The proof is in the porridge.
New research suggests that breakfast eaters are more likely to hit nutritional targets throughout the day. More specifically, non-breakfast eaters tend to miss out on calcium, vitamin C, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals that are common in breakfast foods.
What are breakfast foods? I don’t personally allocate foods to specific meals—after all, it’s all food—but the researchers defined that as milk, fruit, and cereal.
More so, these nutrients were under-represented in food choices non-breakfast eaters made throughout the day.
Of course, the quality of your breakfast matters. You’re not going to get much benefit if you’re eating a bowl of Fruit Loops, a donut, Danish, or muffin. To get the most from breakfast, you will want to be eating nutrient-dense options like oatmeal or other whole grains, fruit, Greek yogurt, vegetables, eggs, or other proteins.
Honestly, the biggest benefit of breakfast is that it serves as an opportunity to get your nutrients in. Particularly fiber. You are giving your body the best chance for optimal function when you’re hitting your nutritional targets each day.
That means better heart function, blood sugar control, energy, awareness, digestion, and mental function. There are also long-term benefits to heart health, bone health, and chronic disease.
Remember this phrase: you are what you absorb. The more nutrients you consume during the day, at the appropriate levels, the more likely you are to remain healthy.
Whole foods are the best places to get nutrients. In some cases, you may need a little supplemental assistance, but getting as much as you can through diet is a good goal.
You can build a super meal at breakfast. Sometimes the sum is better than the parts.