Not everyone is a morning person, so when I say breakfast is the most important meal of the day you might roll your eyes. But after the long period of fasting you go through when you sleep, your body needs to replenish its energy source, glucose. And breakfast is your first opportunity to do so.
Glucose is the body's main energy source, which comes from breaking down the carbohydrates you eat. The other energy in the body is in the form of lipase, or fat, and then there is the energy from glucose converted as glycogen (for better storage, duh). The glycogen is stored mainly in your liver with some of it in your muscles. When we sleep, your body uses up most of this stored glycogen, so without replenishing your glucose levels the body will resort to fatty acids, which don’t give the same energy levels if it's not paired with carbohydrates as glucose.
Now, are there any real consequences for skipping breakfast? As long as you get back into a healthy eating routine by lunch, skipping breakfast every now and then when you're crunched for time isn't the end of the world. But it can make your day a little less enjoyable, and you definitely shouldn't get into a habit of it! Breakfast boosts brain power as your brain mainly runs on glucose, so without a good meal you might feel more sluggish and tired than usual. It's been proven that kids and adults who eat breakfast do better at school and work, compared to those who skip!
Now that we know the science behind breakfast, I want to ask you a question. Are you giving your body the energy it needs? If not, don't panic. These three recipes below all take less than 15 minutes to make, but will give you the energy and nutrients to leave you full for much longer ;)
Recipe #1: Energy smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 2 cups chopped kale
- ½ cup light unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon flax/chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- P.s add a tablespoon of matcha for a boost of energy!
Instructions
Blend until smooth and serve! To meal prep this smoothie, freeze in an ice cube tray and re-blend when wanted.
Recipe #2: Shaken Espresso Overnight oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup Oats - whatever type is your preference
- 2 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chia seeds
- 1 cup Milk - of any preference
- 1 shot of espresso - this could be freshly brewed, concentrate or instant espresso
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together. Place in a mason jar or other tupperware to be left overnight and eaten in the morning.
Recipe #3: Gluten free muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup peanut/soy/almond butter
- 2 TSP vanilla
- 2 TBSP honey
- ½ TSP baking soda
- Chocolate chips
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a blender then pour into a muffin tin and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Enjoy them right away or pop them in the freezer and reheat to eat later!
Now that you know these 3 easy breakfast recipes, there are no more excuses not to eat breakfast everyday. Try it out and let us know how you like it!
