Breakfast has always been considered the main meal, because it gives us all the essential nutrients to start the day full of energy. But is it really so? Is skipping breakfast really bad for your health? Let's find out what scientific research says.
Breakfast literally means "break the fast“, In fact, it is the first meal of the day after an overnight fast. It is often described as the most important meal, but is skipping it really bad for your health? Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?
As with most things in nutrition, the answer is complex. While some research suggests not doing it isn't harmful, others claim otherwise.
Eating regular meals and snacks, including breakfast, provides more opportunities throughout the day to give your body the energy and nutrients it needs to function optimally.
However, as long as a person gets the nutrients at their other meals, breakfast may not be the basic meal.
(Read also: Why you should never have breakfast too late, according to the nutritionist)
Index
What science says
Most of the claimed benefits come mainly from observational studies, which cannot prove cause and effect.
For example, a 2021 systematic review of 14 observational studies found that those who eat breakfast seven times a week have a reduced risk of:
- heart disease
- diabetes
- obesity
- high blood pressure
- elevated cholesterol.
This particular group of studies can only suggest that those who eat breakfast are more likely to have a reduced risk of developing certain diseases, but cannot prove that breakfast is the cause.
An analysis of over 30.000 North Americans also showed that people who skip breakfast can lose important nutrients.
Another control study of 18 participants with type 2 diabetes and 18 healthy participants found that skipping breakfast caused disrupted circadian rhythms in both groups.
Those who skipped breakfast also experienced high spikes of glucose after eating.
Does skipping breakfast make you fat?
Although many people report an increased feeling of satiety after starting the day with breakfast, studies suggest that those who omit or eat breakfast both end up with an total daily calorie intake almost identical.
Another 4-month randomized control study tested whether breakfast can promote weight loss or not. The research involved 309 adults with or overweight obesity.
At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that having breakfast had no significant impact on weight loss compared to not having breakfast.
Interestingly, another study found that skipping breakfast can actually reduce your total daily calorie intake by 252 calories. The researchers noted, however, that the overall quality of the diet decreased when meals were skipped.
At present, therefore, there does not seem to be any clear evidence linking breakfast intake to weight gain.
Are people who eat breakfast healthier?
According to an observational study, those who eat breakfast pay more attention to their intake of all nutrients, exercise regularly and manage stress adequately.
Conversely, those who skip breakfast tend to have unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking and alcohol. They also tend to follow higher fat diets, resulting in a increased cholesterol and overall calories compared to those who eat breakfast.
Should you have breakfast?
Since breakfast gives us the opportunity to replenish our bodies with nutrients, it is an important meal, but not necessarily the most important of the day.
If you wake up hungry in the morning it is essential listen to your body and feed it; however, if you are on schedule and miss it for a day, there is no health risk.
If you regularly skip breakfast, it's important to make sure you optimize your nutrient intake at other meals.
What's key, then, is to eat in a way that works best for you, to have one healthy lifestyle and make sure you are meeting your nutritional needs.
Follow us on Telegram | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Youtube
Could it be interesting for you:
- What is the healthiest morning habit to adopt immediately at breakfast to lose weight?
- Eating a protein breakfast before training burns more fat, the study
- What happens to the body if you walk fasting every day before having breakfast
- Here are the 10 worst foods you should definitely avoid for breakfast
- What happens to your body if you eat pancakes for breakfast every day
