While breakfast often gets touted as the most important meal of the day, there isn’t really strong science behind the claim. While we are discouraged from skipping breakfast – by nutrition experts and our grandma – it’s really the idea of skipping any meal that is a potential problem.
“If you’re skipping breakfast to reduce your caloric intake, you’re actually depriving your body of energy it needs,” says Michael Slomba, RD, LDN, with Carolinas HealthCare System. “It’s what you put in your mouth that really matters. Eat a breakfast rich in protein. It helps reduce cravings and hunger so you can have more control over your appetite throughout the day.” While it’s important to stay within your recommended number of calories each day, it’s equally important to distribute those calories throughout the day. “People who skip breakfast – or any meal, really – likely will do one of two things: Eat more food than usual at the next meal, or nibble on high-calorie snacks to fend off hunger,” says Richard Harsch, MD, with Cabarrus Family Medicine-Prosperity Crossing, part of Carolinas HealthCare System.Breakfast Bonuses
Eating breakfast can help improve productivity, problem-solving skills and memory.
Eat breakfast for sustained energy. To avoid the mid-morning energy slump, try to eat something – even if it’s just a banana or some toast.
Smoothies prepared ahead ensure you don’t have to skip breakfast. Just chop your favorite fruit and put it in re-sealable sandwich bags with other ingredients, such as flaxseeds or protein powder. Seal it, freeze it, then blend it together with some OJ or milk, yogurt and ice.
You’ve fried eggs and you’ve scrambled them, but have you “frambled” them? Melt a little butter in a pan, crack the eggs in and loosely mix together the yolks and whites with a wooden spoon. You’ll get a mix of color and texture, and it cooks up fast.
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