Breakfasthas long been touted as the most important meal of the day, but recent research suggests this commonly held belief may not be entirely accurate. It turns out there’s a lot of misinformation out there about whether or not breakfast is helpful for healthy weight maintenance. Some people believe skipping breakfast is better than eating a big meal, and others believe starting the day with a hefty plate helps control appetite as the hours tick by. Figuring out what’s true and what’s a misconception can be difficult to the average Joe, but the experts over at Advanced Medical Weight Loss are here to bust 5 of the most common breakfast myths!
Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day
Yes, the famous saying is indeed a myth! Breakfast originated as a simple meal to ‘break the fast’ of not eating overnight. There’s nothing magical about eating breakfast in the morning instead of the early afternoon; ‘breakfast’ is technically just the first meal you eat. Skipping your everyday AM meal doesn’t have any magic effect on your body, besides potentially helping you eat fewer calories throughout the day, only two meals instead of three. There’s no solid proof that breakfast in the morning has any more importance over your other meals, making it still a critical meal, but not the most important.
Finding Time for Breakfast is Hard
We live in a fast-paced world. Balancing gym time, showering, styling your hair, applying makeup, trimming facial hair, and getting dressed can be easy to realize you’re running behind and haven’t eaten yet. Many Americans report skipping breakfast due to a lack of time. The truth is this is more attributable to a lack of preparation instead of a lack of time. Heating up breakfast can take only 30 seconds if you’ve pre-made some healthy egg bites. Frozen sandwiches can be a high-protein option for people on the go. Even oatmeal can be a great way to get long-lasting energy throughout the day!
Eating Breakfast Prevents Overeating Later
The appetite is a tricky beast. By balancing metabolism signals, ghrelin, external forces, and much more, the appetite works pretty hard throughout the day. Some people believe the myth that eating breakfast will help keep your desire in check throughout the day. The thought process behind this is that giving your body nourishment early on will leave you less famished throughout the day. It’s already got something to break down and won’t need anything else. The theory here is that eating breakfast will prevent overeating since you’re already full of something, but it’s not necessarily true. Depending on what you eat, you may get hungrier earlier than if you’d eaten nothing at all. You could smell a fantastic restaurant’s food on the way to work and get slammed with hunger, even though you just ate. Currently, there is no evidence eating breakfast will help prevent overeating later in the day, making this theory a myth.
People Who Skip Breakfast Are Healthier
The idea behind the myth of ‘people who skip breakfast are healthier’ is because, in general, an excellent way to control your weight is monitoring the number of calories consumed against the number burned. If you consume more than you burn, you gain weight. Skipping breakfast may lead to fewer calories consumed throughout the day, which gives a facade of health. This facade isn’t authentic! People who skip breakfast regularly may overcompensate during other meals. Avoiding the first meal of the day could lead you to eat less now and then but won’t necessarily guarantee you a healthier life. The Advanced Medical Weight Loss recommends eating a standard, balanced breakfast that fits within your calorie goals and only skipping when you’re genuinely not hungry.
Breakfast Foods are Inherently Unhealthy
The myth that breakfast food is unhealthy is one born from the behavior of chain restaurants like IHOP and Denny’s. Restaurant chains excite the harmful side of breakfast because it’s cheap and easy to make it taste good. Some calorically dense hash browns are an easy source of filling carbs. Add some eggs and a few strips of sodium-laden bacon for a filling meal that tastes great. The prevalence of these foods leads us to think breakfast foods are all unhealthy, but many ‘breakfast’ foods are some of the healthiest out there! Eggs are a great source of low-calorie protein, and oats fill you up for hours! Balance is critical, but the vital thing to remember is breakfast foods are not inherently unhealthy. As with any other diet, moderation is key. Talk with a professional if you need guidance!
For more common weight loss and other related tips, please contact Advanced Medical Weight Loss.