Not many people realize it but eating breakfast is the secret to staying healthy. No matter how busy you are, it’s important to fuel your body so that you can have energy throughout the day. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. So don’t overlook this important meal. Select healthy options that fit your taste and lifestyle.

The benefits of a healthy breakfast are:

Jumpstart your metabolism from the overnight fast:

Breakfast is considered an important meal because it breaks the overnight fasting periods and replenishes your supply of glucose. Glucose is your body’s energy source and is broken down and absorbed from the carbohydrates you eat. In the morning, after you have gone without food for as long as 12 hours, your glucose levels drop. When this happens, your body compensates by releasing the glucose that has been stored in your muscle tissue and liver, called glycogen. Once all the energy from the glycogen stored is used up, the body breaks down fatty acids to produce energy. Without carbohydrates, fatty acids are only partially oxidized, which can cause reduced energy levels.

Works towards weight loss:

After 12 hours of sleep your body has been fasting overnight, and in the morning you are almost in the first stages of starvation. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in ‘starvation’ mode, while eating a good meal will give your metabolism a boost. If you’re trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is keep your metabolism at this lowered state. Eating a healthy breakfast will increase your fat burning ability. Breakfast, therefore, can boost your energy levels as well as your metabolism for the day.

Increase your essential nutrients and overall energy levels:

Breakfast provides a significant proportion of the day’s total nutrient intake and offers the opportunity to eat foods fortified with nutrients such as foliate, iron, vitamins and fiber. Essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can only be gained from food.

Give you brain fuel to enhance concentration:

Eating breakfast improves your thinking ability and keeps you at top mental performance. It provides your brain with fuel to enhance problem solving and memory retention.

Beat the binges:

Eating a good breakfast will keep you from getting too hungry, which will help prevent you from over eating later in the day. Breakfast eaters are able to better resist fatty and high caloric foods throughout the day. If you skip breakfast, you will tend to nibble on snacks during the mid-morning and turn to coffee for an energy boost.

So what does a Healthy Breakfast comprise of?

A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods. It should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Protein can come from eggs, beans, or soy. Fiber and carbohydrates can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something like a boiled egg, an orange, and / or a bowl of whole grain cereal with trim milk and low fat acidopholous yoghurt. Or make your own smoothie using a banana as a base and adding whatever other fruit you want with yoghurt and ice cubes to a blender. Delicious!

No matter what you choose, eating breakfast gives you body and your brain the energy they need to carry you through the day. Be good to yourself and eat breakfast, as it will make you feel much better throughout the day.