WHY IS BREAKFAST SO IMPORTANT?

Breakfast is the first meal of the day designed to break the fast after the night period and is ideally consumed within the first hour of being ‘up’.

Breakfast eaters usually have healthier habits throughout the day, and this will result in a positive impact on their overall health; better weight management and disease prevention from having the right nutrients. In order to improve overall dietary patterns and nutrient gaps, it is recommended that this meal should include at least 3 food groups.

The recommended amount of calories that a healthy breakfast should provide is between 15-25% of the total daily energy intake.

The aim should be to achieve between 10-20% of the daily Reference Values (DRVs) for vitamins, minerals and fibre on this first meal. Having breakfast results in increased vitamins and minerals intake which is usually not compensated by any other meal during the rest of the day.

A high-protein breakfast has been associated with higher appetite control and a daily reduction in the desire to eat, as a result, improving weight management.