The day should always start with a healthy breakfast. At awakening, in fact, our body needs energy to be efficient, at least until the lunch break.
Although it is well known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, too many people, for haste, laziness or habit, just consume a coffee or a snack before starting the day.
It has been shown that “jumping” breakfast exposes the body to a number of risks and problems. Thanks to the contribution of Dr. Manuela Pastore, dietician in Humanitas, here are five reasons why it is important to have breakfast.
The body needs energy
Just as a car needs gasoline to start, the body needs energy to start the day and face all the challenges, especially after a long night’s rest. Without “fuel”, all our muscles and even the brain cannot work efficiently.
A good source of vitamins and minerals
Yoghurt, cereals, fresh fruit, dried fruit, jam, honey, bread or whole meal rusks are the essential foods for a healthy breakfast. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers and antioxidants that give the right charge throughout the morning, prolong the feeling of satiety and do not fatigue the digestive system. They also improve physical endurance, attention and storage capabilities.
Help to eat less during the day
Jumping breakfast is not the best way to maintain your weight and diet. In fact, in mid-morning you will feel the famous “hole in your stomach” and you will want to eat all kinds of snacks, sweet and savory, continuously during the day.
In addition, you will arrive at the hungry lunch hour and you will eat more than necessary, thus fatigue the digestion process with consequent decrease in concentration and yield during the afternoon.
A study has shown that those who do not have breakfast eat more during the day and fatten about three kilos per year.
Breakfast protects the heart
A good breakfast can also help to reduce the risk of chronic degenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. One of the main reasons is related to the fact that eating properly in the morning avoids eating calorie foods that contain high levels of fat, especially saturated ones, which are harmful to the health of the cardiovascular system.
Without breakfast the metabolism slows down
A healthy and nutritious breakfast has been shown to help stimulate and accelerate metabolism. Eating in the morning gives energy and helps to burn calories during the day. On the contrary, especially if you are following a diet, jumping breakfast may trigger metabolic mechanisms that slow down slimming.
In fact, dieticians recommend dividing the day into three main meals, starting with breakfast and possibly adding small snacks during the day according to personal needs and requirements.
