The Breakfast 101s – Importance and healthy breakfast tips.

Breakfast is called ‘the most important meal of the day’, and here is why. Breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period, and it’s essential to break that fast with a healthy meal going inside your tummy. It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy levels, while also providing other essential nutrients. Many studies show that breakfast improves your ability to concentrate in the short term, works on your energy levels, and can help with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, better weight management, and heart disease in the long term.

Despite the benefits of healthy breakfast for your health and wellbeing, many people often skip it, for a variety of reasons. The good news is there are many ways to make it easier to fit breakfast into your day.

When you wake up from your overnight sleep, you may not have eaten for up to 10 hours. Breakfast replenishes the energy levels and nutrients in your body, so it’s very important to have a healthy breakfast.

The Energy Theory.

The body’s energy source is glucose. Glucose is broken down and absorbed from the carbohydrates you eat. The body stores most of its energy sources as fat. But your body also stores some glucose as glycogen, most of it in your liver, with smaller amounts in your muscles. During times of fasting (not eating), such as overnight, the liver breaks down glycogen and releases it into your
bloodstream as glucose to keep your blood sugar levels stable. This is especially important for your brain, which relies almost entirely on glucose for energy.

In the morning, after you have gone without food for quite a long time, your glycogen levels are low. Once all of the energy from your glycogen stores is used up, your body starts to break down fatty acids to produce the energy it needs. But without carbohydrate, fatty acids are only partially oxidized, which can reduce your energy levels. Eating breakfast boosts your energy and makes your glycogen levels ready to keep your metabolism up for the day.

Skipping breakfast may seem like a good way to reduce overall energy intake. But research shows that even with a higher intake of energy, healthy breakfast eaters tend to be more active in the morning than those who don’t eat until later in the day.

Health benefits acquired by eating a healthy breakfast.

• Starting your morning with breakfast boosts your metabolism and keeps your blood sugar levels stable during the day.
• Healthy and nutritious breakfast reduce cravings and overeating later in the day.
• Studies have shown that people who eat healthy breakfast consume more fiber, vitamins, and minerals throughout the day.
•  A morning meal is a necessary fuel for the brain as well. Eating a healthy breakfast helps improve your productivity and concentration throughout the day.
• People who skip breakfast have lower energy levels which means they will have less strength and endurance to engage in physical activity.
• People tend to overeat on other meals when they skip breakfast, which reflects in unhealthy weight gain and bloating.

Cons of skipping Breakfast.

Skipping breakfast was shown to be common in the most recent survey for children and adolescents, although the majority did not skip breakfast consistently.
Those most likely to skip breakfast were older females, and people who:

• are under or overweight.
• have a poor diet.
• have lower physical activity levels.
• do not get enough sleep.
• are from single-parent or lower-income households.

Some common reasons for skipping breakfast include:

• not having enough time or wanting to spend the extra time being in bed.
• trying to lose weight.
• too tired to bother.

Ideas for healthy breakfast foods

Some quick suggestions on easy-to-prepare breakfast foods that are readily available at home.

• oats – when choosing quick oats, go for the plain variety and add your fruit afterward, as the flavored varieties tend to have a lot of added sugar.
• wholegrain cereal (such as untoasted muesli, bran cereals, or whole-wheat biscuits) with milk, natural yogurt, and fresh fruit fresh fruits and raw nuts.
• boiled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, salmon, cheese, avocado, or a couple of teaspoons of spreads.
• smoothies made from fresh fruit or vegetables, natural yogurt, and milk.
• natural yogurt with some fresh fruit added.
• Bananas.
• Nuts and Nut Butter.
• Sweet Potatoes.

Conclusion

• A healthy breakfast has many health benefits, so try not to skip it.
• Breakfast replenishes the energy levels and nutrients in your body.
• People who do not have breakfast may not meet their recommended daily intakes of fiber, vitamins and
  minerals.

So make sure you eat healthy breakfast regularly and hit those macros to stay healthy and fit. Please comment down if you know any healthy breakfast foods which are not mentioned here so that we will add it up. Also, share breakfast recipes in the comment section so that people reading this can try out those.

Also, read our article on Losing weight suddenly? The most practical diet plan for healthy weight gain.