We’ve all been there: The morning rush hits, you might not even be hungry yet and, boom — suddenly it’s lunchtime, and you realize you never ate breakfast.
But it begs the question: Is skipping breakfast really that harmful to your health?
Here’s what science and our experts say.
The answer depends on what your own personal health goals and habits are, but we can say this: Skipping breakfast poses potential risks to your energy levels, mood, focus and more.
Breakfast sets the stage for your whole day’s fuel. Like the term suggests, breakfast “breaks” the “fast” that your body naturally endures overnight. What you choose to eat (or not eat) can impact your whole day — and, over time, your overall healt¹.
“If you don’t eat breakfast or wait until lunch to eat, you have this nutrient gap in your diet because you started your day a little late,” said Pam Nisevich Bede, head of nutrition for «Ƶ’s consumer biowearable.
That nutrient gap can affect your energy and mood, Nisevich Bede said, because it often goes hand in hand with extreme changes in your glucose levels. Glucose, which you may know as blood sugar, is what your body breaks carbohydrates down to and gives you energy. It’s essential for your brain and body function.
Beyond that, skipping breakfast might impact your circadian rhythm, which connects to the quality of your sleep2.
There’s even evidence that it could impact your cardiovascular health. Pooled data by the and finds that skipping breakfast can be associated with increased risk of heart disease.
If you instead choose to eat breakfast — especially one rich in protein — it can help curb cravings, balance your glucose levels, reduce brain fog and kickstart your metabolism for the day3, 4, 5.
Again, when you skip breakfast, you are missing the opportunity to nourish your mind and body. But, of course, that’s only true if your breakfast is healthy.
“If you’re like: ‘I love a dozen donuts for breakfast. Should I be skipping that?’ Then my answer would naturally be yes,” Nisevich Bede said. “Breakfast is very much tied to what the rest of your diet looks like and what are you choosing.”
Many of the usual options tend to be high in carbs and sugar. A super-sugary food is going to be a quick burn and lead directly to an energy crash, which you don’t want.
“Cereals, even oatmeal, can surprise you,” Nisevich Bede said.
“From a glucose perspective, when we are coming into breakfast, we are breaking our fast,” she said. “You’re at this steady level of glucose as you slept overnight, and the first thing you introduce into your body really makes a difference on your glucose pattern.”
Ease out of your night-long fast with lots of protein, healthy fats and fiber. Something like a vegetable-rich omelet is a great choice.
“Fiber, nutrients, vitamins — all these things slow down digestion, so you’ve got steady energy to tackle your day,” Nisevich Bede said.
“Protein will help keep you full longer, so maybe you won’t grab that mid-morning snack. Or maybe it helps you make a better choice for lunch.”
Here are some ideas for all of you breakfast-skippers out there.
“It doesn’t have to be gourmet. It just needs to check the boxes,” Nisevich Bede said.
1Ofori-Asenso R, et al. Skipping Breakfast and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Death: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies in Primary Prevention Settings. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2019 Aug 22;6(3):30.
2Ogata H, et al. Skipping Breakfast for 6 Days Delayed the Circadian Rhythm of the Body Temperature without Altering Clock Gene Expression in Human Leukocytes. Nutrients. 2020 Sep 12;12(9):2797.
3Gwin JA, et al. A Review of the Evidence Surrounding the Effects of Breakfast Consumption on Mechanisms of Weight Management. Adv Nutr. 2018 Nov 1;9(6):717-725.
4Xiao K, et al. Effect of a High Protein Diet at Breakfast on Postprandial Glucose Level at Dinner Time in Healthy Adults. Nutrients. 2022 Dec 24;15(1):85.
5Galioto R, et al. The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Adults. Adv Nutr. 2016 May 16;7(3):576S-89S.
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