The Best Time to Eat Breakfast If You Have High Cholesterol

If you’re watching your cholesterol, aim to eat breakfast soon after you wake up. Some research suggests that skipping breakfast can lead to spikes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of heart and artery disease.

Eat Breakfast Within Two Hours of Waking

Breakfast doesn’t just give you energy and keep hunger at bay; it can help manage cholesterol levels. If you have high cholesterol, research suggests that eating first thing in the morning—within the first two hours of waking—may be beneficial. Here’s why:

• Eating breakfast daily is associated with lower LDL: Multiple studies have linked daily breakfast with lower LDL cholesterol and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol levels.
• Skipping breakfast may increase the risk of high cholesterol: In one survey, researchers analyzed data and found that skipping breakfast raised the risk of high cholesterol levels in adolescents and young adults.
• Eating a healthy breakfast may increase HDL: A separate study found that when older adults consumed high-quality breakfasts, they increased their HDL levels and reduced their triglyceride levels.

Still, these researchers note that further studies are necessary to fully understand the impact of breakfast timing on cholesterol levels.

Why You Shouldn’t Skip Breakfast

There’s a reason people call breakfast the most important meal of the day. In addition to providing energy and nutrients, breakfast influences your daily eating patterns, physical activity, metabolism, and cholesterol levels.

Skipping breakfast can contribute to:

• High blood pressure: Analyzing multiple studies of adults with and without diabetes, researchers found a link between eating breakfast three or fewer days a week and high blood pressure.
• Weight gain: In addition to what you eat, the timing of breakfast can affect your waist circumference and body fat levels. In a wide-ranging review, researchers concluded that skipping breakfast directly led to weight gain and obesity.
• Heart and artery diseases: Studies have linked skipping breakfast with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and coronary artery disease (plaque build-up in heart arteries restricting blood flow). These conditions raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Type 2 diabetes: In a wide-ranging review, researchers found that adults who skipped breakfast were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
• Mental health challenges: Analyzing data from over 300,000 children and adults (aged 6 to 65 or more), researchers found that missing this meal increased the odds of depression and stress among all ages, as well as anxiety in adolescents.
• Cognitive performance issues: Evidence also suggests that skipping this meal affects your ability to perform cognitive tasks, such as attention and working memory.

Using Breakfast to Help Manage Cholesterol

In addition to making sure you eat breakfast, it’s also important that the meal you start your day with is healthy and well-balanced. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Eat fruit and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and beneficial plant compounds.
• Boost fiber: High-fiber breakfast foods, such as whole-grain cereal, oatmeal, and fresh fruit, help boost digestion and reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the intestines.  
• Avoid breakfast meats: Due to their high levels of saturated fats and sodium (including salt and preservatives), bacon, sausage, and other processed meats in the morning can increase LDL cholesterol levels.
• Watch for high salt foods: Salty and high-sodium foods don’t impact cholesterol levels, but they raise the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and related issues.
• Boost up on omega-3s: Smoked salmon, trout, other fish, and many yogurts are high in healthy fatty acids called omega-3s. Consuming these helps reduce LDL and triglyceride cholesterol levels.

Why High Cholesterol Is Risky

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can build up in the arteries: the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body. Having high cholesterol can lead to:

• Blood clots and blockages: The build-up of cholesterol can narrow blood vessels, causing blood clots and blockages.
• Chest pain and heart attack: High cholesterol can lead to angina (chest pains) and a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
• Heart disease and stroke: Having high cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and stroke.

High cholesterol is challenging because it often does not cause noticeable symptoms. Typically, a blood test is needed to diagnose the condition. If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels or want help managing them, consult a healthcare provider.