‘25–30g protein at breakfast can change your day’: Do women need to eat within an hour of waking?

Fitness executive Sonali Saraogi Singh advocates eating within an hour of waking up for women, arguing that delaying breakfast could disrupt hormones, blood sugar, and sleep. She recommends focusing on protein at breakfast, claiming 25-30 grams can influence your entire day. However, Dt Shalini Bliss, Head of Dietetics at PSRI Hospital, asserts there's no solid scientific proof that all women need to consume within an hour to maintain hormonal balance.

She explains that overall health depends on various factors such as diet quality, sleep, stress, physical activity, and individual metabolic health. While high-protein breakfasts may improve satiety, muscle preservation, and blood sugar regulation, the 25-30 grams protein guideline isn't mandatory for every woman. Protein needs vary based on body weight, age, physical activity, and health conditions.

Dt Bliss suggests practical Indian breakfast options like eggs, curd, paneer, dal, sprouts, and soy. If not hungry immediately after waking, skipping or delaying breakfast isn't necessarily detrimental for healthy individuals who maintain a nutritionally balanced diet overall. However, fasting might not be suitable for pregnant women, the underweight, those with specific medical conditions, or anyone experiencing dizziness or excessive tiredness while fasting.

Ultimately, Dt Bliss emphasizes that a hard and fast one-hour rule for breakfast isn't as crucial as the quality and overall balance of the diet for the day.