We’ve all heard it before. Breakfast is THE most important meal of the day! But, is it really? Whether you wake up hungry in the morning or prefer to wait a few hours before enjoying your first meal, our dietitians explore this wellness statement and sort the fact from fiction.
Breakfast
Breakfast, or break-fast, is whatever meal you consume to break the natural overnight fast. This could happen at 5am, 7am, 10am or later! What you decide to eat for your first meal of the day can influence your nutritional habits and help to set you up for success for the rest of the day. This includes managing your hunger and fullness levels, providing stable energy and brain power to support your day, and even influencing what you eat all the way through to the evening! If you have PCOS or any gut health issues this is also particularly important!
There are definitely some do’s (most of the time) and don’ts (most of the time) for your breakfast meal. Let’s have a look:
DO
- Include a protein source
- Include high fibre carbohydrates
- Add some healthy fats
- Add some colour!
- Eat something rather than nothing if you are busy
- Finish breakfast feeling fuelled and ready to tackle your day
DON'T
- Skip breakfast when you are hungry
- Only consume highly refined carbohydrates with no protein or fat
- Skip breakfast if you can’t have the perfect meal
- Skip breakfast in an attempt to reduce calories (this often backfires!)
By including some protein, fats, high fibre carbs and colour in your breakfast meal you will be increasing your satiety, fullness and meal satisfaction. This winning combo will also lead to more sustained energy levels throughout the day and more intentional eating when it comes to your choices at lunch and dinner! A mistake we often see with clients is skipping breakfast intentionally or unintentionally only to find themselves ravenous from 5pm and long into the night as the body tries to play catch up. This is not ideal for anyone!
So, what does a great breakfast meal look like?
Breakfast meal ideas
- Loaded Toast
Grab some grainy/high fibre bread and top it with some protein, fats and colour! This could be eggs, smoked salmon with cream cheese & spinach, ham with cheese & tomato, cottage cheese & blueberries, avocado & turkey, peanut butter & banana or baked beans & cheese!
- Protein Cereal
Pick your favourite cereal (bonus points for a high fibre option) such as Weetbix, Sultana Bran, Special K, Nutri Grain or muesli and add some diced up fruit with a protein shake for the milk!
- Yoghurt Bowl
Top some high protein yoghurt such as YoPro or Chobani with your fruit of choice and a sprinkle of cereal or granola for some crunch.
- Classic Eggs
The nutritional powerhouse! Eggs are a favourite breakfast food for a reason. Add some grainy bread or baked beans and a side of sautéed vegetables and you have yourself a winning breakfast.
What if I’m not hungry in the morning?
That’s ok too! If you’re not hungry straight away in the morning simply follow this advice for whenever you DO decide to eat your first meal. It still counts! If delaying breakfast has become a habit for you, start by moving your first meal a little earlier in the day and over time your body will learn this new eating pattern.
Conclusion
So, is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Well, not exactly. But it is a great opportunity to set up your eating patterns and nutritional intentions for the day, as well as include some great nutrition to adequately fuel your body and brain to perform at your best!
If you want to learn how to level up your breakfast game, reach out to us to discuss creating a personalised nutrition plan with our dietitians!