Why eat breakfast?
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
When you wake up your energy levels will be very low as your body has spent the night resting and repairing while you are asleep. If you top up your energy levels by eating breakfast, you will have more energy throughout the day.
Eating breakfast has been shown to improve concentration, mood and performance in both children and adults. Also, eating breakfast can help you manage your weight better. People who regularly eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who skip it. This is probably because if you eat breakfast you reduce the chances of facing hunger pangs and sugar cravings during the morning which is when most people snack on foods that are high in calories and fat.
What’s more; if you eat a breakfast that’s made with wholegrains (like muesli, porridge or wholegrain brown bread) it will contain fibre and essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to keep it healthy.
The health benefits of eating wholegrains may include:
- Reduced risk of heart disease and strokes
- Reduced blood cholesterol levels
- Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes
- Reduced risk of certain cancers
- Help with weight management
- Improved digestive health
Wholegrain cereals contain a combination of insoluble and soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre is important for good digestion. It absorbs fluid in the bowel, giving bulk and helping to prevent constipation. Foods that contain wholegrain wheat are excellent sources of insoluble fibre.
Soluble fibre is important to control blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fibre appears to help regulate blood sugar levels and because it allows food energy to be released more slowly, so it helps keep you going for longer in-between meals. Regularly eating foods that contain soluble fibre also helps to reduce cholesterol. Oats are one of the best sources of soluble fibre, so a bowl of porridge or muesli every morning is a great way to boost your fibre intake.
So, it's worth replacing white with bread brown wholegrain bread; white rice and pasta with brown, and eating a wholegrain breakfast cereal made from rolled oats such as muesli or porridge. Simple changes like these could make a big difference to your future health.