Skipping breakfast is common in many intermittent fasting protocols, but research suggests this practice could shorten your life.
Numerous studies show the benefits of eating breakfast, including reduced heart disease, lower risk of type 2 diabetes, less inflammation, and substantially lower all-cause mortality.
Eating breakfast is beneficial, but what you consume for breakfast matters a lot as well.
A large study from July 2021, published in The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, found that regularly eating breakfast is associated with lower overall and cardiovascular mortality, particularly when consuming more than 25 grams of fiber per day.
Eating breakfast and consuming more than 25g of fiber per day corresponded with having 21% lower all-cause mortality than people who ate breakfast but had lower fiber intake.
That could lead you to believe fiber is responsible for all the health benefits, but there was no association found between fiber intake and mortality in non-breakfast eaters.
All breakfast eaters fared better than non-breakfast eaters, but the combination of breakfast and high fiber was most protective.
Based on this research, it would be smart to start your day with a high-fiber breakfast. Good options include oatmeal, whole grain cereal, fruit, nuts, and seeds.
I personally eat oat bran every morning, topped with mixed berries, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.
If you choose to practice intermittent fasting, it is advised to shift your eating window earlier in the day, as opposed to skipping breakfast.
Eating breakfast — in combination with high fiber intake — appears to play a key role in overall health and longevity.