We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And while the jury’s still out on whether that’s 100% true—some evidence suggests that as long as you get the nutrients you need throughout the day, having breakfast specifically might not matter—it is true that what we eat for breakfast certainly does impact our metabolism and energy.
And not just that. Having a healthy morning meal has a host of other proven benefits as well. It helps keep blood sugar balanced, leads to less hunger during the day, and may even help you maintain a healthy weight. So, if you do want to take advantage of all the very good reasons to eat your brekkie—which also include reduced risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and obesity—it is definitely worth considering when to eat your first meal of the day.
Choosing the right time to eat breakfast may make all the difference when it comes to having a day of full-on energy, mental clarity, and glittering productivity. And who wouldn’t want that? Read on to learn more about the best time to eat breakfast, no matter your health goals.
The best time to have breakfast for maintaining weight
Breakfast literally means to “break the fast” and is usually eaten soon after you wake up—either at home or on-the-go right before work. Depending on your schedule, that might be anywhere between 6:00 am and 8:00 am—first thing!—but there’s some evidence to suggest that the ideal time to have breakfast might actually be a little later, especially if maintaining or losing weight is a priority for you.
This is where the aforementioned “fast” comes in. According to studies—and intermittent fasting devotees—it’s best to allow at least 12 hours of fasting to pass between the previous day’s dinner and breakfast the next morning in order to trigger ketosis in the body and the burning of fat stores instead of glucose for energy. So, if you have dinner at 8:00 pm, then just wait to have breakfast until 8:00 am the next day. It also goes without saying that if you have an early dinner one evening, then breakfast can be earlier too—just as long as you hit the 12 hour fasting mark. And if you have dinner later, then you can just postpone your first meal the next day. It’s flexible!
