Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?

You’ve probably been chided at least once in your life for skipping breakfast. After all, it’s the most important meal of the day—right? Actually, the truth is a bit more complicated.

Some research has found people who eat breakfast have fewer cravings, better self-control, and higher productivity. A 2013 study in the journal Obesity found that overweight and obese women who had a 700-calorie breakfast and a 200-calorie dinner lost more weight than those who did the opposite. This indicates a morning meal might be most important. But not every study links breakfast with a slimmer waist. Research published in 2019 in the BMJ found that there’s no evidence that eating breakfast is a good weight-loss strategy, yet skipping breakfast isn’t bad for weight loss either. So what does that mean for you and your breakfast? Here’s what dietitians say.

How important is breakfast?

In reality, the importance of breakfast varies from person to person, says registered dietitian Torey Armul, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The research is really mixed on breakfast with weight control,” she says. “Some people who skip breakfast have a much bigger appetite later in the day and tend to overeat. Other people find their appetite is no different later on.”

One problem could be that breakfast talk tends to be a yes-or-no question rather than a discussion of what a healthy morning meal looks like. A balanced breakfast contains a mix of protein, fat, and carbs, says registered dietitian Alissa Rumsey, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But most breakfast staples—think cereal, bagels, and muffins—are largely refined carbs, which give you a quick boost of energy but a crash later on. “Not only do you have fluctuating energy levels during the day, but you’ll also be hungry again soon after,” says Rumsey. “When you have a balanced breakfast, you’re giving yourself a boost of energy so your blood sugar goes up a bit, but the protein and fat help stabilize that energy.”

Why should I eat breakfast?

When you aren’t starving by lunchtime, you’re more likely to pick healthy foods and avoid overeating in the afternoon. On the other hand, a rumbling belly could kill your self-control, says Rumsey. Even if you aren’t hungry first thing in the morning, she recommends getting something in your stomach before lunch so you aren’t ravenous for your first meal. “It doesn’t have to be right when you wake up, but eating within a couple of hours sets the tone for the day,” she says. Sip a smoothie instead of biting into solid food, or eat a banana with two tablespoons of peanut butter. Starting off with a balanced meal could also frame your whole day for diet success. “There’s a lot of power there to make healthy choices that carry you to make healthy choices the rest of the day,” says Armul.

But if you’re looking for a quick fix to rev up your metabolism, breakfast might not be the answer. “Some studies say it does boost metabolism, but other strong studies say it doesn’t—at least not significantly,” says Armul. “Sometimes we think we have more control over speeding up our metabolism than we really do.” In reality, exercise is the only thing that’s been consistently shown to boost metabolism, she says.

What should I eat for breakfast?

For a breakfast that keeps its promise to keep you full, focus on adding protein. “Protein is the biggest one and where the research is strongest in how it can lead to satiety, fullness, and even eating less,” says Armul. Hard-boiled eggs, nuts, Greek yogurt, and nut butter are all easy, filling options. Throw in fibre-rich fruits and veggies (skins on, please!), and you’re good to go.

But the morning rush can make it hard to throw together a healthy, balanced breakfast. People often put effort into packing healthy lunches and cooking nutritious dinners, without giving much thought to a healthy breakfast. Luckily, a morning meal is also the easiest to plan. “It doesn’t have to be sitting down to this big meal,” says Rumsey. She recommends throwing some fruit and nuts in baggies at night, then grabbing them with yogurt as you head out the door.

The bottom line is, if you’re always starving and making unhealthy choices at lunch, you might want to rethink your breakfast habits—either making it bigger, better, or simply existent. But if you just have a small appetite and can’t stomach anything before (a reasonable-sized) lunch, don’t sweat it. “You can usually kind of sense if you’re the type of person who has an appetite change from eating breakfast,” says Armul.

Next, check out these healthy, energy-boosting breakfast recipes.