Dr. Oz is touting the benefits of breakfast.
In a tweet sent out Wednesday to his nearly 4 million Twitter followers, the cardiac surgeon and renowned host of the Dr. Oz Show suggested that there’s a reason as to why breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day:
There’s a reason it’s known as the most important meal of the day: https://t.co/UQWhyckC9S pic.twitter.com/D4LzRkhyeG
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) 13 April 2016
There are quite a few reasons as to why you shouldn’t skip breakfast:
- Energy: A nutritious breakfast that is rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies and lean protein will fill you up and provide you with much-needed energy to start the day.
- Healthy immune system: A healthy breakfast will give your immune system a boost. Even a cup of green tea or a nutritious low-fat yogurt will provide you with antioxidants and probiotics that can help maintain and support your immune system.
- Control blood sugar and weight management: A study conducted by researchers at Tel Aviv University revealed that breakfasts that include whey protein considerably suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin—this means you can be fuller for longer. According to study researchers, whey protein is also better at controlling blood sugar—more so than even eggs or tuna.
- Improve mood: A healthy breakfast chock-full of vitamins and minerals can improve your mood—just avoid sugary cereals or refined carbs. Opt for protein-rich or fiber-rich foods.
Eating Breakfast vs. Skipping Breakfast: How it Affects Children
Previous studies have suggested that not eating breakfast could adversely affect appetite in children. For example, children might feel hungrier later in the day and overeat if they skip breakfast. So researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine wanted to test the effects of eating breakfast versus skipping breakfast on appetite levels and energy intake in children between the ages of eight and 10.
Twenty-one children participated in the study over the course of two visits. The kids were either given an obligatory breakfast or no breakfast. They were also offered lunch (they could eat to their hearts’ desire). The children then rated their appetites throughout the morning and their parents provided food records that revealed what the children ate for the rest of the day.
Researchers concluded that missing breakfast affected participants’ appetite levels. For example, on the testing day when no breakfast was served, the children suggested they were considerably hungrier and could eat more food before lunch compared to the testing day when they ate breakfast.
Sources:
Dr. Mehmet Oz Twitter. 12:33 p.m. – 13 Apr 2016.
https://twitter.com/DrOz/status/720334164306694151.
Kral, T. V. E., et al., “Effects of eating breakfast compared with skipping breakfast on ratings of appetite and intake at subsequent meals in 8- to 10-y-old children,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011 Feb; 93(2): 284–291; published online 2010 Nov 17; doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.000505; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021425/.
