Breakfast Matters
We have all heard that we should eat breakfast, but if you still find yourself skipping this important meal the findings of a new study may convince you to set the alarm a few minutes earlier.
Researchers from the Taipei Medical University in Taiwan studied more than 15,000 participants who were asked about breakfast consumption.
The risk of becoming obese was 34% greater in those who skipped breakfast, according to the results of the study published in International Journal of Obesity. The proportion of individuals who were obese was found to decrease as the frequency of eating breakfast increased.
Breakfast skippers were defined as those who ate breakfast on one day a week, or never ate breakfast. Those with a BMI (the measure of overall weight based on height and weight) of 27 or more were classified as obese in the terms of this study.
Interestingly the breakfast skippers were also found to have a much lower health-related quality of life than those who ate breakfast regularly. They also had significantly lower scores in a number of areas including general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, emotional role and mental health.
These findings suggest that eating breakfast may not only help with weight management but also improve general health and wellbeing, indicating that it is well worth making time for breakfast in the morning!
MAKING A HEALTHY BREAKFAST
A healthy breakfast should contain protein, fats, carbohydrates and fibre. Protein can come from low fat meats, eggs, beans or dairy. Fats can be found in avocado, nut butters or a good quality Greek yoghurt. Carbohydrates can come from fruit, vegetables, oats or some wholegrain bread. Fibre can be found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like eggs on whole wheat bread with avocado and spinach, or a bowl of oats with fruit and some Greek yoghurt.
Stay away from the sugary cereals, syrups, pastries, and white breads, they are digested quickly and will leave you hungry and tired in a couple of hours. Protein, fats and fibre satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time.
If you really don't like to eat breakfast, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home, and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack on an apple and a handful of healthy nuts like pecans or walnuts.
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