Why Lunch Matters

At this point, we’re well-acquainted with the importance of breakfast to health and metabolism, but what about lunch? If you eat a wholesome breakfast, does lunch even matter?

If you’ve ever been so busy at work that you skipped lunch, aside from experiencing hanger, you probably experienced decreased energy and brain fog, and later, increased sugary snacking - a common side effect of the brain seeking quick (but less than ideal) glucose sources.

So we know lunch is important, but why?

What Your Brain Thinks About Lunch

Your brain wants lunch - it’s how it gets glucose (the stuff it runs on) in the afternoon, and it can get it from a wide variety of foods you eat. Kids are notoriously picky eaters; brains aren’t. But just because your brain will run on both candy corn and grilled salmon doesn’t mean you should have a handful of candy corn for the midday meal. Quality matters.

Rather than simply converting to “brain food,” your meals are broken down in your body in multiple processes that contribute to different aspects of cognition. Your gut plays a significant role, determining the strength of your brain synapses and secreting hormones that influence your emotions, memory, and information processing.

It’s little wonder that the quality of the food you eat determines how you think and feel. What your brain can do with candy corn is simply less effective than what it can do with omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods like salmon and flax seeds.

With a nutritious lunch, you’ll enhance the following:

Mood

Good nutrition improves your mood. Eating well can make you happier and more relaxed.

Productivity

Opting for foods like fruits and vegetables is linked to becoming more innovative, engaged and motivated. But healthy meal planning takes time, a precious resource when only 62% of North American workers feel encouraged to break for lunch. This is where corporate lunch catering can be most beneficial, saving time and promoting productivity while nourishing the body.

Choose a caterer that provides thoughtful lunches. Rootastes chefs prepare scrumptious, creative dishes packed with veggies and whole grains to keep you feeling alert and satisfied throughout the day.

Long-Term Health

Looking out for your future self starts with your plate. Healthy eating reduces the risk of developing non-communicable diseases, so let your lunch break work for you and steer clear of fast foods.

We owe it to ourselves to take lunch seriously. Fortunately, with some simple, smart choices like ordering sushi over visiting the vending machine, making the most of lunchtime is a cinch.

Meet Rootasters:

Stephanie Hersh writes, reads, and hits the road in search of novel culinary experiences. An avid Belgian beer fan, she dreams of drinking gueuze in Belgium on a foodie trip around the world.