A very well-known phrase goes like this “Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like a

Pauper.” Let’s see why a good breakfast is so important for us. Needless to say, breakfast is undoubtedly the
most important meal of our entire day. Some people have this misconception that skipping breakfast will help
them in losing weight. As a result, they skip the most important meal of their day and then indulge in binge
eating later in the day when they feel extremely hungry. However, the truth is that not having proper and
healthy breakfast can backfire in the longer run and cause adverse effects on our body and mind. Without
wasting much time, let us learn about the real importance of breakfast.

The first and foremost thing about breakfast is that it provides our body with the much- needed fuel and energy
after an overnight of fasting. This is exactly why this meal is known as Breakfast i.e. breaking the fast. If an
individual is skipping his/ her breakfast, they are clearly trying to kick start their day without any fuel. Imagine
this as starting your car every morning without any petrol in it. Generally, it is said that breakfast should be
consumed within two hours of waking up. Not only this, food that we consume as a part of our breakfast is
also the first source of calcium, iron and Vitamin B that our body gets. Some very crucial proteins, fiber and
nutrients are also supplied to our body when we consume breakfast properly and within a time frame of 2-3
hours after waking up. Studies have proven that people who skip breakfast not only fall short of all these
nutrients, vitamins and fiber; rather it is also impossible for them to compensate for this loss irrespective of the
fact that they may be consuming very healthy food later in the day.

A very good source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are considered to be a prominent part of
our breakfast. It is evidently observed that people who consume fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of their
breakfast are less likely to gain weight. On the other hand, breakfast skippers tend to nibble on snacks and junk
food; hence putting on more weight and leading an unhealthy lifestyle. Ideally, it is said that consuming a
banana or a glass of fresh juice is also of great use for the human mind and body.

Breakfast is known for restoring the level of glucose in our body and it is a well- known fact that carbohydrate
(a type of glucose) is very crucial for the proper functioning of our brain. It also helps in improving our
memory and concentration levels. Last but not the least, breakfast is known for relieving stress and improving
our overall health.

Long term effects of breakfast also include the inculcation of family values as it is usually consumed with the
entire family sitting together. This is what makes it necessary for kids to be taught about the importance of
breakfast starting from a very young age.
breakfast may be known as the most important meal of the day, but in many families,

children are used to starting the day without the morning meal. In fact, up to 30 percent of

children ages 8 to 13 don't eat breakfast every day, reports the University of Florida.

Making sure your kids eat a daily breakfast is one of the simplest ways to improve their

health, behavior and school performance. Health

In an era when childhood obesity is a rapidly growing problem, a regular

breakfast may be part of the solution. Kids who eat breakfast are less likely to be

overweight; this may be due to the fact that people who skip meals usually eat

more calories the rest of the day. Breakfast also gives kids an opportunity to take

in essential nutrients; fewer meals means fewer chances to get the many vitamins

and minerals their bodies need. That's why it's not just eating breakfast that

counts, but making the most of the meal by choosing nutrient-rich foods.

Behavior and Performance

Breakfast doesn't just fill the stomach, it can also help children improve their academic
performance. Kids who eat breakfast have higher test scores, superior concentration
and better muscle coordination, and they're less likely to miss classes or report to
school late, according to the University of Florida. Breakfast eaters also tend to exhibit
better classroom behavior, and perform better in certain subjects like math, reports Dr.
Ronald E. Kleinman, chief of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Boston's
Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

Creating Healthy Habits

An occasional skipped breakfast is nothing to be concerned about, but kids of all ages
should be in the habit of eating before starting the day. One of the best ways to
establish a breakfast habit is for families to sit down together at the breakfast table
every morning. Children who see their parents eating and enjoying breakfast are more
likely to do the same, according to the University of Florida. Involving your kids in the
food shopping and meal preparation can also create more interest in breakfast,
especially if you allow them the freedom to choose some of their own foods.

Breakfast Ideas

If your children complain about not enjoying breakfast, or they're easily bored with the
morning meal, offer different breakfast options or change up the menu from week to
week. If the whole family is in a breakfast rut, remember that the meal doesn't have to
include typical breakfast foods like eggs, cereal or waffles. Healthy and filling are the
only real requirements, so try serving a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat
bread, a bean, egg and cheese burrito, egg salad on toast, pasta with sauteed
vegetables or even leftovers from last night's dinner.

During a busy morning, it's easy to let breakfast fall low in your list of priorities, but taking just
a few minutes to have something to eat can really make a difference to your day. If you don't
have time to eat before leaving the house, we have lots of breakfast ideas that can be eaten on-
the-go or when you get to work.
 Breakfast provides many benefits to
our health and wellbeing

Breakfast provides the body and brain

with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without
breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

Nutritionists advise:

 breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking

 a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily
allowance (GDA).
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 fibre. 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 or glass of
fruit juice.

Breakfast can be good for waistline too, research shows 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.
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, behaviour and has been linked to improved
grades. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at it's best!

Energy needs
People's energy needs vary depending on activity levels and life stage but typically men require
more energy than women. Growing children require a lot of energy, as an example boys aged 7-
10yrs should consume approx. 1970 kcals per day, and girls aged 7-10yrs should consume
approx. 1740 kcals. For adults, men require approx. 2500 kcals and women approx. 2000 kcals
per day.

Long term health

EATING BREAKFAST HAS LONG TERM HEALTH BENEFITS. IT CAN REDUCE

OBESITY, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES.

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

Breakfast is an excellent occasion to eat together as a family when possible. Establishing good
breakfast habits in childhood and maintaining them throughout adolescence may be an important
factor in reducing the prevalence of breakfast skipping and developing good eating habits that
last a lifetime.

So, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day

The wise saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has been spoken by countless
moms throughout the ages. It has been whispered in the ears of school children on early-to-rise
mornings for centuries, yet the depth of understanding as to why breakfast is so important has
only been brought to light in recent years. The side effects of not eating breakfast negatively
impact weight, hormonal health, memory, cognition and mood.

Obesity

Obesity and its ensuing complications -- such as diabetes, infertility and heart disease -- are some
of the biggest concerns of the 21st century. Skipping breakfast may increase your risk of obesity
or make it harder to lose weight. The Weight-control Information Network reports that if you eat
breakfast you are less likely to overeat throughout the rest of the day. Since you fast overnight
while sleeping, forgoing breakfast adds to this fasting period and may disrupt blood sugar
balance and insulin output. Skipping breakfast may also trigger bad eating habits throughout the
day, as cravings ensue and quick-fix fast foods are often sought out. Furthermore, eating
breakfast boosts your metabolism and increases your energy throughout the day. A study in the
August 2013 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition" reports that when you do not eat
breakfast, your energy is reduced and physical activity levels decline.

Side Effects of Not Eating Breakfast

by DR. SHAVON JACKSON-MICHEL, ND Last Updated: Aug 14, 2017

 https://www.livestrong.com/article/292033-side-effects-of-not-eating-breakfast/

Menstrual Irregularities

Skipping breakfast is often a common occurrence in the lives of college students running late for
class. An August 2010 survey study, published in the journal “Appetite,” notes that female
college students who consistently skipped breakfast had more menstrual irregularities. These
dysfunctions included the severity of painful menses and irregular menstrual bleeds. No
difference was found in premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, symptoms, but the breakfast skippers
also suffered more consistently from constipation. Women of college age are still undergoing
what the article called “post-adolescent maturation,” and skipping breakfast negatively impacts
this growing stage.

Lowered Cognition

Healthy eating initiatives across the nation have advocated for children eating breakfast before
school. In fact, many schools open early to serve breakfast for children who may not be served
this important meal at home for whatever reason. A Centers for Disease Control report on
guidelines for school health programs states that skipping breakfast negatively impacts a school-
aged child's ability to effectively problem-solve. Students who consumed breakfast tested higher
in standardized test scores, were absent less from school and were more on time to class.

Bad Mood

A large percentage of the population is self-categorized as "moody morning people." A moody

temperament is noted to improve when breakfast is consumed, according to a 2002 BBC News
World Edition article. The article survey noted that 26 percent of people experienced large
improvements in mood when changes were made in diet, such as consuming breakfast regularly.

Physical Side Effects

Not eating breakfast increases your risk of hypoglycemia or low-blood sugar. This condition can
bring on physical symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, weakness, headaches, tingling and a
rapid heart rate, according to the National Institutes of Health.

This is your body on breakfast

Findings from a study called the Bath Breakfast Project at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom illustrate the
effect that morning meals have on glucose balance. (See infographic below.) Researchers asked a group of subjects
to eat 700 or more calories by 11 a.m. and another to fast until after noon. Both groups could eat whenever and
whatever they wanted the rest of the day. Blood sugar was monitored every 5 minutes.

Although the two groups ate similarly after noon, the breakfast skippers had bigger spikes and drops in glucose
levels. The breakfast eaters improved their insulin sensitivity—the body’s response to rises in glucose—by
10 percent. “Eating breakfast seems to have a ‘second-meal effect,’ says James Betts, Ph.D., the lead researcher
and a senior lecturer in nutrition and metabolism. “It primes your metabolism to maintain stable blood sugar levels
after subsequent meals.”
5 good reasons to eat in the morning

Photo: Ted Morrison

1. It may protect your heart

In a recent study that involved almost 27,000 men, researchers found that those who didn’t eat a morning meal were
27 percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who did. “Our research indicates that people who skip
breakfast gain weight, which can lead to diabetes as well as high cholesterol and blood pressure—all of which can
raise your risk of heart disease,” Rimm notes. The reason isn’t entirely known, but he says that breakfast skippers
tend to overeat at other meals and snack excessively throughout the day.
2. It might lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
A morning meal may help you avoid fluctuating glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes. A study of almost 30,000
men found that not eating breakfast raised the risk by 21 percent, even after taking into account their body mass,
what they ate, and other factors. In a study of women, those under age 65 who skipped breakfast even just a few
times per week were 28 percent more likely to develop diabetes than women who ate it regularly. And if you’re in the
habit of dashing out the door for work in the morning with only a cup of coffee, take note: Women in the study who
worked full-time had a greater risk than those who worked part-time, the researchers noted, possibly because job
stress has been found to raise glucose levels.

3. It gets you moving

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), people who ate breakfast were more
physically active during the morning than those who didn’t. That might be because a temporary increase in blood
sugar gave them more energy. It’s interesting to note that those who ate a morning meal consumed more calories
over the course of the day than the breakfast skippers—but they didn’t gain weight because they were more active.

4. It might give you a mental edge

Research involving adults and children has indicated that breakfast might enhance memory, attention, the speed of
processing information, reasoning, creativity, learning, and verbal abilities. Scientists at the University of Milan in Italy
reviewed 15 studies and found some evidence that those benefits might be a function of the stable glucose levels that
a morning meal provides.

5. It just might keep your weight down

Although more than 100 studies have linked eating breakfast with a reduced risk of obesity, researchers point out that
those studies are merely observational and thus don’t prove that the meal keeps you from gaining weight. More solid
evidence comes from randomized controlled trials. One study of that type, published in the journal Obesity, found that
overweight people who were dieting and ate more calories for breakfast than dinner lost more weight compared with
subjects who ate larger evening meals. But other trials have been inconclusive. A study published in AJCN found that
eating or skipping breakfast had no effect on weight loss, although it may have been too small to be meaningful.

Editor's Note:

This article also appeared in the October 2014 issue of Consumer Reports magazine

Why eating the right breakfast is so important

Skipping the morning meal could lead to overeating later in the day
Last updated: August 26, 2015 06:00 AM

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/10/why-eating-the-right-breakfast-is-so-
important/index.htm
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Breakfast is important
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Breakfast: The most important meal of the day?

Author links open overlay panel CharlesSpence
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Benefits of Students Eating Breakfast

by KRISTEN FISHER Last Updated: Oct 03, 2017

https://www.livestrong.com/article/466795-benefits-of-eating-breakfast-for-students/

Defining Nutritious Breakfasts and Their Benefits

Johanna Dwyer, DSc, RD December 2014Volume 114, Issue 12, Supplement, Pages S5–S7

http://jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(14)01502-0/abstract

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Why is breakfast important for students?

https://www.redcross.org.au/getmedia/f7b6f98a-e338-4734-ba14-40199f07945b/fact-sheet-4-2.pdf.aspx