Pearlz of Tots: Breakfast

When I was a child… years ago, mom would always prepare me ‘heavy’ breakfast before I leave for school… till today, first few things I’d do as soon as I wake up is… to have breakfast!

Breakfast is indeed a very important meal. A good breakfast fuels you up and gets you ready for the day.

Breakfast is a compound word. Separate them and what do you get? Break fast. You're breaking the fast in between your dinner last night and now with a morning meal. The old phrase breakfast is the most important meal of the day actually has some truth in it.

Eating a nutritious breakfast is essential for a healthy diet. Studies show that eating breakfast prepares you for the day ahead both mentally and physically. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose).

Research shows that eating first thing in the morning helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which control appetite and energy. In general, kids and teens who eat breakfast have more energy, do better in school, and eat healthier throughout the day.

Skipping breakfast can lead to tiredness, lack of concentration, restless, irritable and poor performance at work or school. It also means that you are more likely to snack on unhealthy foods such as chocolate or crisps before lunch.

If you are trying to lose weight, skipping breakfast doesn't actually help. This is because of your metabolism. Your metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body uses when you are resting. Breakfast gives your metabolism a kick start. Not eating breakfast will cause your metabolism to be sluggish and you will store more fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too. On addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain.