What are the benefits of eating breakfast?
Your stomach is growling, but you're in a hurry to get to that morning meeting at work. So, you don’t eat breakfast. This is the story for many of us, but skipping breakfast is not the best choice, especially for children. We have often heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is it really true? The benefits of taking a few minutes to eat a balanced breakfast are many, including increased brain clarity and concentration, lower cholesterol, and generally better health.
*Weight control: There are lots of theories as to why breakfast eaters weigh less than those who do not eat breakfast. Some of them include that breakfast can help ease hunger pains throughout the rest of the day, while other theories link eating breakfast to generally more actively, healthy lifestyles.
*Boosts metabolism: Eating speeds up your metabolism, so start your day off right with a balanced meal and get your metabolism up and running.
*Increased energy: There have been studies that show that those that eat breakfast have greater energy and stamina than those who skip the first meal of the day.
So there are some of the benefits, but maybe you are not a “traditional” breakfast person. Try some of these on-the-go options!
*Smoothies made with fruit and low-fat yogurt
*Fresh fruit
*Hard boiled egg
*Breakfast bars: there are lots on the market today!
*English muffin with peanut butter
*Toast
*Bagel and cream cheese
Try some of these yummy breakfast options to get some much needed protein to your brain early on in your day. You will notice a difference!
[1] Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast. Suite101.com. Accessed on the Web November 29, 2009. http://balancing-meals.suite101.com/article.cfm/benefits_of_eating_a_healthy_breakfast
[2] The Many Benefits of Breakfast. WebMD.com. Accessed on the Web on November 29, 2009. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/many-benefits-breakfast
