While most health experts advocate eating breakfast, it still remains the meal most often skipped.
In fact, researchers say starting the day devoid of food has become commonplace among adults in recent years, with reasons ranging from lack of time in the morning to attempts at trying to lose weight. And even those who are eating breakfast can improve on their choices by forgoing donuts and pancakes in favor of more nutritious options like fruit, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
Why is breakfast so important and what benefits do you receive from starting the day off with a full stomach?
For one, those trying to lose weight would do well to eat at the start of the day in order to combat mid-morning snacking and low energy levels, which tend to occur late in the afternoon. Research shows breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight.
If, like most people, you are pressed for time, consider grabbing a breakfast bar that contains more protein than carbohydrates, like XSTART from Xyience.
XSTART bars have 25 grams of protein, are high in fiber (which slows sugar metabolism so that you have three to five hours of sustained energy) and pack healthy fatty acids along with 11 vitamins and 8 minerals.
While many bars contain high amounts of simple sugars like glucose, which can spike insulin levels and lead to low blood sugar later, XSTART bars are a healthy choice for those with diabetes. They contain only small amounts of simple sugars and higher amounts of complex carbohydrates that can be slowly released into the bloodstream.
Another reason to nosh in the morning is that it boosts your memory by raising blood sugar levels throughout the body, including the brain.
A study of hundreds of children by Harvard University researcher J. Michael Murphy documented the fact that those who ate breakfast tended to have higher math grades and better school attendance. Kids who skipped breakfast, however, were twice as likely to be depressed, four times more prone to anxiety and 30 percent more likely to be hyperactive. |
