Breakfast – 5 reasons why it’s good!

I have recently returned from a short break in New York which was all booked for me as a surprise trip.  One of my first questions when I found out we were going was ‘what about breakfast?’  In our experience of travelling to the United States, breakfast isn’t something that is regularly included in hotel stays and you usually have to go out and find a diner.  Thankfully, my husband knows me well and managed to book a hotel which included breakfast so we could get a good start to the day!

I love breakfast and am conditioned to eat within a couple of hours of waking up and feel quite unwell if I don’t, but many (up to a third of us) can skip it all together with no obvious ill effects.  Is breakfast still considered ‘the most important meal of the day?’  Well, in answer to this it is hotly debated with existing evidence being challenged.  However, for now many guidelines still recommend it and as a breakfast lover I’m sharing 5 reasons that support a healthy breakfast:

1. Refuel – ‘Breaking the Fast’ is the literal meaning of breakfast as you have had no food (fasted) since the day before.  This means that you top up the energy stores that your body has used to repair and renew itself overnight and give your body the kick-start in energy (calories) to fuel your day ahead.
2. Boost your Nutrients – As well as energy a healthy breakfast provides other essential nutrients including fibre (supporting a healthy digestive system), vitamins and key minerals such as calcium and iron.  Breakfast should provide 20-25% of your daily nutritional requirements and it can be difficult to catch up on these nutrients if breakfast is skipped.
3. Weight Loss – research has shown that those people who eat breakfast have more balanced diets than those who skip it and are also less likely to be overweight or lose weight more successfully if they are overweight.
4. Feel fuller for longer – eating a healthy, balanced breakfast with complex carbohydrates, and protein will give a slow release of fuel to the body helping to maintain energy levels.  Dips in energy (which can be caused by skipping breakfast) can lead to cravings and snacking on less healthy foods.
5. Prevent illness – Research shows that those who have breakfast have a reduced risk of certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and eating breakfast may also help improve mental performance, concentration and mood.

Remember to make it healthy and build it from the main food groups of the Eatwell Plate.  If there isn’t time before you leave the house then plan ahead and take something with you.  There is always a way to include something to give you the best start to the day.

In New York my breakfast choice was cereals topped with dried fruit and milk, a piece of fresh fruit and a New York bagel with cream cheese and a glass of apple juice.  It kept us going well past our normal lunch time despite the miles of walking we did.

If you don’t know if you’re nutritionally balanced throughout the day or have health needs or busy work patterns that make it tricky to plan your meals then I can work with you to review your diet and current situation.  From there I can support and guide you to achieve the right balance of nutrients to meet your health goals.  For personalised and professional support then do contact me at llnutritionandwellbeing@gmail.com or via the contact page.