The Importance of Breakfast
Breakfast of Champions
Breakfast is a beautiful thing. It is the first meal of the day. It is what starts your day, so make it great! It is called break-fast, because you are literally breaking-the-fast, from not eating for 8 hours or so. There is no other time of day that we go so long without eating, unless we are asleep. When you wake up, your body is starting with a clean slate and is rejuvenated, but it needs fuel in the system for the day’s activities. The body has a few hours to give, until you start to feel low energy, if you do not put something in your system. But this puts your body in a panicked state where it has to make its own energy if it does not get food. The body makes energy by releasing cortisol from the adrenal glands. The adrenals are like a savings account of energy. In emergency situations (such as the body starving), a hormone will send a message to the adrenal glands telling them to release cortisol. Cortisol turns into sugar, and sugar turns into energy. This is a back-up system. So, like your savings account at the bank, this is supposed to stay in reserves. Your checking account in your body is your digestive system. If you eat food, you will absorb and assimilate the nutrients, and your body produces energy that it can utilize for your working day.
So, what food is the best to eat in the morning? Different foods burn at different rates. While sugar spikes the blood sugar quickly, giving a vast amount of energy, it also burns off quickly. So, fruit by itself in the morning is not the best option. Protein has a very steady burn rate, so your energy level lasts over a duration of time. Carbohydrates such as bread, cereal, pancakes, wafTNes, have a tendency to burn like a sugar if they are ‘simple carbohydrates’. Those are carbs that are generally stripped of their nutritional value. But whole grains, grainy bread, oatmeal, granola, and anything that is in its ‘whole form’ which has not been highly processed with burn more steadily over time.
As a typical rule, it is best to have a combination of protein for sustained energy, veggies for nutrients, and good carbs that burn at a different rate because this combination balances out your blood sugar. However, you can try different types of food in the morning to see how you feel. Sometimes a smoothie is not the best option because of all the sugar. You may be better off with scrambled eggs with veggies, cheese and toast with butter. Remember, fat such as butter and oils are not the enemy. Carbs with sugars are the artery clogging foods-pancakes, donuts, wafTNes, etc.
Coffee is the world’s most beloved drug of choice. It is very soothing but unfortunately it gives energy by activating the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, that turns into pure sugar in the bloodstream. This is why it gives a burst of energy, but also leads to a big energy lull. It has been said that protein in the morning will give more energy.
Here are some breakfast ideas:
Breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, bacon, veggies, cheese
Toast with butter, egg and avocado
Oatmeal with butter, cinnamon, nuts and berries
Peanut butter on toast with a banana
**The key is to try to have balance with the meal by imagining the rate at which each food type burns off in the blood**
But most importantly, eat breakfast! 🙂
Do you have further questions? Feel free to contact us at Renew Acupuncture Franklin!
