It seems there is never enough time. When time is short, we tend to choose the easiest option. The problem? The easiest option is not always the healthiest. Break the cycle and prime yourself with success by eating a healthy breakfast every day! Aside from providing your body with fuel, eating a daily breakfast rich in protein, fruit, and healthy fat builds a foundation for long term longevity.
It is said that the word breakfast literally means to break your body of the fast it undergoes while you sleep. Yes, that’s right. Your body eats away at itself while you are sleeping, drawing energy and nutrients from fat stores and muscle fibers. This is why we awake with hunger, and this is why eating breakfast is so important.
A healthy breakfast can be broken down into three parts: protein, complex carbohydrates, and unsaturated fats. A typical well rounded breakfast, for example, consists of protein from egg whites, complex carbohydrates from a fruit salad, and unsaturated fat from a dairy product like whole milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
Aside from ridding us of our early morning rumbling stomachs, a healthy and well rounded breakfast builds the foundation for longevity and overall vitality in at least three ways.
First, a healthy breakfast provides the body with lean protein at the early hours of the day. This is very important because the body draws protein from muscle fibers while we sleep. As this happens, the body feels as though it is starving and goes into survival mode, slowing the metabolism and increasing the production of a hormone called cortisol. Those protein stores must be replaced as soon as possible, and the fastest way to do is by consuming 10-15 grams (about four egg whites) of protein each morning. This will bring the body out of survival mode and decrease the production of cortisol over time. Recent studies have found that individuals with low cortisol levels have greater immune system health as well as a reduced risk of heart disease (i). In this way, eating eggs each morning promotes long term health.
The second part of the healthy breakfast equation includes about 2 cups of fresh fruit. This portion of the meal provides high quality carbohydrates that the body will metabolize into energy throughout the day. Also, fruit has a relatively high concentration of both water and vitamins that will hydrate and nourish the body. Most notably, fruit is naturally sweet. Enjoying naturally sweet whole foods, like fruit, throughout the day will deter those late night cravings for sweets that all too often lead to plaque buildup and tooth decay.
Finally, a healthy breakfast is rounded out with a moderate serving of unsaturated fat. The best source for this is yogurt as it goes well with fruit and other breakfast foods. The unsaturated fat in most dairy products, fish oils, and olive oil has been linked in recent studies to strong heart health, most likely because if its power as an anti-inflammatory.
Having little time is a poor excuse to skip the first meal of the day. A healthy breakfast can help keep cortisol levels in check, nourish your body, and propel you into the early morning. Put your best foot forward each day with a nutritional breakfast built with protein, carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, and plenty of water. These whole foods will help your body tackle the day with vigor and enthusiasm.
