We have heard it all our lives: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But is it true?
The answer is "yes" and for a number of important reasons: better hormones, better weight management and a better brain!
Better hormones
One of the most important hormone cycles in your body is the DHEA cycle. DHEA is the anti-aging, anti-stress hormone from which your body makes many other hormones – including estrogen and testosterone. Hormones are messenger proteins surrounded by fats. Good proteins and good fats make good hormones.
The circadian cycle – also known as the "body clock" – seems to begin around 3 a.m. when DHEA begins to rise. It peaks mid-morning and slowly declines through the day. A high protein breakfast with healthy fats eaten by 7 a.m. supports the DHEA cycle and circadian rhythm. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for healthy hormones.
Better weight
Certain stress-induced hormones, such as cortisol, are associated with obesity. An important hunger hormone called ghrelin is related to evening hunger. Do you ever find yourself "grazing" in the evening? You are not alone. The majority of unnecessary calories are consumed after 5 p.m. Part of the reason is the hunger hormone ghrelin. It makes you snack!
Studies of evening hunger clearly point to a healthy breakfast as the best deterrent against unbridled "grazing." Eating a high-protein breakfast reduces the production of ghrelin and evening hunger. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for effective weight management.
A better brain
The human brain uses two different fuel sources: glucose and ketones. Glucose is blood sugar from dietary carbohydrates. Your brain can burn them just fine, but they leave caramelized proteins behind called "glycosylated" proteins. A good example of a glycosylated protein is the crust formed on bread as you bake it. The carbohydrate caramelizes, turns brown and becomes rigid. Imagine that happening inside your brain and you can see why burning glucose is not the most efficient fuel for your brain.
Ketone bodies are made from protein and fat. Good fats and healthy proteins make healthy ketones. These fuel the brain very efficiently. A 1983 study published in the Journal of Psychiatry Research tested kids with ADHD. They used three different approaches to breakfast: high carbohydrate (breakfast cereal or bagels are good examples), high protein (eggs are a good example) and no breakfast at all (let's face it: this happens far more often than we care to admit!).
The results were interesting. Those who ate the high protein diet did best. Even those who skipped breakfast did better on attention-span tests than those who ate a high-carbohydrate diet. Children who eat a high protein and healthy fat breakfast regularly have higher reading and math scores, lower levels of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and fewer behavior problems; children also experience higher grades and better attendance when they eat breakfast.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a healthy brain.
Conclusion
So, there you have it: for better hormones, better weight management and a healthier brain you need to eat breakfast. A high protein breakfast with healthy fats is best. Most studies used whole foods like eggs, but several studies I reviewed used supplemental protein shakes. That reminds me of Leanology Shakes: high in vegetarian protein and low in simple carbohydrates. Other studies clearly show that kids and adults do best when they take supplemental vitamins with breakfast. So, take your Healthy Foundation vitamins and remember: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
The answer is "yes" and for a number of important reasons: better hormones, better weight management and a better brain!
Better hormones
One of the most important hormone cycles in your body is the DHEA cycle. DHEA is the anti-aging, anti-stress hormone from which your body makes many other hormones – including estrogen and testosterone. Hormones are messenger proteins surrounded by fats. Good proteins and good fats make good hormones.
The circadian cycle – also known as the "body clock" – seems to begin around 3 a.m. when DHEA begins to rise. It peaks mid-morning and slowly declines through the day. A high protein breakfast with healthy fats eaten by 7 a.m. supports the DHEA cycle and circadian rhythm. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for healthy hormones.
Better weight
Certain stress-induced hormones, such as cortisol, are associated with obesity. An important hunger hormone called ghrelin is related to evening hunger. Do you ever find yourself "grazing" in the evening? You are not alone. The majority of unnecessary calories are consumed after 5 p.m. Part of the reason is the hunger hormone ghrelin. It makes you snack!
Studies of evening hunger clearly point to a healthy breakfast as the best deterrent against unbridled "grazing." Eating a high-protein breakfast reduces the production of ghrelin and evening hunger. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for effective weight management.
A better brain
The human brain uses two different fuel sources: glucose and ketones. Glucose is blood sugar from dietary carbohydrates. Your brain can burn them just fine, but they leave caramelized proteins behind called "glycosylated" proteins. A good example of a glycosylated protein is the crust formed on bread as you bake it. The carbohydrate caramelizes, turns brown and becomes rigid. Imagine that happening inside your brain and you can see why burning glucose is not the most efficient fuel for your brain.
Ketone bodies are made from protein and fat. Good fats and healthy proteins make healthy ketones. These fuel the brain very efficiently. A 1983 study published in the Journal of Psychiatry Research tested kids with ADHD. They used three different approaches to breakfast: high carbohydrate (breakfast cereal or bagels are good examples), high protein (eggs are a good example) and no breakfast at all (let's face it: this happens far more often than we care to admit!).
The results were interesting. Those who ate the high protein diet did best. Even those who skipped breakfast did better on attention-span tests than those who ate a high-carbohydrate diet. Children who eat a high protein and healthy fat breakfast regularly have higher reading and math scores, lower levels of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and fewer behavior problems; children also experience higher grades and better attendance when they eat breakfast.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a healthy brain.
Conclusion
So, there you have it: for better hormones, better weight management and a healthier brain you need to eat breakfast. A high protein breakfast with healthy fats is best. Most studies used whole foods like eggs, but several studies I reviewed used supplemental protein shakes. That reminds me of Leanology Shakes: high in vegetarian protein and low in simple carbohydrates. Other studies clearly show that kids and adults do best when they take supplemental vitamins with breakfast. So, take your Healthy Foundation vitamins and remember: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
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