You’re in a hurry in the morning. It’s tempting to run out the door without stopping to eat breakfast. You’re running late, and you’re sure you can control your appetite until lunch. Don’t be too sure. Even if you make it until lunch without taking a bite of a cookie in the break room, you could be harming your health. Here are four ways skipping breakfast puts your health at risk.
Skipping Breakfast: It Increases Your Risk for Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is an all-too-common health problem these days, and skipping breakfast puts you at higher risk for it. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, going to work on an empty stomach increases your risk for type 2 diabetes by more than 20%. This was true even when researchers adjusted for other factors like BMI and family history. It seems that eating something first thing in the morning makes it easier to control blood sugar levels later in the day.
Skipping Breakfast: It May Increase Your Risk for Heart Disease
Type 2 diabetes and heart disease – they’re both common health problems and whether or not you eat breakfast may affect your risk. A study showed that people who don’t eat in the morning are at greater risk for heart disease. In this study, breakfast skippers had higher LDL-cholesterol levels and larger waist sizes, both risk factors for heart disease. Why? It seems that skipping breakfast decreases receptors in the liver that take up LDL-cholesterol and remove it from circulation where it does no harm. One more reason to make time for breakfast.
It Makes You Mentally Sharper
According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, high school students that started the day with breakfast were more alert and able to think and perform better academically compared to those who skipped the first day’s meal. This isn’t surprising since your brain runs on glucose. Other research shows that eating breakfast can improve your mood. That’s a good thing when you’re facing a challenging workday.
Eating Breakfast Helps with Weight Control
Some studies show that breakfast eaters are slimmer than those who skip. This is especially true for people who start the day with a fiber and protein-rich breakfast like oatmeal and eggs. These foods with their fiber and protein fill up you and keep you full longer. People who skip breakfast tend to compensate later in the day by eating more calories. About 20% of people skip breakfast in the morning, and the reason they give for doing so is to control their weight. Sounds like they need to change their strategy.
How to Make Time for Breakfast
Even if you’re pressed for time in the morning, you can still make time for breakfast. Load up a crockpot the night before with oatmeal, quinoa or other whole grain cereal, and let it cook overnight. When you wake up, season it with cinnamon, add some nuts for a healthy source of fat and enjoy it with milk. Keep emergency breakfast food in the refrigerator for mornings when you forget to turn on the slow cooker. On those mornings, grab a single-serving container of low-sugar yogurt or cottage cheese. Keep hard-boiled eggs wrapped up and ready to go.
Even if you can’t enjoy a full breakfast, going to work with something in your stomach is better than fasting until lunch. On the other hand, avoid breakfast pastries, doughnuts, bagels and other processed and sugary carbs that will raise your blood sugar and drop it just as quickly. Who needs a mid-morning slump?
The Bottom Line?
Not eating breakfast may save you a little time, but it will do nothing positive for your health. Prepare the night before, and set your alarm a little earlier so you can make time for breakfast.
References:
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Dec;15(12):3039-44.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 May;95(5):1182-9. Epub 2012 Mar 28.
Pediatrics. 2008 Aug;122(2):279-84.
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