It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while this statement is true for all people, regardless of their age, gender, or lifestyle, it is particularly essential for students to practice it. As a student, eating breakfast every single day can only have positive effects on you, and provide you with an endless number of health benefits. For instance, it has been showed that eating breakfast significantly improves your capacity to focus on school, and let’s face it, who wouldn’t benefit from a little more concentration during an 8 a.m. not-so-fun lecture? Below you will find five reasons why eating breakfast will benefit, not only you, but your GPA as well.
Energy
After (hopefully) spending a solid 6-8 hours sleeping, and therefore fasting, your body wakes up ready to receive recharging fuel that will empower it throughout the entire day. Look at your body as a car that needs refuel after a long day of constant driving. Just like a car, your body needs continuous supplies of energy in order to function properly, and breakfast is the perfect way to provide your body with this fuel. It is important to mention that, just like you would choose the best quality of fuel for your car, you should also choose the best quality of energy for your body. Pairing good-quality sources of protein, fat and carbohydrates, such as yogurt and fruit and nuts, oatmeal with milk and almonds, some sort of whole-grain bread with peanut butter, or eggs with whole-wheat toast, will provide you with the best kind of energy to give your day a fresh start.
Improved Concentration
This second statement goes hand-in-hand with the previous one. It has been showed that eating good-quality foods during breakfast time, such as the ones mentioned above, can significantly improve your concentration skills, particularly those pertaining to memory and recall. Who wouldn’t want those skills during finals?
Better Grades
As a result of being able to concentrate better, an obvious outcome would be to get better grades on your courses. Research has shown that students who eat breakfast perform significantly better on tests and academic duties in general. This happens because breakfast supplies your nervous system with essential nutrients, and it also alleviates feelings of hunger and rumbling tummies, which can interfere with your capacity to focus if they are not controlled.
Healthy Weight
Skipping breakfast may seem like a logical thing to do in order to save calories, but quite the opposite is true. People who skip breakfast tend to have a larger weight than those who do not. This happens because eating breakfast keeps your blood-sugar levels at a normal range, and therefore your hungriness levels are not as extreme. In other words, breakfast eaters tend to make smarter and portion-controlled food choices throughout the day, as opposed to those who skip it.
It tastes great
Last but not least, eating breakfast is a great habit to adopt because, aside from bringing you endless health benefits, it also allows you to start your day with delicious, healthy, foods that will set you in the right mood to start your day properly. Be fun when thinking of breakfast ideas, don’t just go with the basics! Stick to healthy choices, of course, but look up different recipes you can try, and experiment with new flavors. The possibilities are endless!
Now you know, eating breakfast is only beneficial for you, and there are no excuses not to eat it! From the simplest on-the-go meals, to the most elaborate recipes, breakfast will bring you a lifetime of benefits, and will keep you strong and healthy. Don’t skip it!
By: Peer Educator Natalia Oppenheimer
