Benefits of Breakfast
Benefits of Breakfast by Andrea Vannelli
As a kid, I was taught that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It turns out there’s a lot of truth in that for grown-ups as well as children. Unfortunately, missing breakfast seems to be a common habit among busy adults, with up to 25% of Americans regularly skipping it. The reasons vary: some prefer to exercise in the morning without a heavy stomach, while others are simply too pressed to make time for eating and opt for fueling up with caffeine instead. Many these days skip breakfast as part of a deliberate intermittent fasting schedule, but there is evidence to suggest that passing on dinner instead is likely a healthier alternative. Naturally, each individual’s situation is unique, and nutritional practices should likewise be individualized. There is certainly a time and place for controlled fasting. However, in most cases eating breakfast is better than not eating it. Here are a few reasons why.
- A morning meal replenishes blood glucose to provide energy and mental alertness for the day ahead. After a night of sleep or roughly 12 hours of fasting, a healthy body is in a naturally stressed state with a low amount of sugar in the blood and depleted glucose reserves in the liver. If the metabolism is nimble, it will transition to breaking down fatty acids in order to supply energy, but this isn’t necessarily available to everyone. Some organs such as skeletal muscles and the liver can rely on non-glucose sources of energy. The brain however depends exclusively on sugar molecules, so when blood glucose is erratic or low for extended periods, the mind is impacted. The liver must step in to buffer the situation through a process called gluconeogenesis, whereby it synthesizes glucose from simple proteins. Without proper nourishment, the body will break down tissues to get what it needs, and to keep the brain fueled.
- Eating a high-quality breakfast is good for heart health. Skipping breakfast has been associated with cardio-metabolic risk factors such as poor glycemic control, increased LDL, a higher prevalence of obesity and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. A large Korean study concluded in 2020 that participants who skipped breakfast more frequently were at higher risk for developing insulin resistance.
- Starting the day with a balanced meal helps set a stable metabolic tone for the day. Having no or too little breakfast can put a strain on metabolism and increase hunger, anxiety and inflammatory hormones for the remainder of the day. One study showed that a longer fasting period with breakfast skipping corresponded with higher post-meal oxidative stress as compared with dinner skipping. The authors concluded that this suggests a loss of metabolic flexibility and an increase in insulin resistance over time. In the short-term, clinical consequences of skipping breakfast tend to show up several hours later in the form of fatigue and deep hunger which increases the likelihood of choosing unhealthy options or overeating later in the day.
- For women actively trying to conceive, it’s best to minimize undue physiological stressors. Skipping meals in general puts a strain on our metabolic and stress organs. The message of being undernourished on a daily basis is generally counterproductive for fertility. The extra burden of no morning calorie intake can be too much for women who are already contending with numerous life stressors that are not so easy to change or control. Recent animal research suggests that intermittent fasting could negatively impact both sperm and egg quality. It has been shown that dietary energy restriction disrupts reproductive physiology in females. Starting the day with a healthful meal is a simple way to nourish yourself that has a positive ripple effect on numerous physiological factors which ultimately support fertility.
What if you’re simply not hungry in the morning? There are a number of reasons this may be the case. Among the more obvious are that you’ve eaten a late dinner the night prior and the meal didn’t have time to properly digest before sleep. Or it’s possible your glucose level dropped too low while you were sleeping, and your liver was mobilized to bridge the gap. Part of the package in that case is the production of adrenaline, which tends to curb hunger. Another reason may be taking a medication that is known to suppress appetite (caffeine typically has this effect as well). Other possibilities include hormonal fluctuations such as increased estrogen, or a decreased thyroid function. In most cases, it’s fine to start small. Just be sure to hydrate well and go for something nutrient-dense.
What makes for a good breakfast? This is pretty wide open to personal preference, within a few reasonable guidelines. There should be a balance of macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate) in quantities that are appropriate for the individual’s metabolic needs. It’s best not to include added sugars and to go for whole grain or complex carb options over the refined variety. Small is fine if that’s enough for you, but if you tend to be ravenous by lunch you may benefit from a bigger breakfast. Meals consisting of fiber-rich carbohydrates paired with protein and a small amount of healthy fat tend to hold most people longer. In the interest of making your stomach’s job easier, prioritize warm, cooked foods. Last but not least, taking the time to sit and enjoy your meal will help make the most of your body’s capacity to break down and assimilate nutrients.
Resources
Ballon, A., Neuenschwander, M., & Schlesinger, S. (2019). Breakfast Skipping Is Associated with Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies, The Journal of Nutrition, 149(1), 106–113. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxy194
Martin, B., Pearson, M., Kebejian, L., Golden, E., Keselmen, A., et al. (2007). Sex-Dependent Metabolic, Neuroendocrine, and Cognitive Responses to Dietary Energy Restriction and Excess. Endocrinology, 148(9), 4318–4333. https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2007-0161
Joo, H. J., Kim, G. R., Park, E. C., & Jang, S. I. (2020). Association between Frequency of Breakfast Consumption and Insulin Resistance Using Triglyceride-Glucose Index: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(9), 3322. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093322
Kant, A. K., & Graubard, B. I. (2015). 40-year trends in meal and snack eating behaviors of American adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(1), 50–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.06.354
Nas, A., Mirza, N., Hägele, F., Kahlhöfer, J., Keller, J., Rising, R., Kufer, T. A., & Bosy-Westphal, A. (2017). Impact of breakfast skipping compared with dinner skipping on regulation of energy balance and metabolic risk. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 105(6), 1351–1361. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.151332
Shiraishi, M., Haruna, M., & Matsuzaki, M. (2019). Effects of skipping breakfast on dietary intake and circulating and urinary nutrients during pregnancy. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 28(1), 99–105. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.201903_28(1).0014
University of East Anglia. (2023, April 11). Time-restricted fasting could cause fertility problems. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 12, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230411200013.htm
