We've all heard the old saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but do you know why? We're here to share all the facts and science behind this theory which proves that your parents and grandparents were right after all!

Now obviously, food is fuel and energy for our bodies and without it we spend the day stumbling around in a fog and fighting off a headache and a bad attitude. Breakfast is literally just that, breaking the fast that your body is in from the night before.

The consumption of an early morning snack increases the metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories) and kick starts your body into gear, telling it what to expect the rest of the day. If breakfast isn't had, your body doesn't process your next meal as quickly and tries to hold onto those nutrients. Since it didn't get any morning fuel, it tries to hold onto the afternoon meal as long as possible — instead of burning it right away.

Studies have shown that weight loss can be more difficult and weight gain more prevalent in folks who opt out on the morning meal. 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-calorie foods to keep hunger at bay until then.

So next time you stop in at your local coffee house for breakfast, know it won't hold you over till the lunch break and even if you think it does, it isn't helping your body gain the energy needed, or burn the calories it should!

You can read more on the topic from our sources WebMD, Amery Medical Center and BBC News.

• Related: 15 Ways To Eat A Beautiful Breakfast

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