We have all heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But let’s be honest, how many of you have the time and the desire to actually prepare healthy breakfast and sit down and eat early in the morning?
Unfortunately, many people skip breakfast all together, and just substitute it with a coffee or another warm beverage.
But the truth is that eating breakfast can make you healthier, fitter and much more productive throughout the day.
First of all, the human body needs nutrition and fuel following a night of sleep and no eating. In fact, the name breakfast comes from the term “breaking the fast”.
The body needs fuel to function, and according to nutritional experts, the breakfast should provide 20-35 percent of the guideline daily allowance. Vitamins, minerals and fibers are essential for the proper functioning of the human organism, which is why you should be eating fruits or freshly squeezed fruit or veggie juices in the morning. Combine them with some low fat unsweetened yogurt and some whole grain bread toast, and there is you perfect breakfast!
Eating breakfast also helps reduce the craving for unhealthy snacks later on in the morning, which often is the case when one chooses to skip their nice and well-balanced breakfast and go to work or to school hungry. Naturally, to have this effect, the breakfast must be healthy and well-balanced, rather than made up of sweets or fast food.
A good breakfast also helps the balancing and restoring of the glucose levels in the body, which is essential for proper brain functioning, so do not forget that breakfast is important for proper brain functioning and concentration as well. (However, too much glucose can be dangerous.)
Also, it kick-starts the normal metabolism of the body and helps keep the blood sugar and glucose levels normal in between meals and throughout the day. This is especially true for children who are advised to eat healthy breakfast before school in order to improve their attention span, concentration and overall learning skills.
As a whole, eating a healthy breakfast regularly can help reduce risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.
Worryingly, according to some recent studies, nearly 30% of adults and 20% of the children in the US regularly skip breakfast mostly because of lack of time. There is an easy solution to this problem, such as: preparing something from the night before, refrigerating oatmeal, fresh fruit juices or smoothies, or simply stock up on bananas, raw nuts, whole grain bread and other easy to make and eat ingredients of a healthy and balanced breakfast.
