Breakfast is essential to start the day well, but at what time should you have it?
Often referred to as the most important meal of the day, breakfast is not unanimous. Indeed, opinions vary considerably: some recommend not taking it, others to take it immediately after waking up, while a few explain that you should wait until the end of the morning. If there is noperfect timea nutritionist however reveals what she believes is the best time to eat.
The importance of breakfast
In general, the French get up early: at 7 a.m. during the week and 8:16 a.m. on weekends. Breakfast remains an essential moment: 70% of French people are not willing to sacrifice it, whether during the week or during the weekend. As for preferences, the French breakfast often favors a combination of hot drink, Juice and toast or pastries. Conversely, the Anglo-Saxon breakfast offers a more important place for eggsbacon and sausages, as well as beans and potatoes.
Whether you prefer it sweet or savory, it is an essential meal. Its main function is to end nighttime fasting and rehydrate the body. It is clear that after eight to ten hours without food, our body requires a new energy supply. Taking it allows you toavoid fatigue intellectual or muscular and above all, to prevent hypoglycemia, which is responsible for mid-morning cravings.
What time to have breakfast?
In the magazine Glamour, Rhian Stephenson, nutritionist and naturopath, explains that there is no time that is best for everyone. The time at which you have breakfast depends on your sleep pattern. “But a good general rule is to to leave a minimum of 12 hours between your dinner and breakfast the next day »she says. “So if you finish dinner at 7:30 p.m., you'll want to wait until 7:30 a.m. the next morning before eating breakfast.”.
There are solid scientific reasons for planning your breakfast this way. Each of us is endowed witha biological clock, or circadian rhythm, which regulates a 24-hour cycle. Our digestive tract is also home to trillions of bacteria, grouped under the term gut microbiome, which also follow a circadian rhythm. Your cells enter repair mode while you sleep, so it's important “to allow enough time for the microbiome to rest and repair itself”.
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Don't skip breakfast
Give up regularly breakfast usually means you are taking in fewer calories than your body needs, especially after fasting overnight. This will “slow down your metabolism, increase stress and decrease immunity”, says Rhian Stephenson. When you go several hours without eating, your body secretes more“hunger hormones”, including ghrelin. These hormones signal to your brain and stomach that it's time to eat, which, in this context, can cause you to eat later. overeating.
“It is essential to have a good quality breakfast, rich in proteinfiber and phytonutrients », explained the nutritionist. And to add: “ This will help regulate blood sugar, energy and eating habits throughout the day“. A full breakfast therefore avoids feeling those mid-morning cravings, which are the enemies of the figure.
