Caffeine Effects On The Body
After the body has been deprived of sleep, drinking coffee before breakfast can serve as an energy booster. Everyone has his or her own levels of tolerance for caffeine and drinking coffee in the morning can have an energizing and alerting effect for some people for a duration of time – typically about three to four hours. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine which is a naturally occurring chemical in the body that promotes sleep and slows down nerve cell activity. When that chemical is blocked, dopamine and norepinephrine are released by the brain causing the alertness needed to power through a hectic morning.
The transitory effect of coffee however, doesn’t replace the nourishment your body needs. Skipping breakfast and relying solely on caffeine in the mornings can cause the body to be lethargic during daylight hours. Not to mention the hormone cortisol is released in the morning to help give us an energy boost, but when it interacts with the caffeine, it can have an imbalance effect that results in energy levels that can be too up and down.
Health Benefits Of Eating A Balanced Breakfast
In contrast to not eating breakfast, it is advised to eat breakfast if you are looking to maximize cognitive functioning, alertness and overall body health. Eating breakfast helps break the cycle of over-reliance on nicotine and caffeine for fuel, and provides your body the energy it needs for optimum performance. Moreover, breakfast helps with blood sugar control and it increases the body’s levels of serotonin and dopamine – the body’s natural stimulators.
A balanced breakfast provides the body with nutrients necessary for its day-to-day processes. Eating breakfast can help support weight control, lower cholesterol levels, and it helps with nutrient absorption. A balanced breakfast also helps give your metabolism a kick-start. Eating breakfast is known to be associated with higher intakes of vitamins and minerals, and people who do not eat breakfast are more likely to be overweight.
Risks of Drinking Coffee Before Breakfast
Drinking coffee before breakfast is not advocated by experts as there are some disadvantages to this practice. Firstly, coffee has a diuretic effect, and when consumed in large amounts before meals can lead to dehydration. Obviously this contradicts the nourishment the body needs to become more alert. Moreover, caffeine causes an elevation of certain hormones in the body, namely cortisol and adrenaline. When caffeine aggravates the effect of cortisol, it can lead to reduced immunity and an increased risk of anxiety.
Another risk of consuming coffee before breakfast is that studies have associated poor nutrition in the morning with unhealthy bodyweight; meaning people tend to reach for unhealthy snacks later in the day when they are going through energy slumps. Thus, drinking coffee on an empty stomach may have a few short-term advantages such as alertness, but in the long-run it does not provide the body with the necessary nutrition and energy.
Alternative to Coffee Before Breakfast
The alternative to drinking coffee before breakfast is to reach for a cup of water or a smoothie, an energizing and nutritious fruit or vegetable smoothie, or prepare an energizing breakfast that is full of appetite and energy. Eating a healthy breakfast can provide an abundance of all-natural health benefits including improved brain function and mood, improved metabolism, more sustainable energy levels and faster calorie burn.
If you want the alertness that a cup of coffee provides, you can still drink a cup of caffeine, but make sure to ingest substantial amounts of food with it, such as fruit, nuts, oatmeal and eggs. All these will provide you with the necessary fats, proteins and carbohydrates to maintain alertness and good health.
Sleep and Eating Patterns
Coffee drinking before breakfast can possibly be attributed to bad sleep habits. Poor sleep cycles and an irregular eating pattern can lead to high consumption of caffeine, especially in the mornings. It is essential for those who are side-stepping breakfast for coffee to regulate their sleeping patterns and start to have regular meal times. Regulating sleep patterns and having regular meal patterns can reduce the physical and mental pressure from an irregular sleep schedule and lack of nutrients that can lead to rely on caffeine as a source of energy.
The Connection Between Diet and Performance
Last but not least, your morning habits will influence your work performance, but only if you feed your body the right food. A balanced breakfast full of protein, carbs and fats will keep the body energized, the mind alert and the productivity flowing throughout the day. Skipping breakfast and relying on caffeine may provide an energy boost that doesn’t last, unlike a healthy breakfast that can sustain the body throughout the day.
Style Tips To Include Healthy Food In Your Breakfast Diet
Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring and tasteless. You can prepare a delicious and healthy breakfast that will give you the energy boost you need to start the day. Incorporate a variety of colourful fruits, nuts and grains to add some variety to your breakfast. Adding nuts to a smoothie or oatmeal can provide a great crunch, texture and extra boost of protein. You can also add some seeds, yoghurt, avocadoes and other plant-based foods that are powerhouses of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.
Making Breakfast-Making Easier
Preparing breakfast ahead of time also helps make it easier to eat a balanced breakfast. You could prepare a superfood smoothie in the night or prepare a healthy sandwich or wrap a few nights in a row, and leave it in the fridge to grab and go on your way to work. Make sure to invest in quality equipment like blenders, coffee grinders, etc., so that you don’t feel like you’re spending too much time preparing breakfast almost every day.
Replacing Coffee With Non-Caffeinated Alternatives
You could also replace your daily cup of coffee with herbal tea or roasted chicory root, which has a slightly sweet, coffee-like taste and is naturally caffeine-free. There are also lots of alternative non-caffeinated energy sources such as energy drinks or supplements, or you can opt for nutrient-packed superfoods like maca, spirulina and ginseng, which are known to provide natural energy.
