We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And while the jury’s still out on whether that’s 100% true—some evidence suggests that as long as you get the nutrients you need throughout the day, having breakfast specifically might not matter—it is true that what we eat for breakfast certainly does impact our metabolism and energy. And not just that. Having a healthy morning meal has a host of other proven benefits as well.
It also goes without saying that if you have an early dinner one evening, then breakfast can be earlier too—just as long as you hit the 12 hour fasting mark. And if you have dinner later, then you can just postpone your first meal the next day. It’s flexible! Passing a window of at least 12 hours of fasting between these meals also helps the intestinal microbiome and its billions of good bacteria function at their best, because it allows them the opportunity to regenerate and rest.