Skipping breakfast or eating breakfast has long been debated when it comes to weight loss. Some diets preach the importance of eating breakfast to rev up the metabolism, while others urge fasting until lunch time.
In fact, several newer diets have even urged dieters to skip or delay breakfast until after working out. Both The OMG Diet and The 8 Hour Diet recommend this approach.
It turns out the eating breakfast camp just got a huge boost to its eating breakfast is best claim.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that men who skip breakfast have a 27% greater risk of having a heart attack.
The Study Basics
This study followed 26,902 male health professionals for 16 years and asked them questions about their dietary habits and then examined their medical histories. It’s important to note that the study isn’t conclusive and there are a few other factors to consider with the data.
- When other risk factors were factored in such as smoking, drinking alcohol, etc. the skipping breakfast factor wasn’t significant.
- Men who ate a few times a day, but ate breakfast had a lower risk than those that ate 6 times a day.
- The breakfast question was only asked once during the 16 year period.
- Men eating late at night had a 55% greater risk of heart disease, but this subgroup was only 313 compared to the breakfast skipper subgroup of 3,400.
- Skipping breakfast is but one of the many risk factors of heart disease.
A Healthy Breakfast is Key
I have long been a proponent of eating breakfast although I usually wait an hour upon raising. BUT, it is also what we are eating for breakfast that counts!
Eating donuts, toaster strudel, or sugary cereal will likely promote heart disease rather than prevent it. Instead, our breakfasts should consist of moderate calories, but be high in nutrition.
Here’s what I typically eat for breakfast:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 1/2 cup (uncooked measurement) steel cut oats, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/3 cup wild blueberries, 12 dried tart cherries.
Tuesday, Thursday: Two small breakfast burritos consisting of sautéed mini peppers, kale, and garlic in coconut oil with 2-3 eggs scrambled in, avocado, and hot sauce all wrapped in 2 low-fat, whole wheat tortillas.
Oh yeah… and 2 cups of black coffee to wash it down.
Some people may need a little more variety, but this meal schedule works nicely for me.
I think that overall this study does highlight the importance of adhering to the body’s natural rhythm and making sure that we nourish our bodies with heart healthy foods during that first meal of the day.
What do you think: Do you eat or skip breakfast?
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