Eat a good breakfast every day – this is something that our parents and grandparents told us, and something we learned in school as well: that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Then, Later the weight loss industry also told us that we must eat a good breakfast if we wanted to lose weight. Later, researchers told us that breakfast is not so important and it will not help us lose weight. So, is breakfast important? Is it the most important meal of the day?
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a commoner and dine like a pauper, goes the old adage. A lot of older people absolutely believe in this and will urge younger people to partake of the parantha and the ghee, eggs, breakfast meats and so on.
It’s in the word – break and fast – you haven’t eaten for the past 8 to 10 hours (even more for people who eat dinner early) and the body probably needs nourishment. So it sounds as though giving it that nourishment is a good idea because that could give the body energy for the day ahead.
Staring the day with something filling and nutritious gives us energy and helps us remain alert and productive, is the received wisdom. However, calories do not mean nutrition. Something like this doesn’t constitute nutrition, neither is yesterday’s leftover pizza going to give the body the sort of nutrition it needs.
According to one view, eating a good breakfast ‘helps kick start the metabolism’ so that the body doesn’t feel ravenous later in the day. This would prevent overeating during other meals holds this view. So for someone trying to restrict calories for weight loss, a good breakfast could mean better adherence to a diet, they say.
Many of us get cranky and crabby if we skip breakfast – that’s just hunger. Eat when hungry is a good rule of thumb to follow. Breakfast is certainly important for kids. Not only do they need the calories after a long night’s sleep, breakfast also enhances their mood. Even if kids don’t seem too enthusiastic about breakfast, it is an important meal for them.
This isn't a one size fits all kind of deal. A lot of people simply have to have breakfast otherwise they are sleepy and/or cranky and/or low energy. However a lot of people seem to manage perfectly well without it and enjoy an early lunch instead.
Researchers have found that breakfast isn't as useful in helping people lose weight as earlier thought. What we have for breakfast is also important say the studies – a protein rich breakfast that offers sustained energy release is better than something high carbs and sugar.
Some people are seen to fare well on no breakfast or a small breakfast while others thrive on a hearty morning meal. The important thing is to make your own assessment about whether or not breakfast is the most important meal, based on your body type and lifestyle.
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