Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? We explain why this concept doesn't matter!

Semantically, to eat breakfast literally means to undo or “break” a fast. That is to say, it implies the existence of a significantly long period of time (longer than at other times of the day), in which nothing is eaten or interrupted by the consumption of food.

This fasting  usually coincides, in most cases, with when we sleep at night. 😴That is, from the last typical meal of the day - usually dinner - until the first moment of the following day when we eat something.

What is it that gives breakfast so much prestige?

The first reference to it being the most important meal of the day can be traced back to Lenna Frances Cooper, the first female dietitian for the U.S. Army, as well as co-founder of the American Dietetic Association in 1917. 

It was Mrs. Cooper who commented that:

"In many ways, breakfast is the most important meal because it is the meal with which the day begins."

This sentence appeared in Good Health magazine, which at the time was run by the Battle Creek spa which was founded by John Harvey Kellogg. Name sound familiar to you?  That’s because Kellogg was the titan of industry behind the Kellogg's cereal empire.😮

Is any one meal really more important than the other? 

While it’s true that breakfast is the first meal of the day, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the most important. It’s just one of the moments we consume food throughout the day.

As Juan Revenga, prestigious Dietitian-Nutritionist says:

"Breakfast is like children in the sense that not one meal is more important than the other just as there's no one child more special than the next.  For that reason all the meals should be treated equally."😂

What are we eating for breakfast nowadays?

If we took a step back and thought about all the products that are advertised as breakfast: sugary cereals, syrupy pancakes,muffins, donuts, chocolate drinks, bacon and eggs, juices… 

This would not be a healthy meal. 😔 All are sugary products packed with empty fats and void of any nutritional value! 

Rather than purchasing products like these, we consulted with our experts and came up with three other fast, delicious, and healthy meals that we can incorporate into our breakfast routine!

1. Raw oats and almonds with milk. To add more sweet taste and nutrients add a piece of fruit! Like a banana or a peach! 
2. Whole wheat toast topped with avocado and scrambled eggs. Sprinkle on top extra spices like pepper or cilantro to add more flavor! 
3. Fruit salad topped with plain yogurt and peanut butter

Adding vegetables at your meals improves your quality and longevity of life.

There’s a Harvard study that confirms that 2 fruits and 3 vegetables a day is the concrete formula to live longer. So... why not include them in breakfast? 🤔

See you in the next article! 😝

Article written by Laura Guinovart Martín, certified Dietitian and Nutritionist; Specialized in TCA, Obesity and Food Development and Design; Nº Col:CAT002123