Hit the snooze button once more, then race around in the morning to leave on time, forgetting breakfast? It happens all to often, and although you may get to where you need to be on time, your metabolism won't!
Breakfast, we all know the saying that it’s the most important meal of the day, and yet we put so little emphasis on it, we skimp on breakfast so we can have more time, yet in reality we are only cheating ourselves. When you skip breakfast, you are likely to become tired when your brain and body run low on fuel. By mid-morning, you might grab a cup of coffee or turn to a sugary snack to feel awake again. By lunchtime you are hungry, possibly grumpy, super busy and more likely to grab what ever you can for lunch (not necessarily the healthiest option). Let’s have a look at why breakfast is so important.
The word breakfast, when you break it down, literally translates to break-the-fast. Your body has been sleeping for a good 6-8 hours, which generally means it hasn’t received any food for fuel for a 8-10 hours. Your glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose) will be depleted. Glucose is the body’s energy source and is broken down and absorbed from the carbohydrates we consume. When the glucose levels drop in the body, the body compensates by releasing glucose that has been stored in muscle tissue and liver, called glycogen. Once all the energy from the glycogen stored is used up, the body breaks down fatty acids to produce energy. Without carbohydrates, fatty acids are only partially oxidized, which can reduce energy levels.
Starving the body through missing breakfast is one of the worst ways to keep the body at an optimum fat burning level. The metabolic rate will decrease rapidly because the body is under attack. The body cannot survive without sufficient calories. The skin, muscles, and internal organs may suffer over time. When the body is deprived of optimum calories, it may dip into lean muscle mass to give out energy. This reduces the metabolism further. Lean muscle tissue is important. The more lean tissue there is in the body the higher the metabolism.
Many people believe by missing breakfast they will lose weight. Over the long term, they may in fact gain weight due to a sluggish metabolism. The body burns up to 10% of calories per day through dietary thermogenesis. Another great thing about starting the day with breakfast, the body will let you know when it is hungry. However, by ensuring that you are eating a good breakfast comprising of complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber, you will feel full for longer and be able to resist high caloric mid morning snacks! Furthermore, eating breakfast improves your thinking ability and keeps your mental performance high, by providing your brain fuel to enhance problem solving & memory retention.
Unfortunately most cereals & popular breakfast choices are high in refined carbohydrates and sugar. This is not a great choice, as it will give you a quick spike in glucose, followed by a large drop, then leave you hungry again. By consuming sugary breakfast choices, you can increase your body’s insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain.
Informed breakfast choices provide a significant proportion of the day's total nutrient intake and offers the opportunity to eat foods fortified with nutrients such as foliate, iron, vitamins and fiber. No matter what you choose, eating breakfast gives you body and your brain the energy they need to carry you through the day. Be good to yourself and eat breakfast, as it will make you feel much better throughout the day.
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