So What About Breakfast?
By Rachel Carver
Did your parents tell you breakfast is the most important meal of the day when you were young? Do you find yourself repeating this to your own kids? There's a reason for that.
Marketing campaigns that began in the nineteenth century touted breakfast as the most important meal of the day to promote cereal. Cereals were introduced as lighter alternatives to eggs and meat breakfast items. The campaigns positioned breakfast as a must-have every day. The message can be sited by most of us in this modern era.
Some Facts Behind the Message
The way breakfast has been positioned has some merit. Breakfast -- as the name suggests -- ends (or breaks) the overnight fasting period. Our bodies use energy for growth and repair while we sleep. The body and brain can only go so long without food, or glucose.
Everyone is different. Some people are hungry as soon as they wake up. Others might skip the entire meal, especially if they are following a fasting schedule. The verdict is still out on whether or not eating breakfast is effective, as long as you are following your health goals.
Is One Meal More Important?
Saying that breakfast is the most important meal implies lunch and dinner or not as significant. However, consuming a healthy breakfast does not mean you can fall off the rails for the rest of the day. And all of your meals need some nutrition.
Instead of prioritizing one meal, view all three meals the same way. Plan your foods throughout the entire day. Learn your own hunger and fullness cues. This might mean you eat breakfast as soon as you get up. Others might grab something when they arrive at the office after a morning workout.
Balance Your Food
Whether you eat breakfast or skip it, it's important to balance your food. Balanced meals give us energy and help us function at our best all day.
Irregular meals can decrease energy, causing fatigue and irritability. Not eating enough can also negatively impact our immune system. Try to fill each meal with lean protein, fiber-rich or complex carbohydrates from grains, fruits or vegetables, and healthy fats.
The Bottom Line
All meals are important. And we need to properly fuel our bodies throughout the day to avoid blood sugar drops and spikes. Listen to your body. It is normal to be hungry at different times of the day than your family members. Fill your body with nutritious foods on a schedule that works for you.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Taylorsville, Utah.