Contents

No. Tittle Page

1.0 Introduction 1

2.0 Definition of breakfast 1

3.0 The importance of breakfast

3.1 Breakfast is the “fuel” to our body 1-2

3.2 Breakfast helps to stimulate metabolism 2-3

3.3 Breakfast helps improve productivity 3-4

4.0 Conclusion 4

5.0 References 5

0
 BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY

According to 2009 survey, which has been done by International Food Information
Council Foundation, 93 percent of Americans think that breakfast is the most important
meal of the day. But, very unfortunately, only 44 percent of them eat breakfast every
day. Another research, 2011, which is done by NPD Group, shows that 31 million of
Americans are chronic breakfast skippers.

Hi, thank you for having me. My name is Yong Mui Fun, it is an honour to be here
with you all today. From above of those statements that I have said, I guess, all of you
are already knew that, I am going to be speaking to you all today about breakfast is the
most important meal of the day.

First of all, what does breakfast mean? Is it all of you, in here, having a correct
answer inside your mind? I bet it, NO ! So, what is “breakfast”?

So, please allow me to explain what does breakfast mean? The word "breakfast" is
derived from the phrase "breaking the fast." A “fast”, as you know, is a period of time
where you don’t eat. Most often, we relate that to extended periods of time, Ghandi and
all that business. But for us, regular person, the period of time when we don’t eat is
night time, we fast while we sleep. And, when do we break the fast? Of course, in the
morning, the first meal of a day, most often eaten in the early morning before
undertaking the day’s work, what we called “Breakfast”!

Another simple question, did you guys have experiences that being scolded by
your parent, just because of you did not eat your breakfast? I guess, all of you here have
that kind of stories. But, why breakfast can be the most important meal of the day? Here
are some points that I would like to share with you all.

First of all, breakfast can be “fuel” to our body and boost our energy level when we
are wake up. After sleeping for one night long, about eight hours or more, and of
course without food during the night time when you are sleeping, your brain and
muscles need “fuel” to start working. And that’s why we need breakfast.

Breaking that fast should make breakfast the most joyful meal of the day, as we
have lived through the night and are beginning a new day. Breakfast is an opportunity

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for a new beginning that sets the stage and sets the table for the day.During a busy
morning, it’s easy to let breakfast fall low in your list of priorities, but taking just a
few minutes to have something to eat can really make a difference to your day.

It's important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what kids eat in the
morning is crucial too. This is because different breakfast foods make kids having
different intake of nutrients. Thus, what menu of the breakfast that kids will eat also
take a very important roles in kids grow.

Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains and protein while low in
added sugar may boost kids' attention span and memory. Besides that, it will also
raise up your concentration. Then, this will give a big help to you, in your learning
during classes in school. Compare to no breakfast situation, you will be more
concentrate and more able to memorize what your teacher are teaching about. On the
other hand, carbohydrates are a good source of immediate energy for the body. After
the carbohydrates are used up, energy from protein will tends to kick in.

Kids who eat breakfast are more likely to get fiber, calcium, and other important
nutrients. Calcium is a nutrient that can help to builds strong bones. It also keeps the
nerves and muscles working. We only have one chance to build strong bones, and that
is when we are kids and teens. Children like you all, who are able to get enough
calcium start your adult lives with the strongest bones possible, that protects you
against bone loss later in life. And this is also one of the reasons why breakfast is a
must for a kid, just like you all here. Fiber helps provide a feeling of fullness, but we
discourage overeating. When breakfast which contained fiber combined with healthy
drinks, fiber helps move food through the digestive system, preventing constipation
and lowering cholesterol.

Half of those who did not eat their breakfast are having problem of obesity.
This is the second point that I would like to share with you all, that is eating breakfast
in the morning can helps to stimulate your metabolism for the day. It also stabilizes
your blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite control.

According to 2010 research published at the International Journal of Obesity,

the odds of developing obesity for those who are skip their breakfast is 95 percent
higher than those of smokers and alcoholics. Normally, many people think that by

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skipping their breakfast, they will cut calories and lose weight. Instead, this concept is
wrong. Actually, breakfast can kick start your metabolism, the process by which the
body converts the fuel in food to energy, helping you burn calories throughout the day.
Therefore, breakfast can help keep kids' weight in check. This is because when the
metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.

On the other side, people who don't eat breakfast often consume more calories
than those who eat breakfast throughout the day and they are more likely to
be overweight. That is because, when someone skips their breakfast is likely to get
famished before lunch time and snack on high calories foods or overeat at lunch.
Those who skip breakfast have a tendency to consume more food than usual the next
chance they get to grab a bite to eat and also have a higher tendency to snack on high
calories foods to keep hunger at bay until then.

On the other hand, eating a healthy breakfast can makes you more productive.
This is the third point that I would like to talk about. Having breakfast can help you
tremendously at improving your overall performance at school. According to 2005
study by International Labour Organization, you can raise your productivity levels by
20 percent, if only you eat good breakfast within an hour after waking up in the
morning.

Another statement, according to Krause and Mahan 1969, students who had eaten
their breakfast can be more productivity than those students who had not eaten their
breakfast at the beginning of a new day. This is because eating a healthy breakfast can
provide us essential vitamins for our body. Breakfast will gives us a chance to get in
some vitamins and nutrients from healthy food like dairy, grains, and fruits. But, if
you don’t eat breakfast, you are not likely to get all of the nutrients that your body
needs.

Besides that, eating breakfast can help improves concentration and memory
throughout the day. Studies show that children who eat a healthy breakfast are more
proficient at problem solving and tend to have better eye-hand coordination.

Thus, a good breakfast should contain a good balance of carbohydrate, protein,

and fat. Carbohydrates, which break down into sugars, are essential for all body
functions, so it is not surprising that they can significantly affect productivity at work.

3
The brain exclusively uses glucose, one of the simplest carbohydrates, to function, so
you can imagine what will happens when you skip your breakfast.

The amount that you eat can also affect your energy levels and ability to
concentrate throughout the morning. If you eat too little, this can make you irritable
and tired. But if you eat too much, this will also put you to sleep. After a large meal,
you will get tired as blood rushes to your digestive tract to help digest and absorb the
food. So, instead of having a large breakfast and going into "rest and digest" mode, it
is better to have a smaller but satisfying meal to tide you over until lunch.

Now, we know how important is breakfast to our daily life. So do them, our
Ministry of Education Malaysia. Starting from year 1979 until now, our Ministry of
Education Malaysia has started a project named “Rancangan Makanan Tambahan”,
which we normally called it RMT, for all primary school in Malaysia. This project is
helping all students in Malaysia, especially for those who are poor, by giving free
breakfast in school.

Before I end my speech, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We
should not ignore it. As shown above, there are many evidences out there that proved
starting your day with a healthy breakfast is beneficial. This is because you will feel
more awake, you can easily remember things, and you will be full of vitality. A
healthy breakfast influences a lot in our daily life, making us look better within our
insides through the outside; and that is why breakfast is very important.

Last but not least, eating breakfast will also puts you in a good mood and helps
you more able to concentrate in school. If you continue skip your breakfast or keep
hungry on every morning, you will make your body become worst from a day to
another day. So, please keep in mind, “You are what you eat.” Thank you.

4
 References

1. Breakfast | Definition of Breakfast by Merriam-Webster

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakfast
2. Breakfast: The most important meal of the day? – ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878450X17300045
3. Why Is Breakfast So Important?
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/breakfast-question.html
4. Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? | Popular Science
https://www.popsci.com/eating-breakfast
5. Why Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day | Kitchn
https://www.thekitchn.com/why-breakfast-is-the-most-impo-1-113418
6. BBC NEWS | Health | Breakfast is 'most important meal'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2824987.stm
7. Tidak sarapan punca gemuk
http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/Keluarga/20140204/ke_04/Tidak-sarapan-p
unca-gemuk
8. Eating Breakfast Can Help Your Metabolism, Study Says | Time
http://time.com/5040325/eating-breakfast-metabolism/
9. How Does Breakfast Affect Your Metabolism? | Healthy Eating | SF Gate
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/breakfast-affect-metabolism-8697.html
10. The Importance of Eating Breakfast for Improved Productivity | ZeroCater
https://zerocater.com/blog/2016/11/02/the-importance-of-eating-breakfast-for-
improved-productivity/