Breakfast is the first and most significant meal of the day. The meal supplies essential nutrients and energy in the form of glucose to break the hour-long nighttime fast. For instance, you can think about the situation of your body, which has fasted overnight, using the energy consumed in your last meal, while also conserving energy for restoration. It feels like waking up energized but on an empty stomach, which requires energy.
Despite its importance, many of us skip breakfast for various reasons. Observational studies have shown that a wholesome breakfast can improve your energy levels and help with weight management. Skipping it can raise obesity and chronic disease risk. Thus starting your day with a hearty and wholesome meal is essential.
But why do we skip breakfast?
According to the NIH, nearly one-quarter of Americans skip breakfast daily. But, what could be the reason for skipping breakfast though?
Your eating pattern could be a major reason you don’t feel hungry after waking up. Work stress and a strict diet plan for weight management could also be reasons for skipping breakfast. Where observational studies have shown that an individual tends to eat more calories during the second half of the day rather than spread out evenly. This ultimately leads to obesity.
However, a healthy breakfast can balance out calorie distribution by changing your eating pattern.
Furthermore, there are also ongoing counter-studies, which question breakfast necessity and its impact on the body. Despite this, people still prefer observational studies due to positive health results. Therefore, this article covers observational studies’ benefits.
What makes a breakfast staple wholesome?
To avoid cooking, most people start their day with something convenient and healthy. For example, in America, most people start their day with breakfast staples like cereal, waffles, fruits, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. As a result of this protein and fiber-rich meal, your overall health improves.
However, many also look towards healthier options to start their day. A quick suggestion is oats, wholegrain cereal, fresh fruits and raw nuts, smoothies, or natural yogurt.
Overall, a nutritious meal high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients is the finest example of a wholesome breakfast meal.
Affordable options
In recent years, American consumers’ eating patterns have changed dramatically. The days are over when people used to prioritize food’s nutritional value over its price. This dramatic change is due to inflation-induced price increases.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), people are now looking for more affordable options that do not break the bank. People save money by preparing their meals at home, since eating out costs more than 3 times as much, on average. This has also increased the hunt for inexpensive groceries and made individuals rely on inexpensive plant-based sources for their daily nutrition needs.
Limiting yourself to meat and eggs for breakfast could cause you to hit your wallet hard. Therefore incorporating nutrient-rich plant-based sources like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans, can give you relief in this time of high inflation.
Tips for quick and easy breakfast
Today we live in an era where competition is at its peak. To be part of a competition, most of us work harder without considering our health and stress. This ultimately leads to irregular eating patterns and affects overall health.
It may therefore be very beneficial to have a quick and easy breakfast. But what is a quick meal? A quick meal involves minimal preparation, requires no skills, and still is nutritious and healthy.
Here are some quick suggestions to make your breakfast quicker:
- Looking for effortless breakfast ideas: getting spurred up by chefs can make morning meals boring, so keeping things simple can help, like prepping up scrambled eggs sounds much easier than fancy Bananas Foster Belgian Waffles.
- Search for Speedy fixes: For many people, the morning is a rollercoaster ride, so you should have on-the-go options, such as protein bars, canned juices, coffee, tea, and others for adding zing in the morning.
- You can also consider packed and instant meal options: It is not advised to consider packed foods for breakfast since they contain added preservatives and other additives. As a quick breakfast meal, you can, however, opt for them if there are no other choices but to start the day on an empty stomach.
Let’s wrap up this article by recalling all the points we mentioned. These points range from the importance of breakfast to the affordability that makes breakfast a healthy and nutritious staple. Here’s the pro tip: Working on your nutrition and eating habits could also increase your breakfast appetite.
