Breakfast. It’s essential to kick start the day and a proper breakfast provides the nutrients and energy the body needs to begin its daily activities as it replenishes the fuel reserves that have been used over night.
While we sleep, the body keeps working to maintain its vital functions such as a steady body temperature, breathing and blood circulation. As there is no food intake during the night, the body needs to use the energy reserves in order to achieve these goals. When we wake up, it’s important to refill those reserves with quality nutrients, in order to be able to successfully repeat the same process again every night but also to avoid any metabolic disturbance that may occur if the fasting is extended for many more hours.
There is a direct link between a proper breakfast and increased morning performance. Studying, working or exercising are activities that depend on sufficient nutrition. There are usually a few hours between meals during the day, but the overnight gap between dinner and breakfast is normally 10-12 hours, which is why it is so important to ensure a proper intake of energy and nutrients in the morning.
Through research and several studies the benefits of having a good breakfast are indicated as:
– Increased efficiency and productivity on an adults working performance.
– Better performance in morning physical activities.
– Better weight management. Further research shows people who don’t have breakfast tend to snack during the morning and get more caloric meals during the day.
– Sets up a healthy food habit.
A regular breakfast is also said to influence the mood and mental efficiency, because it improves concentration and memory, which significantly helps children with learning activities at school.
What is a “good” breakfast?
It is ideal to include, at least, something from each of the following groups:
Dairy: milk or yogurt, preferably low fat. The dairy provides high quality proteins, calcium and vitamin D. These are all important nutrients forbone health, at all ages.
Carbohydrates: Bread or breakfast cereals (preferably whole-wheat). They mainly deliver energy but also fibre (when they are whole wheat), vitamins and minerals.
Fruits: Whole fruits or natural juices. They provide vitamins (usually A and C), fibre, antioxidants and sugar. The fibre from the fruits – whose content is much larger when consuming the whole fruit rather than just the juice – helps the intestines and digestive health.
It is always good to make the choices based on your own preferences, thus you will enjoy your very first and important day meal and it will be easy to maintain the habit in the long term.
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