By Jenny Tran
We’ve all been there.
You sleep in a couple minutes too late—okay, more than a couple—and suddenly you’re racing against the clock to get ready before the minutes crawl into the danger zone. In the rush of it all, the last thing you probably want to do is sit down and have a meal.
You probably think that you don’t need to eat at the moment, anyway. You can survive on an empty stomach for a couple of hours.
This, unfortunately, is a tragic lapse of judgment that we shouldn’t let ourselves fall to.
Breakfast is widely regarded as the most important meal of the day—and for good reason, too. With its immense health benefits and essential replenishments, your first meal in the morning shouldn’t be something that is easily overlooked.
First things first, your body essentially fasts overnight when you sleep. When you go without consuming food for a long period of time, your body begins breaking down glycogen and releasing it as glucose in your bloodstream. However, once all that energy is used up, your body begins breaking down fatty acids, which can reduce your energy levels.
“Breakfast” is a term that literally means “breaking the fast.” Upon waking up, fueling yourself up with some food restores your glycogen levels and gives you the boost in energy you need for the day.
Not only that, but breakfast also provides you with important nutrients first thing in the morning. People who consume breakfast foods tend to have a lot more fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C and iron in their diets than those who skip.
Unfortunately, despite these clear benefits, about 25% of Americans skip eating breakfast everyday.
If you aren’t careful, consistently missing out on this meal can have some detrimental effects on the mind and body. If your body isn’t being provided with the energy it needs, you might feel sluggish or less physically active. Your mental performance can also take a toll, making it harder for you to concentrate or recall things.
While it is recommended to eat breakfast, it’s always best to listen to your hunger cues, even if it means delaying your first meal. You may feel queasy at the thought of eating so early, and that’s completely okay. Just be sure to make up for what you missed as soon as possible so you can provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
For those who are time-deficient in the mornings and can’t find time to fit a meal in their schedule, you can always premake your meals or grab them on the go. You can try building better habits to make time in the morning, such as setting your alarm just a couple minutes earlier. Even consuming a quick snack is better than having nothing. There are many easy workarounds that can allow you to have your first bite of the day.
Breakfast is an important meal that shouldn’t be easily dismissed, even when you have busy mornings. So, the next time you accidentally hit the snooze button too many times, consider grabbing at least a bagel or yogurt before heading out.
