Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day? 

By Linda Rath | Updated March 9, 2023

There is no one size fits all when it comes to breakfast. Some people are hungry when they wake up and want to eat something, even if it’s last night’s pizza. Others can’t stand the thought of putting food in their stomach before noon. Intermittent fasters may not eat until evening. 

What’s probably more important is not when you eat but what. And that depends on your health, how much time you have, your personal preferences and your culture. 

Breakfast Won’t Improve Fitness

Part of the lore and lure of breakfast is that it helps maintain a healthy weight. The theory is that it fills you up so you’re less likely to overeat later. But research has found that eating breakfast has no effect on weight loss and may even add to your pounds. Many nutrition scientists now say that eating junk is far worse than not eating. Ditch the sugary cereals and pastries and try these alternatives:

• Oatmeal. Oats can improve the health and diversity of your gut microbiome, lower total cholesterol and LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol and may reduce the risk of autoimmune disease. It increases blood levels of short-chain fatty acids, which help control blood sugar, improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease and protect against colon cancer. Oats have more protein and fat than most grains and don’t naturally contain gluten, though they may come in contact with it during processing. If you’re avoiding gluten, be sure to look for oats labeled gluten-free. Oats are relatively high in carbs – about 27 grams in a cup of cooked oatmeal – so they are off-limits if you’re following a low-carb eating plan. Also off-limits: instant, flavored oatmeal. It’s usually loaded with sugar, salt and chemicals. Overnight oats (whole oats soaked in nut milk or yogurt overnight) are quicker, easier, cheaper and healthier. 
• Eggs. No healthy food has gotten as many bad breaks over the years as eggs. Long considered a fast track to a heart attack, it now appears cholesterol in eggs doesn’t clog arteries. As for limiting consumption to three eggs a week – that rule is gone, too. Eggs are a particularly good choice for breakfast because they’re high in protein, unlike many other morning options. Some research suggests that limiting dietary cholesterol may  improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus. But many of those studies based their findings on vegetarian or vegan diets that eliminated other inflammatory foods, including saturated fat in meat.
• Smoothies. Done right, a smoothie can pack a day’s worth of nutrition into a single serving. Done wrong, it can be an inflammatory calorie bomb. (Note: Ice cream doesn’t belong in a healthy smoothie). Most people have their favorite ingredients, but here are some ideas:
  • Fresh berries
  • Half a ripe banana
  • Spinach or kale
  • Almond butter
  • Protein powder
  • Chia, flax or pumpkin seeds
  • Nut milk
• Avocado toast. Love it or hate it, avocado toast has been a foodie tradition since the 1990s. Toast is the least nutritious part of this duo, so try to use the best bread you can. Unless you have inflammatory bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, look for 100% whole grain, sprouted whole grain or gluten-free bread with no added sugar or chemicals and minimal sodium. A recent study found that many bread labels are misleading and a majority of consumers think they contain more whole grains than they do, so read labels carefully. Avocado provides healthy fats, antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids, which may help treat or prevent cancer, diabetes and other inflammatory diseases. Of all fruits, avocados are highest in lutein – an organic pigment that helps prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. And a supplement that combines avocado and soybean oils (avocado soybean unsaponifiables) has been shown to significantly relieve osteoarthritis knee pain.  
• Coffee and green tea. Billions of people around the world start the day with coffee or tea. Whether this is good or bad for arthritis isn’t totally clear. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the main plant chemicals in green tea, has long been shown to help protect against autoimmune diseases, including RA, as well as heart disease and cancer. But some types of green tea may not be as protective as others. Coffee is more controversial. Some research finds it raises the risk of seropositive but not seronegative RA. Other studies found no association between a single cup of caffeinated coffee and RA, while others found an association with decaf. Some research also has linked moderate coffee consumption with a reduced risk of gout. If you routinely drink coffee or tea, try giving it up for a couple of weeks, then slowly reintroduce it to see if you notice any change in symptoms. 

What Not to Eat
Breakfast isn’t essential, but it should be healthy. Try to avoid:

• Cured bacon and sausages
• Orange and other fruit juices, even if unsweetened – eat the whole fruit instead
• Doughnuts, pastries, muffins and most breakfast bars
• Sugary cereals made with processed grains – even "healthy" granola can be loaded with unhealthy sugar
• White-flour pancakes or waffles – switch to whole grain flour, and use real maple syrup 
• Sweetened, flavored yogurts – chose plain dairy or nondairy yogurt or cottage cheese and mix in some fresh fruit