Smart slimming? Bet for breakfast!

Breakfast is the first meal after a night break, providing the body with energy necessary to start the day effectively. It is best if it is eaten at home, in the first hours after waking up, to stimulate the metabolism and prepare the body for proper functioning during the day, as well as to protect against fluctuations in blood glucose levels. The first breakfast is one of the three main meals of the day, so plan your morning to find time to eat it.

The influence of breakfast on the functioning of the body

According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), regular consumption of meals prevents energy drops during the day, and additionally has a positive effect, among others. on the body’s immunity. Despite this, it is estimated that about 20-30% of people in the world do not eat breakfast. Skipping them often can have a negative effect on the body. It is worth noting that the systematic consumption of breakfast contributes to the maintenance of the correct level of glucose, insulin and total cholesterol as well as the fraction of “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. These factors are important in the prevention of diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, skipping breakfast often makes it difficult to maintain a healthy body weight, and thus promotes the development of overweight and obesity. Research has shown that the diet of people who eat breakfast regularly usually provide more nutrients, e.g. dietary fiber, iron or B vitamins. In addition, eating a properly balanced breakfast has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system by providing the right amount of glucose – a component necessary for the brain to work. This results in an improvement in memory, concentration, cognitive functions and an improvement in mood.

Breakfast for a good start to the day

Breakfast should be a wholesome meal, so it is worth not to miss whole grain cereal products with a low glycemic index rich in dietary fiber, products containing protein such as fish, eggs, lean meats, natural dairy products or legume seeds, as well as fresh vegetables or fruit. Breakfast should provide about 25-30% of the daily energy requirement.

Breakfast and slimming

It is worth emphasizing that not only the whole-day energy value of the diet is important in maintaining a healthy body weight, but also the proper distribution of calories among individual meals. Larger, filling breakfasts ensure a feeling of fullness for a longer time, which contributes to an increase in mental performance in the following hours. Studies have shown that overweight and obese people who are on a slimming diet (1400 kcal) should eat a high-calorie breakfast in combination with a low-calorie dinner in order to achieve better weight loss effects. In people using the above principle, a significantly greater decrease in body weight and a more significant reduction in waist circumference were observed in relation to people consuming low-calorie breakfasts and high-calorie dinners. Additionally, a more significant decrease in glucose levels was demonstrated, fasting insulin and ghrelin (the hormone responsible for feeling hungry). Also in this group, triglyceride levels decreased by 33.6%, while in those who ate less breakfast, and hearty suppers, it increased by 14.6%.

However, it should be remembered that the energy value of the diet adopted by the authors is not a universal calorific value, which should be used by every person on a slimming diet. In each case, it should be adapted to the current needs of the body, preferably during a conversation with a dietitian. 

The composition of breakfast and slimming

Both the energy value of breakfast and its composition can affect ghrelin (the hunger hormone) levels and weight loss in overweight and obese adults. The concentration of ghrelin increases during and after the slimming diet, which increases the appetite and increases the desire to take food, which may contribute to the yo-yo effect.

Studies have shown that using a similar system of distributing calories over meals in a slimming diet in obese people, it is also important that breakfast contains the right proportions of macronutrients. Two types of breakfast were compared – the first high-calorie, properly balanced, containing similar amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat (W 40%, B 30%, T 30%), and the second low-calorie protein and fat with a limited amount of carbohydrates (W 12%, B 40 %, T 48%). The weight loss in both groups was similar, while eating a balanced breakfast contributed to further weight loss (-7 kg in 4 months), while those in the second group regained almost all of the lost kilograms (+11 kg) at the same time. Similar relationships were observed in the level of fasting glucose and insulin – these parameters improved in both groups, unfortunately they did not persist in the group consuming low-calorie, protein-fat breakfasts and returned to their initial values. Much better effects were also observed in the level of satiety after eating a balanced breakfast, which was associated with lower levels of ghrelin and less hunger.

It is therefore worth paying attention to the fact that, also during weight loss, breakfast should be based on products rich in complex carbohydrates, wholesome protein, good-quality vegetable fats and vegetables or fruit.

To sum up, more and more scientific reports indicate that the benefits of eating breakfast are a particularly important tool in the fight against obesity and its associated diseases. Properly composed, it can affect the feeling of fullness for a longer time, improve the results of laboratory tests and reduce body weight. However, it should be emphasized that a properly balanced breakfast should be part of a varied diet, and in combination with a permanent change in eating habits, it will help to achieve the desired results.