Is Breakfast the most important meal of the day?
@michelledarcy (5220)
February 4, 2007 5:32am CST
I usually have quite a small breakfast as the mornings are busy and I often don't feel hungry.
However I was talking to someone about diet on Friday and she says that if you eat a big breakfast your body doesn't crave food through the day. Apparently you need the food in the morning to give you energy to get through the day. If you eat a big meal at night (like I do) you don't need to use up the energy and you put on more weight. That doesn't seem to work for me though as I find I still want to eat as much later on in the day regardless of how much I at for breakfast.
What does everyone else think?
13 people like this
141 responses
@Seattle2007 (344)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Hi there...breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. The reason is that studies have proven that people who eat breakfast perform better throughout the day at their tasks. Additionally, statistics has shown that people who eat breakfast maintain a healthier weight. The reasons that were established was that eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism early so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode slowing down the metabolism which causes the body to store fat ...essentially weight gain.
You can read more about why breakfast is THE most important meal of the day from the following news article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2824987.stm
3 people like this
@Seattle2007 (344)
• United States
4 Feb 07
absolutely! Your body was in a rest state during sleep so upon waking up your body needs energy (calories) and if it doesn't receive the much needed calories it automatically slows the metabolism down (reserve mode) which essentially is believing it is going into starvation (storing body fat) so this is the cause why people will overeat and gain weight faster. Hope this makes sense. The body is an amazing piece of machinery!
2 people like this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
I didn't realise that your metabolism slowed if you didn't eat breakfast thats interesting.
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
4 Feb 07
Well, I am a great believer in breakfast, and it is my favourite meal of the day, though I admit during the working week, I rarely have time for more than tea, juice, and cereal. I love it when I go on holiday, and can spend hours at the breakfast buffet in the Hotel, eating my way though all the fruit, yoghurts, croissants etc. It works for me too, because on the days I "skip" breakfast, I get really hungry by 11.00amn and start eatng chocolate. But on the days I have a big breakfast, I don't want to eat again until much later!
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
it would be lovely to be able to have a long leisurely breakfast.
1 person likes this
@funfreak2k2 (1734)
• India
4 Feb 07
the medical advice is, do have break fast, though not stomach full. it regains all your strength and is very good for brain.
at least one meal should be stomachful in the day, preferably the noon meal. supper, however, should be limited.
i do follow this.
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
I always have supper too, but try to have something fairly small that isn't full of fat. It doesn't always work though as I just love to snack on crisps!
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
I always have supper too, but try to have something fairly small that isn't full of fat. It doesn't always work though as I just love to snack on crisps!
1 person likes this
@cheenlly (3477)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
indeed breakfast is the most important meal for the day. We should take our breakfast so that we can have enough energy to start our day. Maybe it doesnt work for you because you dont eat the right food. We should eat food that has protein since it is the food that make us feel full and dont feel hungry.
@lauriefnp (5111)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I agree with this. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After being inactive through the night, the mind and the body need a meal to start the day. Protein is important because it will make you feel full longer, and it will be broken down into energy at a more slow and steady rate. A breakfast of fruit, fruit juice, cereal, toast is all carbs. It will turn to glucose quickly for a burst of energy, but you will feel hungry again soon. Most experts also say to eat 6 small meals throughout the day rather than 3 larger meals. It has been proven that it doesn't matter what time of the day you consume your calories; if you eat 12oo calories / day, you can eat them all in the morning or all at night, and your weight will not change as a result of it. What is a problem is if you eat your allotted calories, say 12oo / day, spread out into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then if you eat a high-calorie snack at 10pm, those calories are extra, and you can gain weight.
2 people like this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
I usually try to have somekind of fruit or fruit juicefor breakfast with porridge and sometimes toast.
2 people like this
@lyndaj70 (293)
• United States
5 Feb 07
All I know is if I don't eat every morning I get sick, but I'm hypoglycemic. If I eat decently in the morning once I wake up, then I can go most of the day without being too hungry, but if I wait too long to eat, it affects how I feel all day. Also I have discovered if I eat regularly during the day I don't crave as much at night and I tend to eat less. Take care.
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
I'm hypoglycaemic too, so I have to have lots of small meals through the day as well as supper or I don't feel like getting up in the morning.
@mixey62 (305)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I think you have to discover what works for you. I have heard the reports that breakfast is the most important, etc, etc. However I do not think this applies to my own life. For awhile, I tried eating a breakfast consisting of oatmeal, cereal, cereal bar, or a banana. I ended up gaining weight at a faster rate- I just didn't need calories that early in the morning.
Now that I have reduced my breakfast to a cup of tea, I find that my metabolism is much improved. I wait to eat my lunch and someday's this is difficult because I am quite hungry, but I think I feel healthier overall. I don't feel as sluggish or "weighted down" by the afternoon. I eat a lot of calories later in the day, but I feel that I am better able to burn them off than breakfast calories. I don't know why this is.
I think you should try different things and stick with whatever works best for you. Only you know you best!
2 people like this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
I find I feel sluggish if I eat too much in the morning, but if I have fruit and cereal I'm ok.
@huanghaozi (1472)
• Egypt
5 Feb 07
Breakfast is the most important of the day because you are break ing from fasting all night frome sleeping.You have slept 8 hrs with nothing in your stomach,it,s time to refuel and fill up.If you don,t eat till noon then you,ve gone 13-14 hrs with no food. Do you see any logic to this at all.
1 person likes this
@shedii (1486)
• India
5 Feb 07
Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Heavy breakfasts are good for health. But thinking that having heavy breakfast would stop your habit of eating between breakfast & lunch is not correct I think. I mean if you have the habit of eating between breakfast & lunch, it can't be controlled totally by having heavy breakfast. You need to have control on your food habits yourself. Or you can devote that time in developing some hobby or work so that in the time you eat eatra you are busy & don't get time to eat whole day.
@michelledarcy (5220)
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5 Feb 07
thats not weird a lot of people don't like eating in the morning, its not just you!
@LightninStrike (5915)
• Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
5 Feb 07
i know that what you all say is true, but i cannot eat in the early morning...i find myself unable to lol...i am a weirdo!!
1 person likes this
@WebMann (4731)
• Canada
4 Feb 07
I feel breakfast is the most important meal to start your day. :)
I personally eat a bowl of oatmeal every single day to help with my health and I also have to take a lot of meds and without food I would just throw them back up, so breakfast is important to me for sure.
2 people like this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
I like oatmeal or porridge for breakfast too, especially on these cold mornings.
1 person likes this
@m_yilmaz001 (426)
• Turkey
4 Feb 07
i think having breakfast very important meal on a day.a good breakfast makes me more happy and more alive.
if dont have breakfast in the mornings i feel very unhappy and deathly
2 people like this
@fabwisp (1327)
•
5 Feb 07
Having just nearly passed out and having to get my son to get me some toast....yes it is important! I dont enjoy breakfast and for years never ate any. But since being pregnant with my daughter i need to at least have a slice of toast in the morning otherwise I end up feeling ill. I think the theory of being on a diet and eating breakfast is to eat something with slow energy releasing stuff. Like porridge. But I would say if on a diet eat 3 regular meals a day and replace sugary snacks with fruit and vegetables.
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
4 Feb 07
Its true that breakfast does give you energy, but sometimes I'm still full from a big meal the night before.
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@michelledarcy (5220)
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4 Feb 07
Maybe if you have a glass of orange a bit before you normally get up, it will give you the energy to get out of bed and have a proper breakfast.
@jackinthebucks (217)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
For me breakfast is absolutely important I can't really think straight without breakfast. I can go on without lucnh but breakfast is like not gonna happen.If I'm like for work I still manage to atleast eat something in the morning before going to work. I mean how would i function well without food in my tummy.
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
A lot of people do manage without eating breakfast, but it does make you wonder how much better they would be if they ate properly.
@cachekitten (463)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
Just same here, i usually not eat my breakfast...its becuase i am tired to Wake up early to cook food for breakfast so i better just take some chocolate drink or milk and bread in the morning.And one reason also is that i am on my diet..coz i am getting more fat noW.
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
It important to take a bit of time for a proper breakfast I think, even just some fruit is better than a milk drink.
@phanidharreddy (95)
• India
5 Feb 07
First of all what do u mean by breakfast?
It is so called coz after ur dinner and after a longtime fast as u r breaking it it is called as breakfast.
And it is important coz empty stomach we an do nothing and it leads to gastric problems.So i suggest that breakfast is important than meal.
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
thats interesting, I didn't know that was why it was called breakfast.
@remo1986 (16)
• India
5 Feb 07
i do eat very few in the morning.i knew it is not good for health.but due to the lack of time i use to take very few bread in the morning.like most of college goers i too use to get up late and hurry to the college.most of the times i ll miss the college bus.then i have to take on some other transport to reach college.
@livvy092002 (1032)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
Yes, most people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is said that our body really needs the food especially energy-giving ones 'coz they will be used up in our activities for the day. And also, most say that we really should limit the quantity of our dinner 'coz we dont need much energy at night.. But as for me, i dont eat breakfast and i eat a lot at dinner! Lol!
@mayenskie (1307)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
I remember my mom used to say 'Eat like a King in the morning, eat like a prince at noon and eat like a pauper in the evening', so i guess breakfast is the most important meal. I also noticed that if i eat a good breakfast i can go on not eating lunch or snakcs in the morning coz i don't feel hungry. Most of the time before, i could only have a cup of coffee and bread for breakfast and at 9am my stomach is churning, making funny sounds hahahah, its sometimes embarrasing when people around you heard your stomach "growl". We just end up laughing! :D
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
5 Feb 07
thats funny, but you are right my tummy grumbles too if I miss breakfast.
