Breakfast is not for everybody. For many, there is no time, appetite or inclination for breakfast, aside perhaps from a caffeine injection. So is it unhealthy to skip breakfast?
Research supporting the importance of breakfast is strongest for children and adolescents: children who eat breakfast perform better at school, have healthier weights and eat more essential nutrients than those who do not.
As for adults, research shows that despite eating more calories daily, people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight. What is not clear is if eating breakfast itself is the magic bullet or whether breakfast is a marker for other lifestyle factors that can contribute to healthy body weight (i.e. maybe breakfast eaters are also exercisers or have a higher income).
Other theories are that eating breakfast may reduce your hunger later in the day, making you less likely to reach for a quick fix — such as vending machine food or doughnuts at the office. In the body, a prolonged fast can increase your insulin response to food, which may increase fat storage and weight gain. Despite what many experts say, skipping breakfast is not likely to slow down your metabolism, as it takes three or four days of starvation before your body starts to adjust its metabolic rate.
Breakfast should ideally include more than one food group. Including some protein and fibre can help keep you feeling full until lunch. Protein can come from low-fat meat or dairy products, eggs, nuts, seeds and nut butters. Fibre is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits. In a breakfast cereal, look for one with at least three grams of fibre per serving and less than seven grams of sugar.
Save high-calorie and high-fat pastries, baked goods, bacon and sausages for special occasions.
Not hungry? If you really don’t like to eat breakfast first thing in the morning, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a fruit or yogurt at home before you leave for work, then a couple hours later take a break from work and snack on a hardboiled egg or a handful of nuts.
Some people with no appetite in the morning find it easier to drink a smoothie than eat solid food.
No time? Get breakfast ready the night before or keep some food at your workplace. Breakfast is a good idea unless your routine involves a double-double and a doughnut.
It is especially important for children, who by morning have already fasted for eight to 12 hours and need some fuel for their day.
As a parent, the best way to get your children to eat a healthy breakfast is to eat one yourself.