Breakfast has been widely touted as “the most important meal of the day”. We’ve all heard it. But the question remains, Is it true?
One of the biggest components of this argument is that there have been studies showing a correlation between skipping breakfast and weight gain (1,2). Notice though, I said correlation not causation.
There is no cause and effect relationship between eating breakfast and increased weight. In fact, a study from 2014 debunked this myth (3).
In this study, researchers randomly assigned 309 participants to 3 groups: 1. control group, 2. experimental group who ate breakfast, and 3. experimental group who skipped breakfast. The primary goal of the study was to see what effect breakfast had on weight.
The study lasted for a period of 16 weeks. By the end, 283 participants had successfully completed it. The results? Neither eating nor skipping breakfast had a significant effect on weight loss.
Another myth floating around is that you must eat more meals during the day to speed up your metabolism. In essence, skipping breakfast will slow down your metabolism, which will make you fat. Those who advocate this believe you need to eat every 2-3 hours, which equates to roughly 5-6 meals a day.
Once again, several studies have debunked this (4,5). One study looked at the effects of high meal frequency and overall weight loss in 8 weeks (5). Sixteen obese women completed the protocol. One group ate 3 meals + 3 snacks a day, while the other group only ate 3 meals per day. The researchers found that there was no significant difference between weight or appetite among either group.
What this tells us is that breakfast and meal frequency seems to be a personal preference. Your body is really good at signaling when you need to eat. If you wake up and don’t feel hungry then you don’t worry about eating. But if you are hungry or eating helps wake you up then by all means eat.
Neither will lead to weight gain or loss necessarily. That ultimately comes down to the quantity of food you eat. You may choose not to eat breakfast but then overeat on junk food throughout the day. You will gain weight by doing this. Similarly, if you eat breakfast and still overeat during the day you will also gain weight.
The best way to fight against this is to consistently eat real food. This means lean protein, veggies, fruits, and good fats. These foods send a signal to your body letting you know when you are full, unlike junk food, so you know when to stop. That’s why it’s easier to eat an entire bag of doritos than a bag of carrots.
If you like eating breakfast and are looking for some good ideas here is a list of some of my favorite breakfast meals!
1. Avocado with scrambled eggs and salsa.
This has quickly become my favorite meal at breakfast. You will need a really ripe avocado. Scramble 3-4 eggs and and mash up the avocado. Once the eggs are done, mix it with the avocado on a plate or in a bowl. Lastly, top it with salsa.
Avocados do contain a high number of calories because of their fat content. So you may want to opt for half of the avocado if you are looking to reduce your calories.
It doesn’t look pretty, but it sure tastes good 🙂 Plus its packed with protein and good fats.
2. Greek yogurt with berries.
Maybe you’re looking for something a little sweeter in the morning. Combine your favorite berry (like blueberries or strawberries) with a cup of greek yogurt. Greek yogurt adds more protein than regular yogurt while the berries are filled with anti-oxidants to fight inflammation.
3. Smoothie
If you’re looking for something quick, this is it. The awesome thing about smoothies is you can add pretty much anything you want. Here’s a quick list of some of the things you may want to include:
– Water or Almond milk
– Protein powder
– Veggies (spinach and kale are good options)
– Fruit (berries are a good choice)
– A tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil
– 4 ice cubes
A shake like this has lots of protein, good carbohydrates, and good fats to keep you satisfied.
4. Homemade protein bars
Most store bought protein bars are full of additives and other chemicals. The great thing is you can make some homemade ones yourself and it will probably cost you less than buying a box at the grocery store. Here is a quick recipe you can use:
– 4 1/2 cups of quick oats
– 1 1/3 cups of peanut butter
– 1 cup of almond milk
– 5 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder
Simply mix the powder in the milk until blended. Then mix in the peanut butter and oats. Place the mixture into a baking pan and leave in the refrigerator over night.
I actually got this recipe from neilarey.com. My wife and I tried it last week and they were delicious!
5. Egg sandwich
Sandwiches are always an easy option, but the important thing here is the bread you use. Ezekiel bread (sprouted grain) is one of the best options. It doesn’t contain refined grains or a lot of sugar like other breads.
That’s one of the reasons bread in general isn’t a great choice. But if you love bread, Ezekiel sprouted grains is the way to go.
6. Fruit and nut butter
This one is very quick and easy. All you need is a piece of fruit, like an apple, and your favorite nut butter. Dip the fruit in the butter and enjoy.
Just like the avocado, nut butters are higher in calories because of their fat content. So be aware of this.
7. Oatmeal with protein powder
I mentioned this one in my last post, but I wanted to put it in here again. Simply combine a serving of quick oats with a scoop of protein powder. Mix with water and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds.
This one is quick, easy, and protein packed of course!
Wrapping up
I hope this article helped you see breakfast isn’t really the most important meal of the day as many make it out to be. The important thing is finding what works best for you. If you have great success with eating breakfast then eat it. If you don’t then don’t.
But also be mindful of your overall caloric intake. That is where most people get into trouble. As humans, we tend to be really bad at estimating our calories, which makes it easy to overeat.
Stick mostly to real food and learn to listen to your body. You will get great results just by doing those two things. And please try some of these delicious breakfast options above and let me know what you think!
References:
1. Yunsheng, M.A. et al. Association between eating patterns and obesity in a free-living US adult population. Am J Epidemiol. (2003) 158 (1):85-92.
2. Cho, S. et al. The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and body mass index: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Aug;22(4):296-302.
3. Dhurandhar, E.J.et al. et al. The effectiveness of breakfast recommendations on weight loss: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. August 2014.
4. Bellisle, F. et al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70.
5. Cameron, J.D., Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet.Br J Nutr. 2010 Apr;103(8):1098-101.
Photo Credit:
1. http://galleryhip.com/veggie-omelet.html
2. http://everythingsathing.com/2012/11/
3. https://laurensworldofwellness.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/food-for-life-breads/
