Is Skipping Breakfast Unhealthy for You?

Food is the ultimate source of our energy, and all meals of the day play an equal part in making us hale and hearty. However, we usually come across certain claims that state that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and one should make endeavours not to skip it. But at the same time, other claims mention that skipping breakfast can actually be healthy for us, and our bodies can benefit greatly from it. So, what is the truth behind these claims? Well, if you are interested in knowing whether skipping breakfast is ideal for your health or not, we suggest that you read on and learn some interesting facts!

Harmful Effects of Skipping Breakfast

Do you skip your breakfast because you’re always in a hurry to reach the office? Or are you not in the habit of eating anything in the morning because you do not feel hungry? Well, we all may have different reasons for skipping our first meal of the day. If that is what you are doing, it is important that you take a look at some of the disadvantages of skipping breakfast:

1. Takes a Toll on Metabolism

Food provides us with the energy to keep going – can you keep going without food? The answer is no. If you do not provide nourishment to your body through breakfast or the first meal of the day, how will it function effectively through the day? Also, eating a healthy breakfast prevents metabolic and liver disorders and there are scientific studies that prove the same claim.

2. It May Make You Lose Hair

Scared, aren’t you? Well, you should be, because breakfast is quintessentially the most important meal of the day, which also helps in the growth of hair follicles. If a healthy and shiny mane is what you desire, have a healthy protein-rich breakfast daily.

3. It May Trigger Migraine

If you are susceptible to migraines, skipping your first meal of the day could make you more susceptible to migraines. This is because skipping meals leads to low blood sugar levels in the body, which in turn may increase your blood pressure and thus increase your chances of having a migraine episode.

4. It May Affect Your Cognitive Functioning

Eating breakfast regularly increases your cognitive functioning too, and the same has been proven in a scientific study, which found that people who consumed breakfast regularly had improved cognitive functioning in comparison to those who did not consume breakfast regularly.

5. It Increases the Risk of Cancer

Not eating breakfast regularly may make you load on extra calories during the rest of the day. Constantly consuming more than the required amount of calories by the body may eventually lead to weight gain or obesity. Obesity puts you at high risk of developing other serious ailments, and cancer is one such risk. Therefore, if you wish to keep cancer at bay, eat breakfast every day!

6. It Negatively Affects Your Energy and Mood

If you have been avoiding eating breakfast on a daily basis and you notice your behaviour turning erratic, irritable and your energy levels going down, well, you can blame it on your skipped breakfast. In other words, there can be a negative effect of skipping breakfast on subsequent energy levels. There is scientific evidence  proving that the ill-effects of skipped breakfast on people include increased fatigue levels and compromised memory skills. So, next time you find yourself low on energy and in a bad mood for no evident reason, just think whether you had your breakfast or not.

7. It May Lead to Weight Gain

Have you been piling on pounds lately and wondering what may be wrong? Well, before you jump to any conclusions, have you been eating your breakfast regularly? Skipping breakfast may lead to weight gain. This is because when you do not eat for a longer duration, your body starts craving for fatty and sugary food. Also, when the sudden hunger strikes you may eat anything that comes your way, without even thinking twice about the calories you may be eating, and this may eventually make you gain weight. Therefore, skipping breakfast and obesity are closely linked together and if you wish to remain fit, eat your breakfast on time.

8. It May Put You at Higher Risk of Type-2 Diabetes

According to a study, it was observed that people who did not eat breakfast regularly were at an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes in comparison to people who ate breakfast regularly. So, if your family has a history of diabetes and you wish to avoid this disease, eat your breakfast regularly.

So, skipping breakfast affects metabolism, increases the risk of heart disease and may put you at other such kinds of health risks. Therefore, eat your breakfast and reduce your chances of developing such health complications.

Why Can You Choose to Skip Breakfast?

If you are thinking of skipping breakfast, here are some reasons that you may consider skipping breakfast for:

1. For Better Appetite Control

One of the advantages of skipping breakfast is that you may be in better control of your appetites. These feelings usually arise from the fact that when you wake up, you are mostly not craving for food. When you do not consume food until you hungry, it may help generate better appetite control.

2. For Stable Energy Through the Day

Another health benefit of skipping breakfast is better energy levels throughout the day. This is because by fasting for a few hours you are training your body to rely on other sources of energy for fuel, which is your body’s stored fat. This keeps your energy levels balanced or stable throughout the day.

3. For Being Mentally Sharper

When you eat, the focus of your body shifts towards digesting food, however, when you skip your breakfast your body remains alert and more focused. This helps you in gaining better mental sharpness.

4. For Preventing Extra Calories

Most of us may not feel hungry during the morning hours, but we may still gobble down those calories for breakfast. However, prepping your body only to eat when it is hungry is a great way of preventing extra calorie intake by the body and skipping breakfast helps you do so.

The points mentioned above are some pros and cons of skipping breakfast. It is entirely a personal choice as to what you wish to do, however, if you are suffering some medical condition such as diabetes, skipping breakfast can prove to be detrimental to your health. If you wish to forgo eating breakfast, discuss it with your doctor first.

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