Breakfast is often called ‘the most important meal of the day’ and new research shows why it’s so important to eat healthy in the morning.
It turns out that when you eat is very important when it comes to glucose control, cholesterol levels, and weight.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition followed 50,000 people in California. Those who ate their biggest meal at breakfast had a lower body-mass index (a measure of weight relative to height) than those who ate most at supper, even though their calorie intakes were the same.
Study lead author Dr. Hana Kahleova said a large breakfast “seems to [reduce hunger], reduce total energy intake, improve overall dietary quality, reduce blood lipid, and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Eating large meals in the evening generally has the opposite effects,” she said.
As the name suggests, breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period.
In the morning our insulin sensitivity is increased, meaning that the same meal consumed in the morning as opposed to the evening results in lower blood glucose levels and decreased insulin resistance.
Breakfast, is especially crucial if you have type 2 diabetes.
An exciting study in Israel demonstrates how harmful skipping breakfast is for diabetic. The researchers followed 22 people with diabetes.
"It is quite remarkable that, in our study in type 2 diabetes individuals, the omission of breakfast was associated with a significant increase in all-day blood sugar spikes," says Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., a professor in the diabetes unit at the E. Wolfson Medical Center, Tel Aviv University and Tel Aviv Medical Center.
She found that Skipping breakfast increased blood sugar levels after both lunch and dinner.
In the study, she evaluated 22 patients with type 2 diabetes. Their average age was about 57.
"We found that participants experienced extraordinary glucose peaks of 268 mg/dl after lunch and 298 mg/dl after dinner on days they skipped breakfast," she says, "versus only 192 mg/dl, and 215 mg/dl after eating an identical lunch and dinner on days they ate breakfast." They measured after meals up to 3 hours after starting to eat.
Simply, on days when the men and women skipped breakfast, lunchtime blood sugar levels were 37 percent higher then on the day they ate breakfast and they were 27 percent higher at dinner time.
Her bottom line? Even if you don't overeat at lunch and dinner after skipping breakfast, skipping the first meal of the day can cause ''major damage to the beta cell function."
High Insulin levels in the bloodstream promotes fat storage in the body, so its not surprising that those that skip breakfast in favor of bigger meals later in the day, experience increased weight gain and obesity.
Experts at Columbia University in New York evaluated studies about breakfast skipping, meal frequency, meal timing, and fasting, and the link between people’s risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure.
The researchers found that skipping breakfast was linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke risk and people not getting enough vitamins and minerals from their diet.
One study found that 74 per cent of breakfast skippers did not meet two thirds of the (American) Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamins and minerals, compared with 41 per cent of those who consumed breakfast. Another study showed that daily breakfast eaters were less likely to have risk factors for heart and circulatory disease, high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
The Impact of Skipping Breakfast on Heart Disease
- A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who did not eat breakfast were 87 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease and stroke than those who ate breakfast every day.
Morning Bread : The 83 Health Benefits of Eating Bread In The Morning According to the Talmud
As we have seen, eating breakfast balances blood sugar, revs up metabolism, and resets the body's weight point. But what is the best food to eat for breakfast?
The Talmud extols the virtues of eating what's called Pat Shacharit, or Morning Bread in English. The Talmud explains that there are 83 diseases that start in the digestive system and spread to the rest of the body. These 83 ailments all have the same root cause and are cured by eating bread in the morning.
The bread should ideally be consumed at around 10 am or a few hours after arising, sprinkled with salt and should be accompanied with water to drink.
The healthiest bread is ancient grain bread.
At Joseph's Organic Bakery discover our healthy ancient grain wholegrain bread made with Kamut or Einkorn flour.
Our unique preparation and fermentation process ensures high levels of probiotics, fiber and nutrients in every loaf.
Learn how thousands of our customers are transforming their health by eating our bread. Call us at 954-541-4062
I eat a minimum of 4 slices of bread from Joseph's Organic Bakery every day, for breakfast and lunch. Its what keeps me going and what has contributed to my health transformation.
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