Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper is a well known phrase but few of us follow the advice. The word breakfast was first used in English in 1463 and literally means breaking the fast. After going 8-10 hours overnight without food, we all need to replenish our energy and restore blood sugar levels, which is why the best possible start to each day is a good healthy breakfast.
10 reasons why eating breakfast is good for us
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Breakfast eaters are 30% less likely to be overweight or obese than those who skip breakfast regularly.
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Eating breakfast improves people’s mental and physical performance. 61% of participants in a study showed improvements in English and mathematics tests after breakfast. Hand-eye coordination was also improved.
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Breakfast has a positive effect on cognitive performance, particularly memory and attention in school aged children.
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A diet high in fibre-rich foods such as porridge can cut the risk of bowel cancer. Eating a diet high in fibre can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
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Go to work on an egg and it will keep you alert during the day according to research by Cambridge University. Scientists found that egg proteins, specifically those found in the white help us stay awake and feel alert.
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Porridge has emerged as the ‘superfood’ of cash-strapped Britain with sales of the oat cereal rising by 30%.
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Research shows that people who reach the ripe old age of 100 tend to consume breakfast more regularly than those who skip the first meal of the day.
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People who eat cereal for breakfast every day feel better physically and mentally than those who do not.
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Children who eat breakfast are less likely to become obese. In a study, 22% of breakfast skippers were obese, compared to 15% for cereal eaters.
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A study in the Netherlands showed that eating a substantial breakfast boosts your body’s gamma-interferon, a natural antiviral that directly activates immune cells. Skipping breakfast caused a 17% drop in gamma-interferon.
