For years, eating breakfast has been praised as important for your health. While that might have been extremely important when most Americans made their living farming and the work was grueling physically, is it that important now? The first meal of the day does help improve cognitive performance, focus and task performance in children, so for children it's extremely important. Once the child reaches adulthood, then whether breakfast is beneficial or not is up for grabs and often a matter of personal preference.
How can you benefit from eating in the morning.
Eating in the morning is also beneficial for adults, specifically, those that workout in the morning. It's also important for anyone that has a chronic health condition, particularly diabetes. You don't have to load your plate like a lumberjack or eat a farmhouse breakfast, but eating some carbs and protein will help keep you full and provide energy for the rest of the day. It's an opportunity to eat a serving of fruit and even some veggies in some cases.
Studies show that intermittent fasting can provide many benefits.
What is intermittent fasting and what does it have to do with breakfast? Intermittent fasting can be fasting for a day and eating other days, but it's also eating between certain hours and not eating the rest of the time. In many cases, an 8/16 option is chosen, where you eat between the hours of 11 am and 7 pm and don't eat from 7 pm to 11 am. That pretty much knocks breakfast out of the picture, yet studies show it's a very healthy way to eat that can keep your body younger, even at a cellular level. Some people actually eat this way normally.
Eat a good breakfast to be healthier or NOT?
While studies do show that intermittent fasting can make you healthier, they also show that eating a healthy breakfast does the same. How can that be? Which is it? They both can be true. Some people simply aren't breakfast people, but if they eat healthy at other times and cut out late night snacking, they'll benefit. Others who eat a healthy breakfast are also getting good nutrition. Some studies show that people who eat breakfast have lower LDL---bad cholesterol.
- If you want to lose weight, it's more important to pay attention to your hunger pangs and plan around them. Don't eat if there aren't any. Eating mindfully and knowing when you're hungry is important.
- Some typical "breakfast" style foods, like oatmeal, provide many health benefits for the heart, it could be the type of breakfast food you choose. Oatmeal, for instance, is heart healthy.
- Skipping breakfast can cause you to be ravenous mid-morning. If you get hungry mid-morning, be ready with a healthy snack. Have fruit, nuts or seeds ready in your desk for a quick healthy snack.
- Eating breakfast gives you one more opportunity to get all the nutrients your body needs. You can increase your vegetable intake by making scrambles with loads of fresh veggies.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness
