Did you grow up believing that if you skipped breakfast you would not ‘kick start’ your metabolism for the day, you would probably eat more later in the day because you were so hungry, and you would put on weight?
Is there any truth to this?
The findings of research studies that have explored breakfast and health suggest that skipping breakfast could mean:
You may expend less energy across the day: Adults did not expend as much energy in the morning when they skipped breakfast. Breakfast can help provide energy for growth and repair, and movement so skipping breakfast may reduce your morning activity levels.
Blood lipids may increase: Skipping breakfast was associated with higher levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol. High cholesterol has been shown to increase time to pregnancy if you are trying to conceive.
On the other hand, including breakfast regularly may lead to:
Better blood sugar control: Breakfast eaters were 21% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. If you have PCOS, eating most of your energy early in the day may reduce testosterone levels by 50%, improve insulin sensitivity and increases ovulation!
A higher daily fibre intake: It can be difficult to hit a target of 30+ grams of fibre a day. Having breakfast can provide another opportunity to feed your gut microbiome all the beautiful prebiotic fibres they need to boost their diversity.
Research supports that adults eating breakfast regularly were more likely to eat more fibre than non-breakfast eaters.
An increase in prebiotic fibre will increase bacteria that produce beneficial compounds to strengthen the intestinal barrier, reduce inflammation, balance hormones and support your metabolism.
Focus on what you eat, rather than having breakfast because you feel you have to. If it’s a choice between having a bowl of refined cereal for breakfast or fuelling your gut bugs with a prebiotic packed meal a few hours after waking, there is a clear winner (yes- the prebiotic packed brekky)!
Skip Refined Cereals
Refined cereals typically have 2 or fewer grams of fiber per serving. Check the nutrition panel on your cereal to see the fibre content – this is a great number to compare when you are shopping next.
Eating cold breakfast cereal that is refined, and therefore has a high glycaemic index, has been associated with an increased risk of ovulatory infertility.
While skipping breakfast is unlikely to make or break your fertility, there are some benefits to including breakfast.
Breakfast Choices to Nurture Your Microbiome
If you are hungry when you wake up, break that fast with a prebiotic packed gut nurturing brekky.
-Include prebiotic fibre which will increase diversity of your gut bugs and lower blood sugar spikes. One serve of Microbiome Essentials provides over 68% of your daily chromium needs for better blood sugar control (plus all the other reproducitve health loving benefits)!
-Add some nuts and seeds for plant based protein to increase your feeling of fullness.
-Choose wholegrain based cereals like low sugar granolas that contain more than 2 grams of fibre per serve.
Check out our recipes for some fibre packed, nutritious ways to start your day!
