Table of Content

• What is Metabolism?

• Does Skipping Breakfast Cause Weight Gain?

• How BreakFast Helps Metabolism?

• Benefits of Eating Breakfast

• What to Avoid in Your Breakfast?

• Best Foods for Your Breakfast Plate

• FAQ on How Does Breakfast Habits Affect Metabolism?

Introduction

"You are what you eat" may be a cliched phrase but it is an undeniable fact. Not only the kind and sizes of foods but also the frequency of your food intake determines your mental and physical health. In this article, you would know the negative consequences on your metabolism when you skip your breakfast in the morning.

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is a process in which your body converts the food you eat into nutrients and energy. Metabolism is very much required for the body to perform all the necessary biochemical and physiological functions. 

Does Skipping Breakfast Cause Weight Gain?

Many of you would have heard that skipping breakfast would make you gain weight. But it's not as simple as that! Skipping breakfast will not directly make you gain weight but it makes your body prone to overeating. Just think about it! 

Eating more food during the morning after a long fast during your sleep boosts your energy levels and you stay in a good mood throughout the day. But when you don't have your breakfast, you would feel weak and depressed. This increases the possibility of emotional eating and stress eating. Also, overeating during lunch and dinner after feeling the pinching hunger after skipping breakfast is highly possible. So, weight gain due to avoiding breakfast is not so direct but it happens for so many people. 

How Breakfast Helps Metabolism?

Providing your body with food in the morning is like saying to your body that it has a lot of reserves and it can carry out all the metabolic reactions. But if you restrict your calories, your body goes into survival mode where it conserves energy without wasting it in metabolism, thereby lowering metabolic rate. So, having breakfast is the easiest way to boost your metabolism. 

Benefits of Eating Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, eating breakfast has various benefits. Here are some of them,

1. Provides Energy

'Breakfast' is called so as it breaks the fast observed during the 8-hour long sleep. So, your already starved body needs lots of energy for getting started the next day. So, eating breakfast helps you in boosting your energy levels and productivity. 

2. Helps to Control Your Weight

Having a regular breakfast helps you to control stress eating and increase your metabolic rate, thereby keeping your weight in check.  

3. Boosts Brain Power

Food is not only fuel to your body but also your brain. Skipping your breakfast makes you sluggish with very little focus and energy. You may also experience brain fog which makes you unproductive and inactive. Having breakfast is the key to starting your day afresh and light. 

4. Reduces Illnesses

With regular breakfast meals, you would find yourself doing well both physically and mentally. There would be very less probability of you catching obesity or diabetes if you have a healthy breakfast daily. 

5. Improves Mood

Breakfast will help you in relaxing your mind and reduce your stress during morning hours. When your stomach is filled, you do all your work in full swing with focus and determination. 

What to Avoid in Your Breakfast?

Since breakfast is the most important meal, it is better to avoid certain foods that can interfere with your health and well-being. Here are the foods to avoid on your breakfast plate, 

• Sugary drinks like soda or other sweetened beverages

• Highly refined carbohydrates like pizzas and burgers

• Pancakes

• Waffles

• Muffins

• Pastries

• Processed meats

• Biscuits

Best Foods for Your Breakfast Plate

Having the best breakfast carries numerous benefits for your body. Here are some of the simple yet best to-go items for your breakfast,

• Omelette or boiled eggs with spinach, pepper and salt.

• Two to three idlis with coconut chutney.

• A small plate of poha or dhokla.

• Two sandwiches with vegetables and spicy stuffing.

• Combination of one or more fruits with Greek yoghurt.

• One plate of sprouted salad with some spicy dressings.

Take-Home Points

• Breakfast is the most important meal for the day and skipping that would prove harmful to both your physical and mental health. 

• Skipping breakfast can cause fatigue, headache, depression, anxiety, weight gain and low energy levels throughout the day, thereby reducing your productivity. 

• Avoiding sugar and fat-rich foods in breakfast would enhance your mood and health. 

References 

• Impact of Breakfast on Metabolic and Digestive Health 

• Breakfast in Nutrition