Breakfast: the myth about the most important meal of the day and what doctors say

Russians are convinced that a good morning should follow a single scenario: wake up, get out of bed without checking notifications on your phone, drink a glass of water on an empty stomach, eat and only then leave the house. And if you remove at least one component, then this is already neglecting your health. This is especially true for breakfast, which is considered the most important meal of the day. Lenta.ru figured out what doctors say about this and how refusing to eat after waking up actually affects the body.

Who decided that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?

This statement has a well-documented starting point: 1917. Then nutritionist Lenna Frances Cooper wrote in an article for Good Health magazine that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it starts the day. Coincidence or not, this publication was associated with John Harvey Kellogg, one of the pioneers of the corn flake industry.

But in the 40s, real marketing got involved. At that time, General Foods, which produced breakfast cereals, launched the “Eat a Good Breakfast, Perform Better” campaign. The radio ad, in turn, said that some nutrition experts consider breakfast the most important meal of the day. As a result, this statement has become almost a medical axiom.

Several decades have passed since then, but doctors still cannot come to a consensus on this issue. Thus, doctor Robert Shmerling admits that he plays sports, watches his diet and generally leads a healthy lifestyle, but breaks one of the main rules: he regularly skips breakfast. “The latest research suggests that breakfast may not be as important as many people think, but it's unlikely to be the final answer. We need more high-quality research on how breakfast affects health,” the doctor emphasized.

But there is an opposite opinion, also from a doctor. Nutritionist Beth Cervony said breakfast gives a person the energy needed to start the day and helps the body function at peak efficiency. “Would you go on a long trip in a car with an empty tank?” — she makes an interesting analogy. At the same time, the doctor emphasizes that after waking up it is important to eat foods containing a large amount of nutrients, and not eat everything.

But nutritionist David S. Ludwig was more categorical in his formulations.

In his opinion, even a small snack within an hour of waking up is a good idea. To summarize, we can say that Schmerling was definitely right about one thing: the world will not soon hear a unanimous opinion on this issue.

Who needs to have breakfast, and who can safely skip the morning meal?

However, even Cervoni, an ardent breakfast advocate, admits that much of the advice is based on observational studies, which are not clinical trials proving the importance of a morning meal. And this is good news for people who feel sick at the thought of breakfast. Thus, if a person does not wake up hungry, he can calmly postpone the first meal, the doctor emphasized: “Listen to the signals of hunger to understand how important it is for you.”

The chief physician of the ACC Medical clinic, anesthesiologist-reanimatologist, oncologist-chemotherapist and therapist Sergei Astafurov, with whom Lenta.ru spoke, agrees with this. In his opinion, a person’s diet throughout the day is much more important: its calorie content, variety and sufficient amounts of essential nutrients. “Therefore, the saying that you need to have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar should not be taken literally. A hearty breakfast may be comfortable for one person, but a small portion in the morning may be enough for another. The diet should take into account lifestyle, level of physical activity and individual characteristics of the body,” the doctor explained.

Astafurov added that a late or heavy dinner can reduce appetite in the morning. If you don’t feel like eating after it, then you don’t need to force yourself just because breakfast is considered mandatory.

But for some people, breakfast can be especially beneficial. Firstly, these are children and teenagers. Studies have shown that eating in the morning has a positive effect on the brain. It also found that children who eat breakfast perform better on tasks that require attention, executive function and memory.

In addition, a morning meal may be necessary for pregnant women. For them, one of the recommendations of specialists from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is to eat something immediately after waking up in bed. According to doctors, it helps fight nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Breakfast is also important for diabetics. People with the disease may experience hypoglycemia, a dangerous drop in glucose levels, if they don't eat enough or skip meals, the American Diabetes Association has warned.

What should an ideal breakfast contain?

According to nutritionist Julie Zumpano, the main component of your morning meal should be protein. The thing is that it is he, according to research, that provides a feeling of fullness for a long time.

Zumpano named scrambled eggs with vegetables and lean meat sausages, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with nuts and berries, oatmeal with milk with chia or flax seeds, toast with avocado and eggs, or a protein smoothie as the optimal first meal dishes.

In addition to protein, nutritionist Teresa Fung recommended eating fiber-rich carbohydrates for breakfast, such as whole grain cereals and breads, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and legumes, as well as seasonal, frozen or sugar-free canned vegetables, berries and fruits. Vegetables that are especially suitable for breakfast, according to the expert, include tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, corn, cucumbers and leafy greens.

This point of view is confirmed by research data. Scientists believe that eating breakfast foods rich in whole grains and fiber helps improve metabolic health. However, for this effect it is important to ensure that there is no excess of fast carbohydrates in the diet.

Therapist Irina Nalimova reminded that breakfast should also contain healthy fats, which are found, for example, in avocado and olive oil. According to the doctor, they support bile flow and improve the absorption of vitamins A, D and E.

But it is advised to refrain from sweet cereals, desserts, donuts and pastries for breakfast. As noted by doctor Monique Tello, they negatively affect the level of glucose and insulin in the blood, and also lead to fat deposits.

In addition, the doctor recommended not to abuse animal fats and salt during the first meal.

At the same time, there is no consensus in the medical community about what is better - a harmful breakfast or no breakfast at all. “One missed breakfast or one less-than-balanced meal does not determine a person’s health. Regular eating habits matter. If the choice is between eating only sweets for breakfast all the time and skipping breakfast occasionally when you're not hungry, the second option isn't necessarily worse. But if a person wants to have breakfast, it is better to make this meal a full meal,” stated doctor Sergei Astafurov.