Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day as our mothers used to tell us? Well…according to science, it depends. For example, a recent study published in BMJ, found that when referring to weight and energy intake, eating breakfast does not help with weight loss, nor does skipping breakfast contribute to weight gain.
“The notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day was nothing more than advertising copy for the newly hatched Kellogg cereal company,” says Daniel Paull, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Easy Orthopedics in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “That being said, I still eat breakfast every day.”
Most health pros are eating breakfast on a daily basis. “It gets your metabolism going,” explains Robert Karsch, MD, another orthopedic surgeon who practices in Decatur, Georgia. “Assuming you haven’t eaten since dinner the night before, you need that energy boost,” points out Ronald M Caplan, MD, an OB-GYN and medical author practicing in Pawling, New York.
“I’ve always eaten breakfast and it is automatic in my routine, but there are good health reasons,” says board-certified dermatologist Marie Hayag, MD, who practices in New York. “Not only does it replenish your glucose levels, it is helpful for brain power and mental alertness,” she adds
Also, it appears that eating breakfast is associated with overall better health. However, this association may come due to the fact that most people who eat breakfast also engage in other healthy activities such as running.
So far so good: eating breakfast is great… as long as you’re eating healthy. “Of course, if you do eat breakfast, what you eat matters,” adds Nate Favini, MD, an internal medicine doctor in San Francisco. What you put on your plate actually matters a lot, because some food choices are way better than others. Bagel and cream cheese for breakfast? Definitely not a good idea in terms of healthy eating.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the healthiest food choices for your breakfast.
