Want to Feel 12.3% Healthier? Eat This Meal Every Day

I’d be willing to bet that just about every parent has said this to a child at one time or another. “Eat your breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.” 

It’s said to kids sitting at the table, picking at their food until it’s time to leave for school. And it’s said to kids running out the door to catch the school bus without even having stopped at the breakfast table. 

But is it really the most important meal you eat during the course of a day? There are some serious arguments in favor of it. All of which would mean even more in an emergency situation.

According to Massive Health’s Eatery iPhone app, people who eat breakfast feel 12.3% healthier throughout the day than those who don’t. And those who skip breakfast eat 6.8% more food throughout the day. Including 4.9% more food at lunch.

The why behind the claim

Why would breakfast be the most important meal of the day? For one thing, you’ve probably gone at least eight hours without eating by the time breakfast rolls around. Thanks to the much-needed sleep you just gained. 

For another, you’re about to launch into your day. Whether it’s work or whatever project is on your agenda.

How physically effective you are in what you do could be partially dependent on how fueled up your body is. 

Finally, you probably need your brain to be working at its peak when you reach your morning destination. Food can go a long way to making sure your mind won’t let you down. 

Garbage in, garbage out 

But what you eat for breakfast is at least as important as the fact that you make time for this first meal of the day. 

If all you allow time for is shoving a couple of donuts and an expresso down your throat, you might feel wide awake for a couple of hours. But you’ll be headed for a crash, both physically and mentally.  

Most doctors will tell you that eating a nutritious breakfast every day is crucial to staying healthy. As well as maintaining strength and protecting your immune system.

Work can be stressful sometimes. When we produce stress hormones, health issues can follow. But if we’ve already eaten a healthy breakfast, our bodies and minds will function better under that stress.

Breakfast benefits

A good, solid breakfast can give us…

• More focus. Breakfast helps concentration, memory, and overall cognitive function.

• Improved performance. Your body will function better and recover faster following a good breakfast. Carbs provide you with energy. Fiber helps with digestion. Amino acids in protein keep you strong. 

• Immune system support. Breakfast foods, especially eggs and citrus fruits, fortify your immune system. And even fight infection. 

Missing breakfast, especially frequently, can cause health problems. Eric Rimm is an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He said, “It’s a really simple message. Breakfast is an important meal.”

What are the breakfast foods that best combine nutrition and good taste? For many Americans, they are eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, potatoes, juice, and milk. So, get fueled up properly in the morning – every morning – and see if it makes a difference in your physical and mental health.

Why it’s worth it 

Following are 9 reasons why you should make the effort to eat a nutritious breakfast every day. It will… 

• Boost your metabolism. 

• Help keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day 

• Reduce the risk for overeating later in the day

• Improve your concentration and productivity

• Give you more energy to enable you to be more physically active

• Keep you in a better mood 

• Help you maintain a healthy weight

It could also help give you a better memory and help you avoid health problems. 

So, don’t skip the most important meal of the day. Your body and mind will thank you.