Discover the risks of skipping breakfast and how it impacts your health. Explore Meri Sehat's insights on the importance of a nutritious morning meal.

Dangers Of Skipping Breakfast

Introduction

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Another day of dealing with this age-old question, thinking you might as well just skip it and jump start your day? Can we settle this debate once and for all? Because breakfast really, truly, absolutely is the most important meal of the day!&nbsp;

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The number of nutrients and fiber you consume improves your long-term health and bodily functions. It is the first meal of the day and you&rsquo;re quite literally breaking a night-long fast.&nbsp;

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And if you&rsquo;ve been avoiding your breakfast for sake of some calorie counting fad diet, then bad news. According to a study, people who do not have their breakfast, consume a larger calorie count in the limited meals they do eat during the day. The result is it puts a lot of strain on their gut and body<a href="#accordion">[1]</a>. So, if you do not immediately feel hungry after waking up, maybe you can wait an hour or two until you do, but do not skip this meal under any circumstances because that will be more harmful in the longer run. 
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Understanding the Importance of Breakfast

Missing out on essential nutrients that help replenish your body can eventually lead to serious health issues:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Your brain needs glucose to get your body up and running. Skipping breakfast reduces blood sugar levels which, in turn, reduces your energy levels and cognitive functioning. Now you know why you feel sluggish throughout the day!&nbsp;</li>
	<li>If you already suffer from <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/migraines-73">migraines</a>, skipping breakfast can make you even more susceptible to this severe throbbing in your head due to low blood sugar and increased blood pressure<a href="#accordion">[4]</a>.</li>
	<li>If you&rsquo;ve skipped your first meal, chances are that you will feel famished until your next meal, and will probably eat more food than you should. This kind of overeating puts you at a 15% higher risk of weight gain<a href="#accordion">[1]</a>.</li>
	<li>Lack of proper nutrients equals reduced immunity. A deficiency in even one of the nutrients like vitamin D or zinc or magnesium can affect your immune system and increase risk of diseases.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>When you are hungry, your stomach produces acid and when you don&rsquo;t give that acid any food to process, it will work its way up the stomach walls and into some parts of the esophagus causing damage to its lining.</li>
	<li>Men are at 27% higher risk of having a <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/myocardial-infarction">heart attack</a> when they skip their breakfast<a href="#accordion">[1]</a>.</li>
	<li>Even though studies haven&rsquo;t found a significant increase in blood pressure of those who skip breakfast, there is still a risk especially due to low blood sugar and an overactivity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This is associated with cerebral hemorrhage, which reportedly occurs more often in the morning. Doesn&rsquo;t paint a pretty picture, does it?</li>
	<li>A majority of studies suggest that breakfast lowers bad cholesterol concentration, especially LDL levels<a href="#accordion">[2]</a>.</li>
	<li>Previous studies also indicate that if you&rsquo;re skipping breakfast, then you&rsquo;re naturally 21% more likely to develop <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/diabetes-type-1-and-2">type 2 diabetes</a><a href="#accordion">[1]</a>; skipping once a week is linked to a 6% increase in glucose intolerance, while skipping 4-5 times takes the number up to 55%<a href="#accordion">[9]</a>. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

If you&rsquo;ve been consistently skipping breakfast, here are some tips and tricks to ensure you integrate a healthy meal into your morning routine<a href="#accordion">[8]</a>: 
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<ul>
	<li>For The I-Don&rsquo;t-Have-Time-In-The-Morning-For-Breakfast: Do a quick meal prep before going to bed. Alternatively, quick snack meals like granola bars or fruits can be stashed in your bag that you can eat on your way to school/office.</li>
	<li>For The I-Don&rsquo;t-Feel-Hungry-In-The-Morning: There&rsquo;s no fixed rule that states you have to have a meal right after you wake up. You can wait for an hour or two to let the hunger pangs kick in and then have your morning meal. This can be a small, leftover portion from your dinner the previous night. Meanwhile, keep a packed lunch with you for later.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>For The I-Am-Trying-To-Lose-Weight: You always have the power to make the right choices. Choose healthier low fat/carb options, such as bananas, Greek yogurt, berries, kiwis, nuts, or eggs<a href="#accordion">[7]</a>.</li>
	<li>For The I-Cannot-Afford-To-Make-A-Breakfast-Meal: While a beautiful table spread looks good on Instagram, it&rsquo;s not practical for everyone. There&rsquo;s no need to compare; fix yourself a breakfast with anything that&rsquo;s easily available to you &ndash; if oats and toast are an affordable option, go for it.</li>
	<li>For The I-Get-Bored-Of-Eating-the-Same-Thing-Again-And-Again: Ah, the fussy eater, the picky eater, the finicky eater. You can make a list of all the foods you want to eat for the rest of the week so that you don&rsquo;t end up repeating meals. Make sure your plan has both macro and micro nutrients, and not just your favorite (read junk) items. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Children are bursting with energy, often leaving you envious and wondering what&rsquo;s their source. In all honesty, that&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re willing to spend an eternity looking for the fountain of youth in the first place &ndash; for that burst of energy!&nbsp;

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But you&rsquo;re forgetting another source to &ldquo;limitless power&rdquo;, aren&rsquo;t you? The Dragon Scroll by Oogway in Kung Fu Panda. It&rsquo;s a reminder that these &lsquo;sources&rsquo; are nothing but a reflection of the self! And since you are what you eat, why not get into the habit of healthy eating at an early age? Beginning right with the first meal of the day, i.e., breakfast.&nbsp;

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It&rsquo;s what keeps you alert, motivated, and gets you through the first half of school, until recess. Young children shouldn&rsquo;t even be allowed to skip breakfast because if the habit sticks, there will be negative physical and mental effects in the long run.&nbsp;

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According to a study, kids who ate breakfast scored relatively higher on their exams than kids who skipped breakfast<a href="#accordion">[5]</a>. Furthermore, skipping breakfast leads to junk food consumption in children, which is not what you&rsquo;d want for yourself or your kids, right? 
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<ul>
	<li>Eggs: They make a brilliant source of proteins, which works well in keeping you full as well as in supporting muscle synthesis. The nutrition in eggs is particularly good for your eyes, brain, and liver.</li>
	<li>Nuts: Nuts are a rich source of magnesium, anti-oxidants, potassium, anti-oxidants, and good fats. They keep you full and also improve the functioning of your heart and brain.</li>
	<li>Oatmeal: It&rsquo;s rich in fiber, which makes it good for digestion and constipation. Other nutrients include iron, vitamin B12, manganese, magnesium, protein, selenium, and zinc.</li>
	<li>Greek Yogurt: A rich source of protein, Greek yogurt is lower in fat as compared to regular yogurt. It also contains calcium which helps in bone strength.</li>
	<li>Chia Seeds: The fiber content in chia seeds is not just impressive, it&rsquo;s actually good for your blood sugar regulation.</li>
	<li>Fruits: They can be excellent options to get your daily allowance of fiber and vitamins. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Conclusion

Many people skip breakfast citing different reasons for their action. While skipping it once in a while may not be extremely harmful to your health, it’s not recommended in the long run as being deprived of essential nutrients can cause significant damage to your mind and body.&nbsp;

Key Points

<ul><li>What makes breakfast so important is the number of nutrients and fiber you consume, which improve your long-term health and bodily functions.</li><li>Skipping breakfast is a risky business. For instance, it makes you vulnerable to high blood pressure, cholesterol, acidity, diabetes, weight gain, heart diseases, and low immunity.</li><li>Meal prep in advance can save you time and energy in the mornings, which will automatically make the first meal of the day convenient instead of a burden.</li><li>Children need breakfast to do well and concentrate at school.</li><li>Healthy breakfast options include eggs, yogurt, fruits, nuts, and oatmeal. </li></ul>

[1] Thompson D. Skipping breakfast a recipe for heart disease, study finds. WebMD.

[2] Bonnet JP, Cardel MI, Cellini J, Hu FB, Guasch-Ferré M. Breakfast Skipping, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020;28(6):1098-1109. doi:10.1002/oby.22791

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