In the past, some studies suggested that eating breakfast might help promote weight loss, while skipping a morning meal might lead to weight gain. But according to a new review of research published January in the BMJ, there’s no strong evidence to support the idea that eating breakfast aids weight loss. Although, when you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. When you eat breakfast, you activate the thermogenesis process and thus stimulate your metabolism. Plus, studies have shown that eating a meal in the morning boosts your metabolism more than eating the same meal in the evening. The stomach is an elastic organ. When it’s empty, its volume is about 50 ml. When you eat, it can expand up to two liters. If you regularly eat large portions, your stomach gets used to a lot of content. This means that you will feel hungry faster when it remains empty for a longer period of time. Plus, eating breakfast stimulates your metabolism. If you eat the last meal of the day in the evening and then skip breakfast, your stomach content is relatively small. Ghrelin hormone is responsible for your hunger in the morning. It is also known as the ‘hunger hormone.’ It regulates your feelings of hunger and fullness. Studies have shown that grehlin levels in blood are particularly high in the morning.
A few things should be kept in mind:
- Breakfast is not always breakfast! There is a big difference between eating sugary chocolate muesli or oatmeal with low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit.
- If you skip one of the main meals of the day, you may not get all the macro and micronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, etc.) that your body needs.
- Eating a meal in the morning can have a positive effect on your blood sugar concentration. Plus, breakfast should help reduce postprandial hyperglycemia (higher blood sugar levels after eating) in people with diabetes mellitus.
Though, including nuts, berries, fruits, caffeine, eggs, salmon and considerable amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates etc can lead to significant changes with great positive results on your health.
