Is Breakfast an Important Meal for Longevity?

While skipping breakfast and intermittent fasting often dominate headlines for their potential longevity benefits, emerging research suggests a later eating window may not be as beneficial as you age.

Does skipping breakfast later in life directly cause health problems, or are the problems a result of it? Let’s break down what the science says, what to eat for breakfast to support longevity, and easy, satisfying ideas everyone can enjoy.

Late Breakfasts Linked to Higher Mortality

A new Harvard-affiliated study found that older adults who ate breakfast later in the day or skipped it altogether had a significantly higher risk of physical and psychological challenges.

The 2025 Harvard study^[1] followed 3,000 adults aged 42-94 years old in the UK for several decades and found that as they aged, they tended to eat breakfast and dinner later and have a shorter daily eating window. This later breakfast timing, in particular, was linked to higher rates of physical and psychological conditions, such as:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Oral health problems
• Chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease
• Mortality (death)

The study of eating timing, called chrononutrition, is currently being researched for its potential impact on circadian rhythms and the development of diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Older adults who have an evening chronotype^[2], otherwise known as “night owls,” are more likely to eat later meals.

Dr. Hassan Dashti, the Harvard study’s lead author, says, “Later breakfast timing may serve as an early warning sign for underlying health issues.” This suggests that skipping breakfast may not directly cause health issues, but that eating later in the day may be correlated with other unhealthy traits. For example, staying up later and nighttime eating, depression, poor appetite, or another illness.

The Science of Morning Metabolism

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Let’s look at what the science says.

The benefits of eating earlier in the day, especially for older adults, go far beyond a balanced breakfast. Morning nutrition plays a key role in how your metabolism, hormones, and cellular energy function throughout the day. Here are a few reasons why.

Circadian Rhythm Alignment

Eating breakfast helps synchronize your internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, supporting better metabolic health by aligning key hormones like melatonin and cortisol with your eating schedule. The result? Improved health and well-being by aligning mealtimes with your body’s natural internal clock.^[3]

Mitochondrial Function and Energy Production

Research shows that timing your meals earlier in the day might be linked to better mitochondrial energy production^[4] and efficiency, helping your mitochondria produce the energy needed for your body’s most vital functions. And since mitochondrial function declines^[5] with age, keeping them in tip-top shape is a priority for optimal energy and longevity.

Hormone Balance

Eating breakfast within a few hours of waking helps stabilize your blood sugar levels and aligns insulin and cortisol^[6] with their natural peaks. For example, insulin levels^[7] are naturally higher and more sensitive in the morning, which helps clear glucose (e.g., sugar) more effectively than in the evening.

Cortisol also runs highest in the morning, and research shows that eating a balanced breakfast rich in protein can help lower this stress hormone^[8]. In women, many ovarian hormones can be disrupted by elevated cortisol. Read more on intermittent fasting for women over 50.

Bottom line: early eating is tied to healthy aging, as it has been shown to lower older adults’ overall^[9] risk of chronic conditions and even death.

Breakfast Timing in the Age of Intermittent Fasting

Popular intermittent fasting patterns, such as 16:8 (ie, one eats all their meals in an 8-hour window, followed by a 16-hour fast) or one-meal-a-day, often delay the first meal of the day by pushing breakfast into the late morning or afternoon. But does intermittent fasting work, and is it better to skip breakfast to lose weight and reduce calories?

For some people, such a time-restricted fasting approach can help reduce overall calorie intake and extend overnight fasting, and therefore may appear to be the healthier choice. Because intermittent fasting[10] may naturally reduce calorie intake and support the body’s energy processes, it may support metabolic health and weight management. Evidence also suggests that fasting might support longevity by boosting mitochondrial health and triggering autophagy (the cell's natural cleanup process)^[11].

Various intermittent fasting methods can be effective for specific populations, especially when they improve meal structure or reduce late-night snacking that contributes excess calories. Essentially, how intermittent fasting affects your body can vary based on your age and individual genetics.

However, the 2025 Harvard study^[12] points out that “anorexia of aging” or the changes that occur in the appetite of older populations could be responsible for the shifts in eating patterns with age, rather than following deliberate intermittent fasting protocols. These changes in appetite and meal timing are likely due to physiological and health-related risks of inadequate nutrition and malnutrition.

What to Eat for Longevity

Now that we have established the importance of breakfast, let’s talk about what to eat for longevity.

Protein

Protein becomes especially important as we age because it helps protect muscle mass^[13], strength, and overall independence. Research consistently shows that older adults who eat enough protein have better physical function and a lower risk of mortality.

Moreover, emerging research suggests that starting your day with a protein-rich meal can help maintain muscle health as you age. Studies have found that older adults who consume more protein at breakfast tend to have greater muscle mass and strength, and distributing protein intake evenly throughout the day may optimize muscle protein synthesis and reduce age-related muscle loss.

Fiber

Fiber is a superstar nutrient for longevity because it helps keep blood sugar and cholesterol in check and supports digestion, lowering your risk of age-related chronic disease. Studies link higher fiber intake to overall healthier aging, including better metabolic health and a reduced risk of heart disease^[14] and type 2 diabetes. Aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily.

Healthy fats

Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish support heart and brain health, two major drivers of longevity. Diets rich in these unsaturated fats, such as the Mediterranean diet[15], are consistently associated with better quality of life and positive long-term health outcomes.

Polyphenol-rich foods

Colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in plant-based polyphenols. These beneficial plant compounds have been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which can negatively impact aging. Examples are pomegranates, grapes, berries, strawberries, and purple cabbage.

Boost Your Longevity Diet at the Cellular Level

You can also complement your longevity diet with Mitopure®, a precise dose of the postbiotic Urolithin A. Urolithin A is produced in the gut through the metabolism of specific polyphenols found in foods such as pomegranates. However, research shows that more than 60 percent of people lack the gut microbes needed to make meaningful amounts on their own.^[16]

Clinical studies have shown that daily supplementation with Mitopure improves mitochondrial function, cellular energy and muscle health.^[17]

Mitopure Berry Powder offers a delicious, convenient way to add the benefits of Mitopure to your breakfast routine. If you are not a breakfast eater or you follow an intermittent fasting pattern, our Softgels offer a simple alternative.

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