Morning Fuel: The Hidden Power - 5 Health Benefits of Breakfast
We always say that "breakfast" is the most important meal of the day. However, many children often eat only cereal with boxed milk or just a piece of bread, which is an inappropriate breakfast habit. "The most important meal of the day" is not just a saying. Today, PunThai invites you to get to know healthy breakfasts, the benefits of breakfast, and then enjoy a breakfast filled with complete nutrients from PunThai breakfast menus. I can tell you that it's both delicious and beneficial!
Why Eating Breakfast is important?
Many people may overlook the importance of having nutritious breakfast, but did you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? This is because breakfast is not just about providing energy to our bodies, but also about preparing our brains to function efficiently throughout the day. Moreover, breakfast can help prevent serious illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
When you wake up after a night's sleep, your body has gone without nutrients for up to 12 hours. Additionally, while we sleep at night, our bodies still use energy as usual. Therefore, breakfast serves as a way to replenish energy and nutrients in your body. The energy from breakfast comes from the glucose stored in our bodies. By morning, more than half of this glucose has been used up, so our bodies need to replenish energy in the morning. Carbohydrates are the best energy source for our bodies, but other types of food are also important. Therefore, we should have a complete breakfast to provide our bodies with all the necessary nutrients, replacing the energy lost during the night.
Benefits and Advantages of Eating Breakfast
1. Health Benefits of Breakfast: Helping with Weight Control
People who regularly eat breakfast tend to have less weight gain or obesity than those who skip breakfast. Continuous research studies have been conducted on the causes of this phenomenon, but it is believed that eating breakfast may help you control your weight better because:
- It helps prevent unstable blood sugar levels, allowing us to control our appetite better.
- Easy healthy breakfast makes us feel comfortably full, reducing the likelihood of snacking between meals.
2. Health Benefits of Breakfast: Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Brain Blood Vessel Diseases
In the morning, our blood tends to be thicker, which may lead to clogging of the blood vessels that supply the brain or heart. However, eating breakfast can help dilute the blood, reducing the risk of blocked blood vessels and heart disease.
3. Health Benefits of Breakfast: Boosting Brain Power
Have you ever noticed that on days when you skip breakfast, you feel tired, sluggish, and have difficulty concentrating? This is because your brain hasn't received energy, particularly glucose, which is essential for brain function. Research shows that skipping breakfast affects your brain's efficiency, including perception, attention, and memory, making some tasks more difficult than usual.
4. Health Benefits of Breakfast: Reducing the Risk of Kidney Stones
Going without food for more than 14 hours can cause cholesterol in the bile to accumulate. If left for too long, these accumulations can turn into kidney stones. However, eating breakfast stimulates the liver to release bile and dissolve the accumulated cholesterol. This, in turn, reduces the risk of kidney stones.
5. Health Benefits of Breakfast: Reducing the Risk of Diabetes
The Ministry of Public Health, together with the Diabetes Association of Thailand, has set a campaign focus in one year: "Eat adequately, reduce the risk of diabetes, choose wisely, start with breakfast." The Ministry of Public Health points out the main cause of diabetes in Thais is being overweight due to skipping meals, especially breakfast, and eating large quantities of meals. Therefore, it is recommended to eat breakfast to prevent diabetes because breakfast is the first meal of the day, allowing the body to derive the most benefits.
Tips for Having a Healthy Breakfast
1. Eat a Balanced Breakfast
Having a balanced breakfast is crucial. The calories and nutrients you consume should align with your daily activities and energy expenditure. According to nutrition data from the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, the proportion of food and nutrients that Thais should consume each day should be distributed evenly across meals.
Breakfast should account for 20% of your total intake, while lunch and dinner should be around 30%. Snacks should contribute around 10%. Planning and choosing your breakfast according to your daily activities and body's needs will ensure you receive adequate nutrition, have sufficient energy, and can perform various activities efficiently.
2. Opt for Nutritious Breakfast Choices
When feeling hungry, people often tend to reach for carbohydrate and sugar-rich foods first. However, it's essential to change this behavior by prioritizing nutritious breakfast options such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
These foods are rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs. They also help reduce the craving for high-energy foods like sugar, fats, and refined carbohydrates.
3. Have a Relaxed Breakfast and Eat in Moderation
Taking time to have a relaxed breakfast is vital. Especially avoid eating while engaged in other activities, as it can distract you from paying attention to your meal intake, leading to overeating without realizing it.
Additionally, pay attention to your body's hunger and satiety signals to control your breakfast portion appropriately. This prevents overeating, which can lead to weight gain, or undereating, which may result in nutrient deficiencies.
4. Choose Your Foods Wisely
Changing breakfast eating habits is crucial for overall health, particularly in the morning. Emphasize consuming vegetables and whole grains, comprising at least half of your breakfast meal.
Include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to ensure you get a range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Also, choose different types of whole grains, such as brown rice and whole grain bread, to maximize the benefits of your breakfast.
Additionally, make healthier choices by opting for low-fat or fat-free dairy products and drinking water or fresh fruit juice instead of sugary and artificially flavored beverages.
5. Choose Appropriate Containers
Selecting suitable containers for your breakfast meals is an easy way to control portion sizes. Using appropriately sized plates or bowls helps you gauge the right amount of food to consume, preventing overeating or undereating.
Using oversized containers may encourage over-serving, as there appears to be more space left. Conversely, using small containers may lead to feeling full too quickly, potentially depriving your body of essential nutrients for starting the day.
Recognizing the benefits of breakfast, it's clear that it's more than just a meal. Starting your day with a nutritious breakfast every day ensures your body receives necessary nutrients, controls energy intake appropriately, and reduces the risk of health issues. Eating breakfast is indeed a good starting point for achieving optimal nutrition and overall health.
For those who prefer not to cook breakfast themselves, PunThai offers a variety of quick and healthy breakfast options with paired beverage menus that are satisfying and convenient at affordable prices, starting at just 15 baht. Check out the breakfast menu ideas and pair them with your favorite coffee. Order a dish of breakfast on PunThai website. Don't miss out on the wide range benefits of having breakfast—explore more insightful content like this on PunThai Brand’s blog!
Reference:
https://www.paolohospital.com/th-TH/phahol/Article/Details/Food-exercise/%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%8D-%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2#:~:text=%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%20%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88,%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B6%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2
https://multimedia.anamai.moph.go.th/help-knowledgs/breakfast/
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