“Eat your breakfast,” is something moms have recommended for ages. Now there is solid science behind those words, as found in a review of breakfast research conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC)(1).

See the bounty of benefits to your body just from eating breakfast:

Better Diet Overall

Kids and adults who eat breakfast regularly are more likely to meet nutrition recommendations, such as those for fiber, vitamins and minerals. When you eat breakfast, you simply get more of these valuable nutrients so the overall quality of your diet is better than someone who doesn’t eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast means you miss out on an opportunity to get essential vitamins and minerals – a deficit that’s hard to make up for later in the day. Basic breakfast foods, like whole grain oatmeal and ready-to-eat cereals, fruits, 100% juice, and low-fat dairy products, are rich in nutrients. They bring energy and nutrition you need to start your day in a smart way. For example, having a bowl of oatmeal satisfies one of the recommended three servings a day for whole grains.

Assistance with Weight Control

Trying to manage your body weight? According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, eating a nutrient-rich breakfast has been associated with weight loss and weight maintenance.  In fact, making time to eat breakfast is a strategy used by people successful at losing weight and keeping it off, according to the National Weight Control Registry(1). Eating breakfast every day sets you up for success at weight control. Plus, people who skip breakfast as a measure to cut calories or drop some pounds may actually be setting themselves up for failure. Compared to breakfast eaters, those who bypass breakfast(1):

• Are at greater risk for obesity
• Have a higher body mass index (BMI)
• Are more likely to gain weight

Healthier Heart

Having breakfast is a smart move for heart-health. People who skip breakfast are more likely to have higher blood cholesterol levels than breakfast eaters (1). This difference is even greater when breakfast non-eaters are compared to people who eat cereal at breakfast. The reason may be because people who eat breakfast regularly eat less fat and more fiber – patterns that are protective for the heart. In fact, eating Quaker Oats each day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can help lower your cholesterol, and that could help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Foundation for better students

Much of the research on breakfast in children and adolescents has found it to be a smart move for cognitive and academic performance (1). Kids may be better students as seen with sharper memory, better grades, higher attendance, even improved mood and psychosocial function when they eat breakfast, according to one review of more than 20 studies (2).

Mom was right all along, breakfast is one of the most important meals for your body and overall health.