are a great breakfast option because they have a lot of fiber and are low in fat. They are low in calories but also high in nutrition density. These items are what we could call energy dense. They are foods that we help you feel full and provide high energy without being high in calories. Overall, you get More for Less.

Some examples of great breakfast items could include:

• A bowl of oatmeal and fruit
• A bowl of whole grain cold cereal and fruit
• Multigrain waffles
• Low-fat yogurt and fruit
• Whole grain toast and fruit
• Fruit Smoothie
• Whole grain toast with peanut butter

Note: If you have not had a high fiber diet, introduce fiber gradually. Too much fiber at once if you are not used to it can cause constipation, diarrhea or an upset stomach.

Source:
Web MD

Additional Resources:
American Dietetic Association
American Dietetic Association
American Dietetic Association
More Matters
Mayo Clinic