The Benefits of Eating a Nutritious Breakfast
Breakfast is often described as the most important meal of the day, but tend not to give it the attention it deserves. How many times in the week can we find ourselves rushing through our morning routines to end up hurriedly downing a high-calorie alternative as we rush out the door or bypassing it all together? All the hype around eating breakfast isn't something to ignore, however; the first and truly most important meal of the day has multiple reasons to be taken seriously. Here are some of the biggest benefits of eating a nutritious breakfast, brought to you by our breakfast catering services.
Gives You Fuel and Energy
Our bodies run off of the nutrients and energy provided by food whenever we eat a meal. Even if you eat breakfast regularly, there's a large gap in time between dinner and your morning meal--in a healthy meal schedule, typically between 8 to 12 hours--as your body goes into its overnight fasting period while you sleep. During this period, your body will keep blood sugar levels stable by breaking down and absorbing stored glucose, the body's main source of energy, from dinner. But the longer you go without food, the lower your glucose storage will dwindle as your body continues to use it up. This is why you might feel slow and sluggish when you wake up in the morning. In order to restore those glucose levels and tackle the rest of the day, eating a breakfast full of healthy nutrients is essential. Without it, your body will be unable to fuel itself with the glucose it needs to ward off fatigue, raise your blood sugar, increase your stamina, and function at full capacity before you hit an afternoon crash.
Prevents Weight Gain
While skipping breakfast may seem like a smart way to cut calories, there isn't much to support the idea that it could help you lose weight; in fact, most evidence points in the opposite direction. Studies show that people who eat breakfast (unsurprisingly) report feeling a significant decrease in cravings throughout the day, as well as a higher rate of weight loss, than those who do not. All skipping your morning meal really does is leave you starving and more likely to overindulge in high-calorie foods throughout the day to compensate, ultimately sabotaging your original calorie-cutting goal. Eating a healthy and satisfying breakfast will help you feel full for longer and avoid giving in to those cravings.
Improves Your Mood and Performance
Carbohydrates and glucose are directly linked to your body's performance both physically and mentally, so if you wake up and jump straight into your day without eating to refuel the nutrients you've lost during the night you'll spend your morning moody and at low energy. Studies have shown that eating a healthy breakfast can help improve memory retention, concentration, attitude, stress levels, alertness, and cognitive skills in children, teens, and adults. So whether you spend your morning at the office or in a classroom, you'll see the improved benefits on your performance and mood after reenergizing with that crucial morning meal.
It can be hard to make time for breakfast in the chaos of the early hours. Everyone has had a morning where they've rushed out the door and neglected anything more than a granola bar to eat en route, but regularly skipping breakfast or substituting it for something high in calories later on isn't a healthy habit to get into. Finding time to prepare a morning meal (even something as simple as cereal or oatmeal) has numerous benefits that your body will thank you for throughout your day. At Great Harvest, we offer a variety of delicious and healthy breakfast items such as muffins made with all natural ingredients, freshly baked cinnamon rolls, and individually packaged breakfast boxes that will satisfy your hunger. Contact us today to learn more about our breakfast menu and breakfast catering options.