I have heard many times of people saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, there are also people who disagree with this statement and usually skip breakfast or simply replace it with a cup of coffee. Let’s try to find out what the doctors, dietetics and scientist have to say about the first meal of the day.

In general, scientific research shows that people who are overweight, physically inactive, do not get enough sleep or have bad eating habits usually skip or give up breakfast altogether. I think that there are many reasons why people quit eating breakfast. Some replace their first meal with a coffee, but all dietitians agree that this is a really bad habit that can lead to serious long term side effects including alimentary system problems like acid reflux or gall. Skipping breakfast can also lead to a lack of vitamins and mineral substances necessary for proper functioning of the human organism. People who have bad eating habits should closely monitor and observe their bodies. The first sign of a bad diet can be chronic fatigue which is something that should not be ignored.

There are lots of benefits in eating a nutritious breakfast. A good breakfast increases energy in our bodies, helps us concentrate and focus, better control weight and helps prevent type 2 diabetes or heart disease. We need to remember that a truly nutritious breakfast should be properly balanced and your first meal should be made of quality ingredients.

It is highly recommended that we consume breakfasts which contain carbohydrates, protein and fats. Ideally the base of your meal should be made up of plenty of vegetables with different grains, super foods like spinach or chia seeds and olive oil. Of course, you should also add small amount of protein to your breakfast. You could use meat, eggs, dairy products, fish or legumes; however, you need to remember that they cannot be the majority of this meal. The recommended ratio is 3/4 vegetables and/or fruits and 1/4 proteins.

We have been talking about breakfasts for adults, but we need to also remember that breakfast is also very important for children and their organisms. Children sleep longer and during this process the child’s organism uses liver glycogen that can only be replenished by a proper breakfast. Children who regularly eat breakfast have lots of energy and are mentally and physically active all day long. As parents and legal guardians, we should lead by good example and eat nutritious breakfasts alongside our children if at all possible. This way we teach them good and healthy eating habits right from the beginning.

To summarize, we all make our own choices but some of them can have a huge impact on our lives and health. Healthy eating habits are one of them. Remember that people who give up breakfasts often eat way more then they should during the course of the day to catch up on calories they’ve missed, or they just eat late into the night. If you really do care about your health and well being, make the effort to start your days the right way. If you ever have to skip breakfast, remember taking a snack like yogurt or fruits.

BONUS

Healthy breakfast idea for you and your family:

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread
• Half of ripe avocado
• Few drops of lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 hard-boiled egg

Toast 2 slices of the bread. Mash your avocado and season it with salt, pepper and lime juice. Spread avocado paste on your bread and put on top slices of the hard-boiled egg. Your breakfast is ready.

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