Breakfast. It's considered to be the most important meal of the day, yet many tend to neglect this statement.
Some might grab something quick, like a bagel or pastry, while they rush to work or get their kids out the door. Some might consider coffee as their breakfast. Others might skip it altogether.
Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Does it matter what you're eating?
We'll take a closer look in today's blog post.
Why breakfast is important.
Breakfast is important because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. It helps stabilize your blood sugar, which in turn helps with your energy levels, balance you hormones, aids in maintaining a healthy weight, and prevents chronic illnesses, like type 2 diabetes, from occurring.
In fact, blood sugar imbalances are at the root of almost all major chronic illnesses.
It's kind of a big deal.
But it all depends on what you're choosing to eat and when.
Balancing blood sugar.
The number one rule for balancing blood sugar is to make sure you eat within 90 minutes of waking.
Just make sure you're not eating carbs alone. And I'm not just talking about the pastry or donut from the break room. That goes for bagels, English muffins, and any other bread that is a quick grab-and-go. This goes for most of those oatmeal packets, too!
It's important to understand that a carbohydrate is a form of sugar. Our bodies don't know the difference between energy from grains versus energy from white, sweet substance known as sugar.
The general food combination to stabilize blood sugar is to consume a carbohydrate with a protein, healthy fat, and fiber.
A breakfast example of what this combo might look like is a slice of whole grain toast topped with avocado and a hard boiled egg.
One of my favorite go-to breakfasts is oatmeal with ground flax seed topped with chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, and cinnamon, with a side of chicken sausage.
See the difference?
Combining carbs with protein, fat, and fiber at each meal (not just breakfast!) will prevent unwanted blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Coffee for breakfast.
OK. I hear you. I see you. I was you! And though I'm still a work in progress, I'm getting better about my coffee consumption.
Here's why you should, too.
Assuming your morning cup of joe is caffeinated, caffeine generally increases our cortisol levels.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenals. It's necessary for survival and helps regulate the body's stress response.
Too much of this hormone can cause a number of symptoms, including:
- Excess fat storage around the midsection
- Feeling "wired but tired"
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Oligomenorrhea (infrequent periods)
- Amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation)
- Decreased fertility
- Inability to concentrate, or constantly feeling distracted
- Anxiety or nervousness
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
Furthermore, the acidity of coffee can disrupt the gut flora, making it harder to absorb vitamins and minerals from even the cleanest diet. This also makes it harder for the endocrine system to balance hormones.
Don't worry. I'm not telling you to cut out coffee! But there are some things you can do to make it easier on your system.
First, you could try eating something before you bring the coffee mug up to your lips. Enjoy a small cup of coffee with or after your meal.
Notice I said "small". Say goodbye to those venti drinks.
Second, ditch the white stuff. Swap out sugar, syrups, and cream for no or low-glycemic sweetener and opt for coconut milk.
Speaking of coconut, you could also try the bulletproof coffee approach and add coconut oil to your coffee for a healthy fat.
Alternatively, I like to add a collagen supplement to my morning coffee for an added boost of protein.
You can also follow other blood sugar balancing guidelines, including exercise and lifestyle changes, to eliminate any cravings.
What if I do intermittent fasting?
I'm so glad that you asked!
Intermittent fasting comes with a plethora of benefits. But it can also be problematic for women, particularly those in childbearing age and who are pre menopausal. (For the record, all women go into perimenopause at age 35.)
Intermittent fasting can have an effect on female hormones progesterone and estrogen, and can affect ovulation and the menstrual cycle.
Low levels of progesterone and estrogen can lead to the following symptoms:
- Changes in cycle, including a skipped period
- Moodiness or irritability
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Headaches
- Low sex drive
- Dry skin
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Trouble sleeping
- Heart palpitations
- Infertility
However, intermittent fasting can be done while balancing blood sugar if executed in the right way.
A 12-hour fast is recommended and is safe and standard for most people.
This type of fasting is also part of the guidelines for balancing blood sugar.
Avoid snacking before bedtime, and fast from dinner until breakfast.
For example, if you finished eating at 8pm, you would be ready to eat breakfast by 8am.
Other blood sugar balance guidelines.
We now know that we should fast from dinner until breakfast, avoiding any snacks before bedtime, and consume a combination of carbs, protein, fat, and fiber for breakfast within 90 minutes of waking.
Other rules of thumb include:
- Spacing your meals 3-4 hours apart. Remember that snacks should have the same combo as your meals! An example of an appropriate snack would be apples slices with a nut butter.
- Drink plenty of water, but not during meals. Aim to get eight 8-oz of water per day.
Have your thoughts on breakfast changed after reading this post? Are you now thinking about different meal and snack combinations to keep you full, satisfied, and energized throughout the day?
Want more guidance on how to balance blood sugar, including exercise and lifestyle changes? Contact me to schedule a free health consultation and let's chat!