“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” This is what we have been hearing from our parents and even nutrition experts for years. Let’s see if this age-old belief holds any truth and if so, how a simple meal can make such a big difference in our overall health.

Never missing on breakfast has long been the mantra for effectively losing and maintaining weight loss. Studies have shown that eating breakfast regulates your blood glucose levels and provides energy for physical activity, making one feel more energetic and less lethargic in the mornings. For many, skipping breakfast is a very tempting way to lose weight. However, studies have shown that this leads to snacking throughout the entire day or having a heavy lunch to make up for the calories lost from breakfast. Another downside of skipping breakfast is a decrease in the metabolic rate, which is not good for weight loss in the long run. Apart from weight loss, breakfast has been found to keep various diseases at bay, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Interestingly, timing also plays an important role in eating healthy and losing weight. Research has found that the optimum meal timings are 7am for breakfast, 12.30 to 1 pm for lunch and 6 to 6.30 pm for dinner.

On the contrary, there are many studies contradicting the benefits of breakfast. Some argue that two meals instead of three is a logical way to lose weight. While some say that eating breakfast causes no difference in weight loss, others go on to say that this meal actually causes an increase in weight.

It’s clear that having breakfast has many health benefits and should not be skipped. So as it turns out, your parents were right.

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Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?