You wake up late and are tempted to rush out the door without eating breakfast. After all, it’s only a few short hours until lunch. Breakfast is the meal people are most likely to skip, especially on weekdays when time is a premium. Don’t do it. There are health benefits to starting the day with a nutritious breakfast that contains protein and a source of fiber-rich carbs. Here are the reasons it’s not smart to skip breakfast.
Eating Breakfast Reduces Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average woman has a 2 out of 5 chance of getting diabetes at some point in her life, while men have a 1 in 3 chance. Those aren’t encouraging statistics. Eating breakfast is one way to lower your risk, according to a recent study presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting. When researchers from the University of Minnesota followed 5,000 men and women for 18 years, they found those who ate breakfast every day were 34% less likely to get this disease that takes its toll on every organ in the body. One more reason to set your alarm a little earlier to make time for breakfast.
Breakfast Eaters Are Less Likely to Become Obese
The same study showed that people who ate breakfast daily had a lower risk for obesity and were less likely to pack on belly fat. In fact, obesity rates were 43% lower in breakfast eaters compared to those who skipped and they were 40% less likely to gain significant amounts of belly fat. How can you explain these results? It could simply be that people who eat breakfast have healthier eating habits than those who don’t, but eating breakfast also helps with appetite control so you’re less likely to dip your hand into the candy jar at work when you’ve had a good breakfast.
It Gives You the Mental Edge
According to a study published in Public Health and Nutrition, children who ate breakfast had sharper learning skills than those who started the day on an empty stomach. Another study carried out at the University College in the U.K. had greater ability to recall words than those who didn’t. After an overnight fast, your brain needs fuel and a healthy breakfast provides the fuel your brain needs. Choosing protein and fiber-rich carbs that are slowly absorbed ensures your brain gets a steady, sustained supply of glucose to help you learn and remember better. If you want to be a start at work, eat breakfast. You’ll be more productive.
Not All Breakfast Food is Created Equal
Eating a bagel made with white flour and cream cheese and jelly on top doesn’t have the same benefits as a more balanced breakfast that contains protein and fiber. Chances are that bagel with cream cheese and jelly will send your blood sugar soaring and then into a death spiral, leaving you longing for a mid-morning doughnut. Skip the bagel, and try some of these “better for you” breakfast options instead:
Eggland’s Best eggs or tofu scrambled with red peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese
A bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with blueberries and flaxseed with a hard-boiled egg
Cottage cheese and fresh berries and almonds
A breakfast parfait made with plain yogurt, berries, and nuts
A smoothie made with yogurt, spinach, berries and a scoop of protein powder
Keep some emergency breakfast foods on hand you can grab on those days where your alarm doesn’t go off or you ignored it and drifted back to sleep. Packages of portion-controlled nuts, containers of yogurt, whole grain crackers with almond butter will all work as a take-along breakfast when you’re pressed for time.
The Bottom Line?
Don’t head out the door without breakfast. Eating a healthy one will help you ward off diabetes while keeping you trimmer and more productive at work. What’s not to like about that?
References:
Medscape.com “Breakfast Decreases Type 2 Diabetes Risk”
Public Health Nutrition: 4(6A), 1429±1431.
Centers for Disease Control “Diabetes Public Health Resource”
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