Ask the Chiropractor: Why is Breakfast so Important to Health?

by Oasis Wellness Partners on January 21, 2020      

We know you have heard it again and again, but it is true: Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day! Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast. Without breakfast, you are running on fumes, or hormones, from the night before. While some people might think this is healthy, or helpful, for weight loss, it actually is not. Read on to learn why breakfast is so important in maintaining health and weight loss.

Feed Yourself

Nutritionists say that breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking up in the morning to keep blood sugar levels steady after a night of fasting. Optimally, a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance.

Why so many calories so early in the day you might ask? Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fiber. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana and greens or a smoothie.

Some good healthy breakfasts are egg scrambles with spinach or broccoli, oatmeal with toasted nuts, almond milk, and just a hint of butter and maple syrup. Also, avocado toast can be a yummy, fiber-full and healthy fats way to start the day. What are your favorite breakfasts?

Cognitive Function

Breakfast also restores glucose levels, an essential carbohydrate that is needed for the brain to function. Many studies have shown how eating breakfast can improve memory and concentration levels and it can also make us happier as it can improve mood and lower stress levels. In studies amongst children, breakfast can improve attainment, behavior and has been linked to improved performance in school. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at its best!

Energy Needs

Breakfast can be good for your waistline too. Research shows that those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be within their ideal weight range compared with breakfast skippers. If you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning because your blood sugar levels are dipping fast.

Long Term Health Goals

Eating breakfast keeps blood sugar levels stable, weight levels stable, provides your brain and body with the energy boost it needs after a night of sleep, and can improve mood. Also, breakfast can be a time to eat together as a family and become an important ritual, or it can be sacred time to be by yourself. That’s up to you!

Establishing good breakfast habits in childhood and maintaining them throughout adolescence may be an important factor in developing good eating habits that last a lifetime. But it is never too late! Even a piece of toast with almond butter, oatmeal, or fruit can be a nice way to start to transition the body into burning energy to keep weight stable.

We Can Help You Achieve Better Health in Scarborough, Maine

If you are hoping to eat better or need tips as to how to implement eating a healthy breakfast, give us a call to set up an appointment with the Doctors for an overall wellness intake at our Scarborough office: (207) 883-5549.

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