What happens if you skip lunch

Scheller recommends. Or including fish, chicken, or even beans with lunch. This helps to taper our body's blood sugar response, keeping us full and focused for longer. While you want to make sure you're eating a nutritious lunch to keep you focused and your blood sugar levels stable, there is nothing wrong with snacking when hunger hits.

Again, as long as you're making the right choices! That means that for some, a small afternoon snack may be helpful to stave off decreases in energy and productivity to get through the afternoon," Dr.

Consuming sweets and high carb will likely cause a crash later on in the day. Looking for more helpful tips? Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox! By now, it's clear that when you skip lunch, there's a good chance you're likely going to end up choosing the wrong foods later in the day.

Even if you think you're too busy working to take the time to make yourself a solid lunch, this can be detrimental. Unsurprisingly, those who worked longer hours found that they were more likely to eat on the go, being too rushed to sit down and eat a meal, and with lower consumption of nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables," Dr.

B vitamins, like those found in many of our fruits and vegetables, dairy, and protein sources, are critical for our energy production systems. Other nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, and vitamin D can be important for proper brain function and are important to gain through the diet.

Now that you're aware of why you shouldn't skip lunch, you might be wondering what are the best foods to eat. In need of some meal ideas? Scheller has some easy options so you can start your healthy lunch journey. All you have to do is some minor planning! Your muscles, thyroid, digestive tract and other organs use it too.

This means that your metabolism and digestion slow down. The next time you eat, your body will process your food slower. All of this means that skipping meals can too easily lead to weight gain. Eating lunch is a key part of staying healthy and happy, and doing well in school. So why do young people so often skip it? Many of these problems can be fixed by planning your lunch ahead of time.

Pack a few healthy snacks just in case see some examples below. Plan a potluck day with friends, where you each bring in a different delicious and nutritious food to share. Of course, not all barriers to eating lunch can be worked around so easily. In response, many cities including NYC are choosing to eliminate the stigma by providing universal free lunch. This means that every student, no matter what, receives free lunch.

Ultimately, only you can decide if and how you want to eat lunch, but make sure you know all the benefits of eating a healthy lunch and consequences of skipping lunch when you make your decision. Of course, what you eat for lunch matters. If your lunch includes a lot of fat and processed carbohydrates like white bread or Pop-Tarts , you may feel sleepy after eating. To avoid this and get all the vitamins, minerals and fiber you need, make sure you include some vegetables, fruit, a protein like chicken, beans, eggs or tuna , and some whole grains.

Make a schedule for the week to avoid over booking yourself or falling behind. Set an alarm to ring at lunchtime if you are going to be running around all day. Related Stories. Drawings with Doctors: Episode 5. View all related stories. Share this story. Download the app today! Living Better. Physician's Name.