Yes! You read right! Breakfast is NOT the most important meal of the day. Many families and individuals have been living by this clause for many years. It haunted some throughout their childhood while guiding others throughout their adulthood.
This statement is a classical example of the possible synergy of indoctrination, propaganda, and copywriting. It is an exaggerated statement that has survived many centuries and societal tensions, including the First and Second World Wars!
Initially, the idea of breakfast was not a thing. Many of our parents and grandparents in the village do not have breakfast before hitting the farm for activities or the forest to hunt. Often, it is until mid-day before they begin to worry about what to eat.
Others wait till something is killed in the forest or harvested on the farm before preparing a meal.
In Europe, before the 17th century, breakfast was not a thing. Heather Arndt Anderson, author of Breakfast: A History, told Huffington Post, “It was socially and morally frowned upon to eat breakfast until about the 17th century, with the reformation of the church.” Anderson continued, “Queen Elizabeth’s fondness for this meal helped boost its popularity among Europeans.”
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” was nothing more than a marketing slogan coined in the 19th century by James Caleb Jackson and John Harvey Kellogg to sell their newly invented breakfast cereal. A copywriting ingenuity to drive sales and popularity!
The slogan is a mere marketing campaign that crept into our daily life and dictated our dietary patterns! The idea of three square meals is another scheme!
As the name suggests, breakfast is the first meal of the day because we are considered to have fasted overnight! Undoubtedly, there are health benefits to breakfast. It boosts the immune system for the day, replenishes energy, and encourages good morale for the tasks ahead in the day.
However, these healthy benefits do not suggest that breakfast is of more importance than other meals of the day. Lunch, for example, is also taken to replenish energy after the first 6–8 hours of the day’s work. Dinner is also taken to restock the depleted energy during the second 6–8 hours of the day.
Although research suggests that breakfast may not be the most important meal of the day, it is still essential. It serves as an opportunity to help you fuel your day and provide key nutrients that your body needs.
If you choose not to eat breakfast, there is no reason to feel guilty, and there is not much evidence that it can negatively impact your health.
What is necessary is to eat in a way that works best for you while living a healthy lifestyle and ensuring your nutrient needs are met during your other meals.
If you are finding it challenging to meet your nutritional needs, consider speaking with a registered dietitian who can help you navigate through any questions you may have.
