Have you ever heard the saying ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper’? Seems a bit excessive, right? I mean, we all love our morning toast, but is skipping this meal all that bad? Can eating breakfast really be that important?
Well, it turns out it can.
Breakfast is more than just a delicious way to start your day. Whether you are scoffing a warm porridge, buttery toast, or fresh fruits, these yummy foods are doing more than just filling your stomach, and the benefits of this morning nosh are not to be missed out on.
Here’s everything you need to know about why breakfast is important, including all the best top tips for eating vegan breakfast like a king!
Why Is Breakfast Important?
So, let’s dive in! Here are some of the top benefits of breakfast…
It gives you energy…
Let’s start at the basics. Food is the fuel our bodies need to survive. Why? Because our bodies break down the food we eat to make glucose. This glucose is then distributed through our bloodstream, giving our whole body energy.
Generally, when you are sleeping, you are usually not eating. This means that, when you wake up in the morning, your body hasn’t been able to stock up on glucose for however many hours you were asleep. If you skip breakfast when you wake up, you are increasing the amount of time your body has to survive without fresh sources of glucose. No glucose means no energy, and we all know what having no energy feels like…
So, long story short, a nutritious vegan breakfast is critical in upping our glucose level at the start of the day and, therefore, in giving us the energy we need to keep going for the rest of the day.
Boosts brain power and productivity…
But the reasons why breakfast is important don’t stop there. Oh no. Having the right levels of energy in your body when you start your day also has a massive impact on what your body can achieve as the day goes on.
Firstly, skipping breakfast can leave you fatigued because your body doesn’t have enough energy. Not only this, but this lack of energy can also affect your mood - have you ever heard of the phrase ‘hangry’? Well, there is science behind it and it’s because your body is not getting the energy it needs to function at its best.
Skipping breakfast can also affect your concentration, focus, and even your cognitive function. Studies have shown that for school children, eating breakfast increases the chance of better academic performance. This is because it is harder for your brain to function well when you have no energy and all you can think about is being hungry!
Helps regulate your weight…
If you are on a diet and looking to lose weight, you may think that skipping breakfast could be a good idea, right? Wrong. In fact, skipping breakfast may have the opposite effect. Here’s why…
As we discussed, after a night of sleep, your body is ready for a glucose hit when you wake up in the morning. If you don’t satisfy this urge, your body will get more and more hungry until you do!
Skipping breakfast also harms metabolism. When we wake up and eat, it signals our metabolism to get going because there are calories to burn. If you don’t eat, our metabolism focuses on preserving the calories it already has, rather than burning them. This means less fat burnt, and more fat preserves - which is not ideal if you are looking to lose weight.
For these reasons, skipping breakfast is more commonly associated with gaining weight, rather than losing it!
Gives you nutrients…
Another big benefit of eating vegan breakfast? They are almost always nutrient-packed.
Think of all the big names in the vegan breakfast world… Porridge. Muesli. Yogurt. Fresh Fruit. All of these foods are packed with nutrients designed to get your day started right. They are often packed with fiber, vitamins, calcium, and iron - all nutrients that can have great effects on your whole body.
Not all vegan breakfast foods pack the same nutrient punch. In fact, some vegan breakfast cereals can be packed with sugars, fats, and artificial flavors. However, if you pick the right vegan breakfast foods, you can reap the benefits of them.
For example, the nutrients in many cereals mean that eating them every day may reduce your cholesterol, improve heart health, and improve your digestion. That ticks all of our boxes!
How To Do Breakfast Right….
So far we have discovered why breakfast is important. Now, here are some top tips on how to get your vegan breakfast right…
- Don’t skip it!
Unless you haven’t realized it yet, we think vegan breakfast is the most important meal, so skipping it is a hard no. Whether you want to lose weight or avoid fatigue, a nutritious vegan breakfast is the way to go, so get eating!
- Eat within 1 hour of waking up…
As we mentioned, your body needs glucose from breakfast foods to keep its levels stable because it has gone the whole night without a fresh dose of energy. What does this mean? It means that it may be best to consume your vegan breakfast in the morning in order to keep these glucose levels stable.
- Eat the right stuff.
As we mentioned, there are so many options for delicious and nutritious vegan breakfast foods, however, there are also many not-so-nutritious options. Your job? Picking the right ones.
Not sure where to start? Why not try the vegan breakfast meals available online on XMeals. With numerous pre-made vegan breakfast options designed by nutritionists and chefs, starting your day right just got a whole lot easier!
Conclusion on the Importance of Breakfast
It is clear why breakfast is important. In fact, breakfast may just be the most important meal of the day. It’s essential for giving you a hit of energy as soon as you wake up, helping you function at your best, and maintaining a healthy diet and blood sugar levels.
Basically, vegan breakfast is a must-have. The only thing you need to do is pick the best nutritious options to make sure you are enjoying all of the benefits vegan breakfast has to offer. And, with the fantastic range of nutritious vegan breakfast meal options available on XMeals, this just got a whole lot easier…
