What should a healthy breakfast meet?

It's the first meal of the day after not eating for a long time: breakfast. It is even said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Is that so? And what should you do if you're not much of an eater in the morning?

Breakfast is the first meal you eat in a day. It is not specifically time-bound and therefore does not have to be eaten between 07:00 and 09:00. If you eat something for the first time at 11:00 am, then that is your breakfast and therefore the meal with which you start your body. If you skip breakfast, you create a lack of fuel, which means that your brain does not get enough glucose and your blood sugar drops ¹ . This gives your brain too little energy, which can make you grumpy. Being hangry (hungry+anger) really does exist!

The beneficial effects of eating breakfast
A good breakfast consists of whole, unprocessed foods from each of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy products. You can get protein from foods such as yogurt, eggs, nuts and seeds or legumes. Whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains such as oatmeal provide "complex" carbohydrates that provide fiber and keep you full for longer ² . Studies show that a good breakfast has a beneficial effect on your metabolic health ³ , makes you feel better mentally and ensures that you stay fit and healthy in the long term. Research has shown that breakfast eaters have a higher nutrient and energy intake than non-breakfast eaters ⁴ . They got more fiber, folic acid, iron and calcium, so that the breakfast eaters met the national dietary recommendations better than.

What does a healthy breakfast look like?
Breakfasts with oatmeal and fruit are therefore a good choice. Like fruit, oatmeal is high in fiber, which helps you feel full for longer and eat fewer calories at the next lunch ⁵ , research has found. Because you eat less during the day, a good breakfast can certainly help with weight loss. For example, a healthy breakfast to lose weight is a few boiled eggs and a piece of fruit, possibly for the road. This healthy and easy breakfast contains proteins, carbohydrates and fiber and is low in calories. Try to avoid processed products, such as drinking yoghurt, as much as possible. Those are high in sugar and low in nutritional value, as are breakfast meats such as sausage and bacon that have been shown ⁶ to increase the risk of some cancers and the risk of heart disease.

More healthy breakfast ideas
Do you prefer to stick to a healthy oatmeal breakfast, but find it a bit bare in itself? Then you can spice up your breakfast with some nuts and seeds for some extra crunch and protein. If you're in a hurry or short on time, you can also surf to Grünten's webshop for a healthy breakfast with oatmeal: ready-to-eat and in four great cake flavours. This way, breakfast literally becomes a party!

Sources:

1. National Library of Medicine, Impact of Breakfast Skipping and Breakfast Choice on the Nutrient Intake and Body Mass Index of Australian Children
2. National Library of Medicine, Instant Oatmeal Increases Satiety and Reduces Energy Intake Compared to a Ready-to-Eat Oat-Based Breakfast Cereal
3. National Library of Medicine, The Effects of Breakfast Consumption and Composition on Metabolic Wellness with a Focus on Carbohydrate Metabolism
4. National Library of Medicine, Breakfast consumption and nutrient intakes in 4-18-year-olds: UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Program (2008-2012)
5. National Library of Medicine, Breakfast skipping and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of observational studies
6. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical, Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between childhood overweight and obesity and primary school diet and physical activity policies