What should you eat for breakfast? A guide to a healthy start to your day
Article written by Agnès Dervogne, an integrative nutrition specialist at Aliantis, our multidisciplinary health clinic in Sitges.
With an individualised, evidence-based approach, Agnès sees nutrition as a fundamental part of our health, closely connected to sleep, movement, stress and hormonal changes.
Her goal is to help each person better understand their nutritional needs and develop healthy, realistic and sustainable habits.
Breakfast is one of the meals that raises the most questions. For years, we have been told that it is the most important meal of the day. But what does science actually say?
Is breakfast really necessary?
There is no perfect breakfast, nor is there a specific time when everyone should eat it. What matters is the quality of the food we eat, the circumstances in which we eat it and how our bodies respond.
For years, breakfast has been described as the most important meal of the day. However, scientific evidence paints a more nuanced picture.
Some people feel better when they eat breakfast, while others prefer to wait a few hours before eating. Neither approach is necessarily better for everyone.
What matters is understanding how this choice affects our overall diet and nutritional needs.
What does science say about breakfast?
Scientific studies have investigated the relationship between breakfast, body weight, cardiovascular health and metabolism.
However, it is important to distinguish between clinical trials, which allow researchers to investigate causal relationships more rigorously, and observational studies, which identify associations without necessarily establishing cause and effect.
Does eating breakfast help you lose weight?
A meta-analysis of 13 randomised controlled trials, published in The BMJ in 2019, compared the effects of eating breakfast with skipping it.
The researchers found that participants who ate breakfast consumed, on average, approximately 260 additional calories per day and weighed around 0.4 kg more.
However, the included studies were relatively short, with an average follow-up of around seven weeks for body weight, and their methodological quality was low.
These findings should therefore be interpreted with caution.
What we can say is that forcing yourself to eat breakfast when you are not hungry is not, in itself, an effective weight management strategy.
Does skipping breakfast increase cardiovascular risk?
Several observational studies have found associations between regularly skipping breakfast and a higher risk of cardiometabolic disease.
Part of this relationship may be explained by other factors, such as irregular schedules, insufficient sleep, lower levels of physical activity or a poorer-quality diet.
However, we cannot completely rule out the possibility that meal timing and eating patterns themselves may also play a role.
For example, a study based on the NHANES III cohort, involving 6,550 adults followed for approximately 19 years, found that people who never ate breakfast had a 1.87 times higher risk of cardiovascular mortality than those who ate breakfast every day.
Nevertheless, only 5% of participants reported never eating breakfast. Furthermore, because this was an observational study, the findings cannot establish causation.
Does the timing of our meals matter?
Chrononutrition explores how meal timing interacts with our biological rhythms and may influence metabolism.
Some research suggests that consuming a greater proportion of our daily energy intake earlier in the day and avoiding very late dinners may benefit certain markers of cardiometabolic health.Sin embargo, los resultados son heterogéneos y todavía no permiten establecer una hora ideal para todo el mundo.
However, findings remain mixed and do not yet allow us to establish an ideal eating schedule for everyone.
A 12-week clinical trial involving 116 adults with overweight or obesity compared time-restricted eating between 12 pm and 8 pm with a regular three-meal eating pattern.
The researchers found no statistically significant difference in weight loss between the two groups.
This reminds us that changing when we eat does not, on its own, guarantee improvements in body weight.
What do we know, and what remains uncertain?
A healthy person does not need to eat immediately after waking up. During the overnight fast, the liver helps maintain blood glucose levels.
There is also no universally ideal time to eat breakfast. Our work schedules, sleep patterns, physical activity and family life all influence how we organise our meals.
In general, maintaining reasonably consistent eating patterns and avoiding excessively late dinners appears more relevant than forcing ourselves to eat a large breakfast or eat very early in the morning.
💡Common misconception
“Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.”
Not necessarily.
Although some people may reduce their energy intake by skipping breakfast, this does not mean it is an effective strategy for everyone.
Clinical trials have not demonstrated that eating or skipping breakfast, on its own, leads to significant and sustainable weight loss.
Furthermore, skipping this meal may make it more difficult to meet daily protein and other nutritional requirements if the rest of the diet is not properly planned.
What matters is not eating fewer meals, but finding an eating pattern that meets our nutritional needs and that we can maintain over the long term.
Beyond calories: how do sleep, stress and hormones affect our appetite?
Breakfast is not an isolated meal. It is part of a complex system in which sleep, stress, hormones and metabolism interact.
Our bodies follow an internal biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which helps regulate numerous physiological processes.
These include cortisol release, insulin sensitivity and the mechanisms that control hunger and satiety.
Exposure to natural light in the morning, consistent daily routines and sufficient sleep help keep these rhythms synchronised.
This is why when and how we eat breakfast may also depend on how well we have slept and how we manage stress.
Sleep: why can insufficient sleep increase hunger?
Lack of sleep can disrupt the mechanisms that regulate appetite and lead to increased energy intake.
A meta-analysis of studies on partial sleep restriction found that people who slept less consumed, on average, approximately 385 additional calories per day, with a higher proportion of fat and a lower proportion of protein.
Taking care of your sleep is therefore also an important part of a healthy nutritional strategy.
💡 Did you know?
Not getting enough sleep may make us eat more.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that partial sleep restriction was associated with an average increase in energy intake of 385 calories per day.
Insufficient sleep can affect appetite regulation and encourage higher energy consumption.
This helps explain why, after a poor night’s sleep, some people feel hungrier or find it more difficult to regulate their food choices.
A healthy diet is not just about what we put on our plates. Getting enough sleep is also an essential part of nutritional health.
Stress: why does it affect our appetite?
Chronic stress can alter our hunger and satiety signals.
Some people experience a loss of appetite, particularly during the first few hours of the day.
Others, however, feel a greater urge to eat, particularly sweet or energy-dense foods, during the afternoon.
These responses vary from person to person and may be linked to different physiological and behavioural mechanisms.
This is why improving our eating habits also involves understanding the emotional context in which we eat.
Hormonal changes also play a role
During certain stages of life, such as the menstrual cycle, perimenopause or menopause, changes in appetite, energy levels and metabolic responses to food may occur.
There is no single nutritional recommendation that works for every woman.
Recognising these changes and adapting eating habits to individual needs may be more beneficial than following rigid dietary rules.
What about drinking coffee on an empty stomach?
Coffee can be part of a healthy breakfast.
However, drinking coffee does not replace a meal from a nutritional perspective.
Furthermore, in people who are sensitive to caffeine, it may increase feelings of nervousness, anxiety or certain digestive symptoms.
Individual tolerance is key.
Two people can eat exactly the same breakfast and experience very different sensations by mid-morning.
How can you prepare a healthy and nutritious breakfast?
A nutritious breakfast can be built around three essential components: a good source of protein, fibre-rich foods and a drink without added sugars.
Portion sizes should be adapted to each person’s age, physical activity, health status and individual nutritional needs.
Fibre-rich foods
Dietary fibre supports healthy bowel function, contributes to satiety and, depending on the type of fibre, may help moderate blood glucose responses after meals.
Furthermore, higher intakes of fibre and whole grains are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Some good breakfast options include:
- Bread made primarily from wholemeal flour.
- Porridge oats.
- Muesli with little added sugar.
- Fresh, whole fruit.
- Unsalted natural or roasted nuts.
You do not need to eat all these foods at once. What matters is prioritising foods with good nutritional value.
Protein: the foundation of a balanced breakfast
Protein plays an essential role in maintaining muscle mass, repairing tissues and supporting numerous bodily functions.
Including a source of protein at breakfast may also promote satiety and make it easier to meet our daily protein requirements.
Good sources include eggs, plain unsweetened yoghurt, kefir, fresh cheese, legumes, tofu, fish and nuts.
As a general guideline, consuming around 20–30 grams of protein at main meals can be a useful reference point, although actual requirements depend on age, physical activity and stage of life.
This is particularly relevant for older adults and people who exercise regularly.
If you eat a small breakfast or prefer to skip it, it is important to ensure that you consume enough protein throughout the rest of the day.
A drink without added sugars
Water is always a good choice for maintaining adequate hydration.
Coffee and tea can also be part of breakfast, taking individual caffeine tolerance into account.
However, soft drinks and fruit juices, including freshly squeezed juices, are best reserved for occasional consumption.
Why is eating whole fruit better than drinking fruit juice?
Whole fruit retains its natural structure and requires chewing, which helps promote a greater feeling of fullness.
It also provides fibre, water, vitamins and other beneficial compounds.
A glass of fruit juice, even freshly squeezed, can contain the sugars from several pieces of fruit, which can be consumed quickly without providing the same feeling of satiety.
This is why eating a whole orange is generally preferable to drinking its juice.
Five healthy breakfast ideas for everyday life
You do not need to prepare complicated recipes to enjoy a nutritious breakfast.
These five simple options combine foods with good nutritional value.
Wholemeal toast with tomato and egg
Wholemeal bread topped with tomato, egg and extra virgin olive oil.
A Mediterranean-inspired combination that provides protein, fibre and healthy fats.
Vegetable omelette with wholemeal bread
An omelette or scrambled eggs with seasonal vegetables, served with wholemeal bread.
A savoury option that allows you to include protein and vegetables from your first meal of the day.
Wholemeal bread with fresh cheese or hummus
A slice of wholemeal toast topped with fresh cheese or hummus, served with tomato or avocado.
A simple option that can be adapted to different dietary preferences.
Plain yoghurt or kefir with nuts
Plain unsweetened yoghurt or kefir, served with walnuts, seeds and a piece of whole fruit.
A practical alternative for those who prefer a quick breakfast.
A light breakfast if you have little appetite
If you are not particularly hungry in the morning, you could opt for plain unsweetened yoghurt with a handful of nuts.
Later in the day, you can have another meal that includes an adequate source of protein.
The key is to distribute your food intake throughout the day in a way that allows you to meet your nutritional needs.
What if you don’t eat dairy products or gluten?
These suggestions can also be adapted to different dietary requirements.
For example, you can replace yoghurt with an unsweetened soya alternative or choose gluten-free bread and certified gluten-free oats when necessary.
The nutritional principles remain the same: prioritise fibre, ensure an adequate protein intake and limit added sugars.
🏃 In practice
The Mediterranean breakfast
You don’t need exotic ingredients or trendy recipes to enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Bread with tomato, extra virgin olive oil, seasonal fruit and locally sourced foods can all fit perfectly into a balanced diet.
However, we should not automatically assume that every traditional breakfast is healthy.
A coffee regularly accompanied by pastries or biscuits does not necessarily reflect the nutritional principles of the Mediterranean diet.
The quality of the ingredients and how they are combined matter more than the label we use to describe a meal.
Is a sweet or savoury breakfast better?
From a nutritional perspective, Agnès generally recommends prioritising savoury breakfasts that include a source of protein.
This approach makes it easier to incorporate nutritious foods and reduce the consumption of added sugars.
However, it is also important to consider each person’s individual characteristics and metabolic health.
Why choose a savoury breakfast?
A breakfast based on eggs, fresh cheese, legumes, fish or plain unsweetened yoghurt, accompanied by wholemeal bread or vegetables, can provide protein and fibre while keeping added sugars to a minimum.
Protein promotes satiety and helps meet daily nutritional requirements.
This is particularly relevant for older adults and people who exercise regularly.
Furthermore, skipping breakfast may make it more difficult to consume enough protein if the remaining meals are not properly planned.
When should you limit sweet breakfasts?
For people with impaired blood glucose regulation or reduced insulin sensitivity, reviewing the composition of breakfast may be particularly important.
Breakfasts high in free sugars and refined flour can contribute to higher blood glucose responses and reduced satiety.
In these situations, it is generally preferable to choose options containing protein, fibre and an amount of carbohydrate adapted to individual needs.
For people without these metabolic concerns, a sweet-tasting breakfast can also form part of a balanced diet, provided it is made with nutritious ingredients.
For example, a combination of oats, plain unsweetened yoghurt, whole fruit and walnuts provides a very different nutritional profile from a breakfast based on industrially produced pastries.
Sugar and ultra-processed foods: what should you avoid?
Many products marketed for breakfast contain significant amounts of added sugars, refined flour, salt or saturated fats.
These include many breakfast cereals, biscuits, industrially produced pastries, sweet spreads, sweetened milkshakes and certain commercial yoghurts.
It is also advisable to limit processed meats and cold cuts, particularly when they are regularly included in breakfast.
The general recommendation is to prioritise fresh or minimally processed foods and avoid making ultra-processed products a regular part of our daily diet.
How much sugar does the WHO recommend consuming?
The World Health Organization recommends that free sugars account for less than 10% of total daily energy intake.
It also suggests reducing this intake to below 5% whenever possible.
For someone consuming 2,000 kcal per day, this lower threshold corresponds to approximately 25 grams of free sugars.
It is important to remember that free sugars include those naturally present in fruit juices, even when they are freshly squeezed.
By contrast, the sugars naturally present in whole fruit are not included in this category.
💡 Common misconception
“If a product says wholegrain, fitness or no added sugar, it must be healthy.”
Not necessarily.
Marketing claims on food packaging do not guarantee that a product has good nutritional quality.
Biscuits labelled as “wholegrain” may still contain significant amounts of added sugar.
Similarly, a product labelled “no added sugar” may still have a poor overall nutritional profile.
This is why it is important to read the ingredients list and consider the food as a whole.
Choosing foods with straightforward ingredient lists and limiting ultra-processed products can be a useful starting point for improving our diet.
Should we always listen to our hunger signals?
Learning to recognise hunger and satiety is an important tool for developing a healthy relationship with food.
However, these signals are not always easy to interpret.
Prolonged stress, insufficient sleep, hormonal changes, a history of restrictive dieting or a difficult relationship with food can all influence how we perceive our appetite.
In certain situations, saying “I don’t eat breakfast because I’m not hungry” may reflect ongoing dietary restriction rather than a genuinely free choice.
Listening to our bodies is important, but so is understanding the wider context.
If you recognise yourself in any of these situations, the aim is not to force yourself to eat, but to review your eating habits with professional guidance.
When your relationship with food causes psychological distress, it is important to consult a doctor or a mental health professional.
How can you adapt breakfast to your individual needs?
A breakfast that works well for one person may not be suitable for another.
Age, physical activity levels, health conditions and daily schedules all influence our nutritional requirements.
If you exercise in the morning
For short, low-intensity exercise sessions, many people can exercise comfortably without eating breakfast beforehand.
However, before prolonged or intense training sessions, it is generally advisable to consume easily digestible foods that provide carbohydrates.
It is also important to ensure adequate recovery and sufficient protein intake throughout the day.
If you’re short on time
You don’t need to prepare an elaborate breakfast.
Plain yoghurt, a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts can be a practical alternative.
You can also prepare your ingredients the night before to make your morning routine easier.
If you experience digestive discomfort
Some people experience digestive discomfort after particularly large breakfasts or meals that are high in fat or contain certain types of fibre.
Adjusting portion sizes, ingredients and meal timings may help improve digestive tolerance.
However, if digestive symptoms occur frequently, it is advisable to consult a doctor before eliminating entire food groups on your own.
If you have diabetes, are pregnant or have a medical condition
Certain situations require specific nutritional recommendations.
This is particularly important for people with diabetes who use insulin or other medications that can cause hypoglycaemia.
Pregnancy, kidney disease and other medical conditions may also affect nutritional requirements.
In these situations, it is advisable to consult your healthcare team before making significant changes to meal timings or eating patterns.
How can integrative nutrition at Aliantis help you?
At Aliantis, our multidisciplinary health clinic in Sitges, we see nutrition as an essential part of wellbeing, closely connected to movement, sleep and emotional health.
Our nutrition service, led by Agnès Dervogne, an integrative nutrition specialist, offers a personalised approach that takes into account not only what you eat, but also your lifestyle, daily schedule, sleep and individual needs.
We don’t believe in perfect breakfasts or one-size-fits-all solutions.
Our aim is to help you develop healthy, realistic and sustainable eating habits.
We can help you to:
- Plan a balanced diet that fits your schedule and preferences.
- Improve the nutritional quality of your meals without unnecessary restrictions.
- Understand the relationship between nutrition, energy levels, sleep and stress.
- Adapt your eating habits to different stages of life.
- Develop a more mindful, balanced and flexible relationship with food.
- Gain confidence and independence in making informed food choices.
Because eating better shouldn’t mean making life more complicated.
If you’d like to improve your diet and find an approach tailored to your needs, you can book an initial nutrition consultation at Aliantis in Sitges.
In summary: what does a healthy breakfast look like?
As a general rule, a healthy breakfast should prioritise foods rich in protein and fibre, with minimal added sugars.
At Aliantis, our integrative nutrition approach generally encourages savoury breakfasts, limiting fruit juices and soft drinks to occasional consumption and avoiding ultra-processed foods as part of our daily eating habits.
However, healthy eating is not just about what we eat.
Sleep, stress, hormonal changes, physical activity and our daily schedules also influence our nutritional needs.
And although listening to our hunger signals is important, professional guidance may sometimes be necessary to interpret them correctly.
Frequently asked questions about healthy breakfasts
What is the healthiest breakfast?
Is skipping breakfast bad for you?
Not necessarily. Many people can maintain a balanced diet without eating breakfast, provided their overall daily food intake meets their nutritional requirements and they have no medical condition requiring a different eating pattern.
However, eating fewer meals can make it more difficult to meet daily protein requirements. If a lack of appetite persists, it is worth investigating the possible causes.
What should I eat for breakfast to stay full until lunchtime?
Combining foods rich in fibre and protein can help promote satiety.
For example, plain yoghurt with oats and fruit, or wholemeal bread with eggs.
It is also important to eat sufficient quantities according to your appetite and physical activity levels.
Is having just a coffee for breakfast enough?
Coffee can be part of a healthy diet, but it does not provide the nutrients found in a complete meal.
If you are not hungry when you wake up, you can have your first meal later, provided your overall diet meets your nutritional needs.
Is it better to eat whole fruit or drink fresh fruit juice?
Generally, eating whole fruit is preferable.
Its natural structure and fibre content help promote satiety.
Fruit juices, even freshly squeezed ones, should be reserved for occasional consumption.
What is the best breakfast for weight loss?
No particular breakfast causes weight loss on its own.
What matters is finding a sustainable eating pattern adapted to your energy requirements, habits and individual characteristics.
Is a sweet or savoury breakfast better?
From Agnès’s nutritional perspective, it is generally preferable to prioritise savoury breakfasts that include a source of protein and fibre-rich foods.
Sweet breakfasts can also be appropriate in certain situations, particularly when prepared with nutritious ingredients, without excessive added sugars and with a source of protein.
This blog article does not aim to generate new knowledge; it is based on the reading of scientific publications, blog articles and other texts.
Sources:
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St-Onge MP, et al. (2017). Meal timing and frequency: implications for cardiovascular disease prevention. Circulation, 135, e96–e121. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000476.
World Health Organization (2023). Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline.
World Health Organization (2015). Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children.
Rong S, Snetselaar LG, Xu G, et al. (2019). Association of skipping breakfast with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 73, 2025–2032.
Lowe DA, Wu N, Rohdin-Bibby L, et al. (2020). Effects of time-restricted eating on weight loss and other metabolic parameters in women and men with overweight and obesity: the TREAT randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 180(11), 1491–1499. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.4153.
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