Not eating in the morning: good or bad idea?
The popular saying says that you have to eat like a king in the morning, like a prince at noon and like a pauper in the evening. However, it is clear that breakfast is less and less popular among the French: 21% skip it at least once a week (1) . But really, is not eating in the morning really a bad idea? Or on the contrary, is skipping breakfast (as recommended by intermittent fasting people ) a source of health benefits?
What do the breakfast “pros” say?
The defenders of the sacrosanct breakfast are still numerous, both among health professionals and scientific specialists in nutrition. Indeed, according to them, eating in the morning not only makes it possible to recover from the prolonged fasting that constitutes the night, but also to guarantee the body a sufficient energy supply to carry out the morning activities, without crashing or cravings. Provided of course that the breakfast consists of quality nutrients: a cereal product, if possible complete, a drink, a protein (cheese, egg , ham, etc.) and a fruit, preferably whole.
Some studies also support the recommendation to eat in the morning. Thus (2) :
- Breakfast would have a positive impact on intellectual performance, particularly memory and cognitive functions in general.
- There is a link between eating in the morning and the risk of obesity. People who eat breakfast are less likely to gain weight and have a BMI over 30 ( obesity ).
- Women would also benefit from eating in the morning. There seems to be a correlation between eating breakfast, menstrual cycle disorders and reproductive functions. Women who do not shy away from breakfast would have a more regular cycle and display greater fertility.
In addition, according to researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (3) , not eating in the morning disrupts the circadian rhythm (wake-sleep cycles) and in extenso, the biological clocks of certain organs, such as the pancreas, the liver , muscles and even fat mass (which is innervated). Thus, skipping breakfast would have a negative impact on insulin resistance (increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes ), and would dramatically disrupt the clock genes for glucose metabolism and body weight.
Also, to stay healthy, maintain a healthy weight and maintain good intellectual abilities, it would seem that you have to force yourself to eat in the morning.
What do the “no breakfast” supporters say?
Not eating in the morning roughly consists in practicing intermittent fasting of the 16:8 type: 16 hours of fasting for 8 hours of “normal” food. And this, voluntarily or not (because many people who do not eat in the morning do not declare themselves to be fasting for all that). However, intermittent fasting, very fashionable, is the subject of numerous studies. Some attest to its many health benefits. Thereby :
- The absence of breakfast, combined with regular physical exercise, would have a positive impact on fat mass (reduction), certain biomarkers (blood glucose, insulin concentration) and muscle mass (maintenance) (4) .
- Intermittent fasting would limit the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and thus the occurrence of other metabolic diseases, by reducing the blood concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides, but also other markers of inflammation such as homocysteine and CRP ( 5).
- Not eating in the morning would trigger the ketone, which itself could increase resistance to oxidative stress and longevity, while reducing the risk of developing obesity or even cancer (6) .
In the end, should we eat or not eat in the morning?
It is clear that when it comes to breakfast, scientists are not unanimous. According to Dr. Florence Pujol (7) , dietician-nutritionist, member of the French Association of Dieticians and Nutritionists and author of the book I eat and I am well, everything is a matter of common sense .
Not eating in the morning would not be particularly recommended. However, and still according to her, we should eat according to our hunger , and not an imperative or an injunction. There would be no meal more important than another. The most important thing would simply be to listen to his bodily sensations. Thus, if the body sends no signal of hunger in the morning (rumbling stomach, dry mouth, feeling of weakness, yawning…) there is no point in eating. It is then wiser:
- To wait a bit and shift the time of your breakfast, planning to lighten the composition (for example, stick to a drink, a satiating dairy product such as fromage blanc and a whole fresh fruit ) .
- Or substitute breakfast and lunch with a full brunch.
Nevertheless, the medical and scientific community agrees on one point: the particular case of children and adolescents. In full growth, their nutritional needs are different from those of adults. And it is imperative that these needs are met, throughout the day. Thus, it is strongly recommended that this segment of the population eat in the morning and have access to a balanced breakfast.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.