Medical Keywords - Everything you need to know about health.

Breakfast, the Healthy Start to Your Day

Many individuals have heard the saying, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Even though we've all heard the saying, how many of us believe it? How important is breakfast, really?

Breakfast is the first meal after many hours of fasting (while you sleep). Your body is depleted of fuel (food) and is craving the nutrients that it needs for cell growth and repair. The biggest meal of the day should be when you have the most time to burn off the calories taken in at that meal. Breakfast gets its name from the breaking of the long fast that our bodies go through while we sleep at night. Because we are sleeping for a long time our bodies do not need to be exerting energy so the metabolism slows down and our blood sugar drops by the time we wake in the morning. When you eat a healthy breakfast it ends that long fasting period and allows your body to speed up the metabolism, which in turn boosts your energy level. You now have the energy you need for the day ahead. Without breakfast, your body thinks it is still fasting and the metabolism will slow to help your body through these periods of starvation that it thinks it is in.

Those individuals who are dieting to lose weight may decide to skip breakfast, and this skipping out on the calories breakfast would normally consume. Unfortunately what really happens when you skip breakfast is that the "fast" from overnight continues and your metabolism that is slowed (as we discussed previously) is not going to burn very many calories as you go about your normal activities. Once you start eating again, this stops the fasting state that your body is on, and then your metabolism can start back up again, burning calories from the food that you eat from that point on.

When you eat breakfast, research shows that your body's production of leptin, which is a hormone, suppresses appetite and you feel full. Those who eat breakfast feel full until lunchtime. Because they do not get hungry in-between breakfast and lunch they don't snack or graze eat, which adds extra calories.

Those who do not eat breakfast are often irritable, restless and tired. Kids who eat breakfast have more energy, they tend to do better in school, and eat healthier throughout the day, probably because of good habits that start at breakfast.

After sleeping all night your blood sugar level will be low. Skipping breakfast means that your body will not be able to rise that blood sugar level and then you try to participate in activities like running, participating in school sports and wonder why you feel sluggish and unable to concentrate in class?

Starting the day with a healthy breakfast gives your body the fuel that it needs to kick start your metabolism and keep your alert and able to concentrate.

Even those who dislike eating first thing in the morning can drink a glass of pure, unsweetened fruit juice, and some yogurt or a piece of whole wheat toast and peanut butter.

Ideal breakfasts are those that include something from all the food groups such as:

Low-calorie high fiber cereal with sliced banana or strawberries, a cup of yogurt, slice of lean bacon and hashed brown potatoes.

Eggs are an excellent food and should be a part of several breakfasts each week. Eggs are a compact powerhouse of nutrients and low on calories. They can be prepared several ways including poached, boiled, or scrambled. They can be put on an English muffin, or mixed with cheese or pieces of turkey and vegetables for a wonderful omelet.