The Importance Of Breakfast And It’s Role In Skin Health

Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. It helps kick-start your metabolism and provides the necessary fuel for your body and brain to function properly throughout the day. However, what many people don't know is that breakfast can also have a significant impact on the health of your hormones and skin. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of breakfast in relation to skin health and provide some tips on how to optimise your breakfast for healthy, glowing skin. Firstly, breakfast breaks your fast and provides essential nutrients for skin health and overall wellbeing. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it requires a wide range of nutrients to function properly. Breakfast is an excellent opportunity to provide your skin with macronutrients and some of the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to stay healthy.

Some of the key nutrients you should be aiming to consume at breakfast include…

PROTEIN

Protein plays a crucial role in building and maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Keratin and collagen are two types of structural proteins within the skin that help to strengthen the skin’s outer layer, providing protection from external stressors, preventing moisture loss and making the skin more resilient. Protein is also the most satiating macronutrient, meaning it keeps you full for longer. Additionally, proteins are required to make sex hormones and happy hormones - dopamine and serotonin. Holistic Skin Co’s go-to protein sources include good quality, grass-fed animal protein, wild-caught fish, eggs, quinoa, legumes, chia seeds and hemp seeds. We also love a good quality protein or collagen supplement to ensure we’re meeting the recommended dietary intake.

FATS

Healthy fats play an important role in maintaining the skin’s hydration levels by providing essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins to the skin, such as vitamins A, D E and K. Fats help to form part of the cell membrane of all cells within the body, they make steroid hormones, assist in regulating inflammation and support healthy mitochondrial function. By incorporating healthy fats into your breakfast, the skin will remain supple and hydrated, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Our favourite sources of healthy fats include high quality salmon, mackerel, sardines, eggs, avocado, ghee, butter, nuts and seeds. We are also big fans of high-quality fish oil supplementation.

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Complex carbohydrates are also crucial to overall health. They provide the body with fibre to keep the bowels regular and excreting waste and toxins from the body and they are generally a good source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Complex carbs also provide a steady source of energy, which in turn helps to stabilise insulin and cortisol levels. Antioxidants found in complex carbohydrates are particularly important for skin health as they assist in protecting the skin against oxidation and DNA damage which prevents premature ageing. We love foods such as açai, papaya, berries, kiwi fruit, broccoli, garlic, leek, cabbage and leafy greens.

Breakfast Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels and Cortisol Levels (Stress hormone)

Eating breakfast can also help control your blood sugar levels, which can have a significant impact on the health of your skin. When you eat a meal that is high in refined carbohydrates, such as white bread or sugary cereals, your blood sugar levels can spike and then crash, leading to inflammation. Additionally, cortisol is naturally highest in the morning in order to get us up and moving for the day. However, to stabilise the cortisol and glucose levels for the day, a balanced meal should be consumed within a few hours of waking. Studies suggest eating between 7-9am to be in line with the circadian rhythm. On the other hand, eating a breakfast that is high in protein and healthy fats can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduce inflammation.

You might be wondering what this has to do with skin?

Well, besides the fact that our skin receives nutrients from the food we eat (although it is the last in line) and is made up of protein and fats, it also responds to increased stress and glucose levels. When cortisol levels are high, blood sugar spikes, which increases insulin and in turn, increases androgen levels. Together these factors increase sebum production and cell turnover, as well as the inflammatory response. This can result in flares of acne, dermatitis, and rosacea and can cause premature ageing and glycation if there are consistent glucose imbalances.

Now that we've explored the importance of breakfast for skin health, let's look at some tips for optimising your breakfast for healthy, glowing skin:

1. Ensure adequate protein is included to keep you satiated, stabilise blood sugar and provide the building blocks for healthy, glowing skin.

2. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your breakfast. These are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can support healthy skin.

3. Choose whole grains, such as oatmeal or whole-grain toast, instead of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread or sugary cereals.

4. Include healthy fats in your breakfast, such as avocado or nuts. These can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduce inflammation.

5. Drink plenty of water or herbal tea to stay hydrated.

In conclusion, breakfast is an essential meal for maintaining healthy skin. By choosing nutrient-dense foods and avoiding refined carbohydrates, you can optimise your breakfast for healthy, glowing skin. So, start your day off right with a breakfast that will not only fuel your body but also support your skin’s health.