WHY IS BREAKFAST CRAZILY IMPORTANT?
There are many reasons why people skip breakfast – they might not have time, don’t feel hungry or they’ve just fallen into the pattern of forgetting. However, breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day as it helps to set you up for the day ahead! From providing you with energy, to helping boost your concentration, it can help you to start your day the right way. It’s also delicious – why would you want to miss out on that?!
So it’s time to change those habits and incorporate eating breakfast into your daily routine because it has some amazing health benefits that you are missing out on. Here are just a few reasons why breakfast is so important…
1.BREAKFAST IS A SOURCE OF ENERGY
The next time you wake up, think about the last time you ate – it might be anything up to ten hours! So why make yourself wait longer? Our bodies need energy to function, and that energy comes from food. As soon as we start eating in the morning, we kick-start our body chemistry which helps to energise us for the day ahead.
There is a high energy breakfast for everyone to enjoy! You could reap the benefits of natural foods by eating fruit, nuts and chia seeds which are packed full of fibre, calcium and omega 3. Or for those busy bees who need a slow release of energy to keep them going throughout the day, healthy carbs like whole grains are sure to do the trick!
Breakfast on the go is also an option – especially for commuters. Why not buy a TREK bar to eat on the train for a great, high energy breakfast that you can eat anytime, anywhere!
2. IT KEEPS YOU FOCUSED
Students are encouraged to eat breakfast before an exam due to its ability to help improve short-term memory and attention. So why do adults forget this advice?
Eating a healthy breakfast can help us feel more focused by feeding our brains the essential energy to function and focus better on tasks throughout the day. Essentially, eating breakfast betters your cognitive function and increases your memory improvement.
Slow-release foods and omega-3 are your friends here – try kale, nuts, spinach, tomatoes and fresh fruit for your slow-release carbs. This could be in the form of a high protein breakfast like spinach and tomatoes with scrambled tofu, or simply grabbing some fresh fruit to go. No matter how much time you have in the morning you could have an omega-3 rich breakfast of some kind. You can even increase your omega-3 intake by sprinkling chia seeds, hemp seeds or flax seeds on your food, or adding them into your breakfast smoothie.
3. IT’S A MOOD BOOSTING FOOD
Breakfast doesn’t only impact our physical health, but also our mental health! The foods we eat are intrinsically linked to our mood. Consuming a healthy breakfast provides our bodies with the essential vitamins needed to get going and also balances blood sugar levels, without which we would become much more irritable and subsequently more prone to negative feelings.
Therefore, to have a positive start to the day a balanced breakfast is key! Some mood boosting foods include bananas, berries, oats, nuts and seeds – all of which can be incorporated into a delicious dish. Why not try vegan overnight oats or a gluten-free oat bar like our TREK High Protein Flapjacks to put a smile on your face first thing in the morning.
4. IT CONTROLS YOUR APPETITE
Those that are calorie-conscious may be inclined to follow the diet fad of skipping breakfast to lose weight, but this can have the opposite effect. If you don’t eat breakfast, you’re more likely to end up snacking throughout the morning because your energy levels cannot be sustained until lunchtime. Our hunger pangs can be a signal from our bodies that we are running low on certain nutrients which could lead to unhealthy snacking if you attempt to satisfy these cravings with high-calorie foods.
If you find yourself in a snacking mood, stay away from overly-refined snacks with added sugar and instead reach for our TREK Bars made with 100% natural ingredients that are packed with 9-10g of protein. These protein filled bars will curb your hunger by providing you with natural nutrients that will keep those hunger pangs at bay.
5. IT KEEPS YOU HEALTHY!
The most simple reason to eat breakfast is that it’s good for you! We’ve learnt that breakfast can give us an energy boost, stimulates the brain, improves our mood and prevents us from unhealthy snacking, but there are still many more health benefits.
Studies have shown that a healthy breakfast can lead to a healthy heart by reducing the chances of cardiovascular disease. It also helps to kick start your metabolism through protein-rich foods, as well as drinks like tea or coffee also helping to kick start your day.
There we have it! 5 reasons why breakfast is important. From the physical benefits of breakfast – leaving you feeling full and helping to keep you healthy, to its positive effects on our mental health. We shouldn’t take this clever meal for granted! So what are you waiting for? Whip up a delicious vegan breakfast today, grab some fresh fruit, or buy a TREK Bar for the road to ensure you never skip breakfast again!
For more information on nutrition and the role it plays in our overall health and well-being read our other TREK blogs on all things from The Best Pre-Gym Snacks to Muscle Recovery Foods.
