There is a common belief that eating breakfast can help losing weight, but there is an only limited study supporting the claim. New research revealed there is no strong evidence that eating your morning meal is really promoting weight loss.
The new research's authors reviewed the data from "13 randomized controlled trials" made in the past three decades. According to Healthline, people who eat breakfast have the chance to take more calories a day compared to the ones who skip their morning meal.
People who eat breakfast consume 260 more calories a day. It only means that they take extra calories as they devour other meals in the 24-hour period. They also weigh more compared to others who don't take their morning meal. On average, they are 0.44 kilograms (15.5 ounces) heavier.
So, does the new research suggest it is unhealthy to eat breakfast? "Although eating breakfast regularly could have other important effects, such as improved concentration and attentiveness levels in childhood, caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults," the authors explained.
With that, Pop Sugar indicated the exact amount of food you need to take for breakfast to lose weight. From the number of carbs, calories, and protein, among others, here is the list of how much you need in a day.
You should take 300 to 350 calories in your breakfast if you are trying to lose weight. But if you want to maintain your current heaviness, take 350 to 400 calories.
When it comes to carbs, your breakfast should have 40 to 55 grams of it. You should also skip sugary and overly processed foods made with white flour. Instead, opt for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to lose weight.
Your breakfast should also have 13 to 20 grams of protein. It won't only make you satisfied throughout the morning, but it can also help you to lose weight. You can find protein on eggs, dairy products, soy milk, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.
It is also fine to take 10 to 15 grams of fats in your breakfast, especially if it is monounsaturated fats (MUFAs). You can find it in olive oil, nuts and seeds, and avocado.
Fiber also plays an important role in losing weight. Your body needs 25 grams of fiber per day, but you can only take 6 grams of it in your breakfast if you want to lose weight. However, there will be no problem if you go beyond the needed amount as long as it doesn't bother your digestive system. Some sources of fiber are berries, pears, apples, greens and other veggies, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.
It is also fine to take sugar in your breakfast as long as you take the recommended amount of carbs to consume. But, you still have to stick to 36 grams of sugar or fewer and try not to consume higher than six grams of added sugar to lose weight.
The perfect time to eat breakfast is 30 to 60 minutes after you wake up. If you are not used to eating a heavy meal in the morning, you can divide it into two parts - something light when you rise from the bed and the heavier part an hour and a half later.
