You do not have to look hard to find the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast. Research has demonstrated the many advantages of starting your day with a hearty and healthy meal. Skipping breakfast can affect your entire day in negative ways, leaving you feeling depleted and more susceptible to illness and diseases. Here are five of the most compelling benefits of starting your day with a nutritious breakfast.
Weight Control
While it may seem counter-intuitive, nourishing your body with a hearty meal when you wake up can actually serve as a weight control mechanism. Skipping breakfast is only likely to cause you to snack throughout the morning, taking in more calories than you would have if you just ate a balanced breakfast.
The key to using breakfast as an avenue to keep your weight in check is to choose foods that keep you satiated until lunch. Good choices include high-fiber items such as oatmeal. Or try looking for the best muesli cereal so that you can enjoy a filling yet tasty meal. Be sure to add in some protein if your goal is to stay full. Eggs, yogurt, and protein bars are all good choices if this is your objective.
Delivers Energy
There is no doubt that eating a healthy breakfast will supply your body and mind with energy that it can draw on all day. After going all night without food, your body’s glycogen stores are depleted. Eating breakfast ensures that these stores are replenished.
This restoration provides energy while also boosting your resting metabolism. By skipping this meal or eating something sugary and void of nutrients, your energy levels will begin to drag. Studies have also shown that individuals who are purposeful in eating a good breakfast are more likely to be active early in the day.
Encourages Healthy Eating Throughout the Day
You will be less likely to deviate from your diet plan if you start the day with a healthy breakfast. Eating a nutritious meal before you leave for the day will send the signal to your brain that you are going to make good food choices.
For example, you will be less likely to over-indulge at lunch if you made a good choice in the morning. You can boost this effect even further if you grab a workout in the morning. It is easy to say no to that greasy hamburger and fries at lunch if you began your day with a run and a smoothie. Why would you ruin your early efforts by eating something that is not good for your health?
Boost Memory and Cognitive Function
A breakfast rich in carbohydrates provides essential nutrients for optimal brain function. You can drastically boost your memory and concentration levels if you are intentional about eating a good breakfast. Numerous studies have demonstrated that children who eat breakfast perform better at school.
Not eating a well-balanced breakfast can make normal tasks seem more challenging. In addition, the right foods can also improve your overall mood while lowering levels of stress and anxiety.
Easier to Achieve All of Your Nutritional Goals
If your goal is to deliver the right nutrients to your body, you would be wise to leverage breakfast to get you off to the best start for the day. Skipping breakfast means that you will need to find ways to incorporate all of these nutrients into the remaining two traditional meals.
Instead, use breakfast to knock out some of those major nutritional requirements. Getting in the habit of making a homemade breakfast smoothie can help you to cross off a few fruits, protein and calcium with the yogurt, and possibly even a vegetable depending on what you put into your blender. If you do not take advantage of this opportunity, you will be stressing out the rest of the day about how you are going to meet all of your nutritional targets.
While it may sound cliche, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. There simply is no good reason to skip breakfast. Once you understand how eating a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your day, you will never want to miss this meal again.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
