Breakfast the most Important meal of the day

Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?

By Christine McKinney, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. - Posted on Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 3:25 pm PDT

Eat Right, Stay Well
by Christine McKinney, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. a Yahoo! Health Expert for Nutrition

Don't try to cut calories from your day by skipping breakfast. Recent research from a study conducted in both Venezuela and the U.S. indicates (once again) that breakfast is an important meal.

This study, which included 94 obese women, showed that a big breakfast (610 calories) that included plenty of carbs and protein, when followed by a smaller lunch and an even smaller dinner, resulted in significant weight loss over several months, when compared to a lower-carb diet.

We've known for some time that people who eat breakfast often weigh less than people who skip it. One reason for this is that people who skip breakfast are actually making themselves extra hungry and so are probably going to eat more calories throughout the day. Breakfast can help to control hunger and give you lots of nutrients and energy to start your day.

Another reason behind the weight loss-breakfast connection is that breakfast jump-starts your metabolism. Think of your metabolism as a fire. Overnight, the fire dies back; breakfast is like the wood that gets the flames crackling again. If you don't start up your metabolism early in the day, you won't be burning all the calories that you could be.

While you needn't eat a 600-calorie breakfast every day, you should take away the message that it may still be the day's most important meal. Here are some tips on eating a healthy breakfast

• It should control cravings and keep you feeling fuller longer.
• Include some carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.
• If you eat a high-calorie breakfast, then keep your other meals lower in calories.
• Always try to serve breakfast to your kids — they'll concentrate better at school, have a healthier body weight, and get more needed vitamins and minerals.