Why is breakfast important for all-day energy and alertness?

Breakfast is essential for both macronutrient and micronutrient intake. Make eating breakfast a daily habit for greater nutrition and wellness.

Breakfast is the essential meal of the day, with several advantages. A nutritious breakfast offers energy to the body, aids in weight maintenance by reducing the need to eat before lunch, helps to regulate blood glucose levels, meets a portion of the daily dietary requirement, and so on.

Many studies have indicated that skipping breakfast might have negative health repercussions. Skipping breakfast is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. A meta-analysis published in 2020 revealed that missing breakfast increases the chance of becoming overweight or obese. The meta-analysis found no significant differences in ages, genders, locations, or economic situations.

Breakfast consumption is likely even more critical for children, who are in their formative years and require appropriate nutrition for their physical and mental growth. Children who skip breakfast may become fatigued, restless, or irritated. Their bodies require refueling in the morning for the day ahead. If they do not eat a sufficient and healthy breakfast, their mood and energy levels might plummet by mid-morning. Breakfast may also help youngsters maintain a healthy weight.

Morning carbohydrate consumption is critical since it supplies fuel to the body and brain in the morning. Moving the majority of calories and carbs to the day appears to be a potential treatment strategy for improving postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. According to a study published in 2021, a high-energy breakfast has resetting and synchronizing effects on circadian clock gene expression, increasing glucose metabolism, postprandial hyperglycemia excursions, and weight reduction in type 2 diabetes.

Diets high in dietary fiber and whole grains are associated with positive effects on metabolic health, whereas diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are associated with negative effects on cardiometabolic health, emphasizing the importance of including fiber-rich foods and whole grains in breakfast and other meals.

Together with carbs, an excellent quality protein is crucial for hunger regulation and energy balance. Lower glycemic load meals and higher protein intake at breakfast have been linked to increased energy levels. The mix of cereals and pulses/dals in a vegetarian breakfast delivers excellent protein.

Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are also involved in the process of turning food into energy and guaranteeing brain function. A sufficient quantity of B vitamins is essential for the proper functioning of the energy-producing system. A deficiency in any of them may restrict energy generation, possibly with severe metabolic and health repercussions. Breakfast contributed considerably to daily micronutrient intake, according to an Irish food consumption study, contributing on average 24% of dietary fiber, 32% iron, 30% calcium, 32% folate, and 37% riboflavin. Breakfast consumers had a greater mineral intake of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iodine than breakfast skippers, according to a peer-reviewed systematic study done in February 2020. Ready-to-eat cereal consumers had higher consumption of B vitamins and significantly higher vitamin C intake than breakfast skippers.

Nutritious Breakfast is –

• Ready-to-eat cereal + milk + fresh/dry fruit
• Muesli + curd/milk
• Oats/Ragi porridge with fresh/dry fruits
• Idli/Dosa/upma + sambar
• Stuffed vegetable Paratha + dahi
• Vegetable Poha + buttermilk
• Whole wheat bread + egg

Breakfast is essential for both macronutrient and micronutrient intake. Make eating breakfast a daily habit for greater nutrition and wellness!