Healthy living starts with breakfast – we have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For people with diabetes, this is especially so as it can help keep blood sugar levels stable.
For those without diabetes, breakfast is equally as important as it not only sets the stage for the entire day but also has a number of health benefits.
Health benefits of breakfast
Breakfast eaters are more likely to be leaner: A 2012 study shows that people who eat breakfast everyday are less likely to become obese, develop type 2 diabetes, or gain fat around their tummy. When you don’t eat a morning meal, your body enters into a prolonged fasting state. By the time you finally eat lunch, your body stores it as fat, leading to weight gain. When you break the fast in the morning, on the other hand, your body can use that food to power you through the day.
Eating breakfast may protect your heart: A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that people who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to develop heart disease than those who had breakfast. The results suggest those who missed breakfast are more likely to gain weight which can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure — all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
So what does a healthy breakfast comprise of?
Irrespective of whether or not we have diabetes, we should aim to have a healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods and should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fibre.
Protein can come from eggs or beans.
Fibre and carbohydrates can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits.
