What Happens When You Skip Breakfast?
You get up in the morning (after hitting the snooze button once or twice), make your coffee, work out, and shower before logging on for work or heading to the office. The next thing you know, it’s noon, and you haven’t eaten a thing. If that sounds familiar, you’re in good company; about 25 percent of Americans skip breakfast daily, whether because of lack of hunger, busyness, or personal preference. Some sources claim that not eating until later is beneficial (see: intermittent fasting), while others say you should eat within 30 minutes of waking up for optimal health. It begs the debated question: Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? What does a healthy breakfast even look like? And what happens to your body when you forgo it? I asked registered dietitians to shed light on the controversial meal and explain what happens to your body when you skip breakfast. BTW, skipping breakfast here and there won’t impact the body too much. The below research is when you consistently skip breakfast.
You may have unstable blood sugar levels: Many hormones like insulin are significantly impacted by the nutrients you nourish (or don’t nourish) the body with. “Insulin, for example, regulates blood sugar levels, and a balanced breakfast helps maintain steady glucose levels, preventing the spikes and crashes that can lead to insulin resistance over time,” Cook explained. “Without a proper breakfast, blood sugar levels can drop, prompting the body to release more insulin when food is eventually consumed.” This can create a cycle of elevated insulin production, which lowers blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Based on the findings of a 2019 study, skipping breakfast just one day a week may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 6 percent.
Excerpted from The Everygirl
