Did you know that having toast and jam at breakfast could be causing you to feel crummy throughout the day and stopping you from reaching your nutrition goals?
Not only are most people skipping breakfast altogether, but those that do eat breakfast often do not eat enough protein. In fact, not eating enough protein at breakfast is one of the most common mistakes I see people make.
In reality, I don't blame most people for skipping breakfast. Mornings can be stressful which reduces your appetite, leaving people to think they just aren't hungry for breakfast. If you're not hungry for breakfast, then of course you aren't going to make time for healthy breakfast.
For more of my thoughts on whether or not you should be eating breakfast, click here.
For the people that do eat breakfast, many people do not know getting enough is so important. Getting too little protein at breakfast can result in overeating later in the day, energy crashes, feeling constantly hungry or tired, and increased cravings. Does this describe you?
If you answered yes, let's change that! First, let's look at why you might be lacking protein at breakfast. I typically see people eating low protein breakfasts for the following reasons:
- Eating protein at breakfast is not as easy as it is at other meals. Most breakfast foods are rich in carbohydrates such as waffles, pancakes, toast, cereal, oatmeal, etc.
- Many people don't know why it's important to start your day with protein, so they don't make it a priority.
I am here to help you with both of those issues!
Why is protein important?
Protein is the most satiating of all macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). In other words, carbohydrates and fats do not make you feel as full as protein does. Protein also helps to maintain a steady blood sugar level throughout the day. This means fewer morning or afternoon "crashes" that cause you to reach for a sweet coffee drink or a bag of chips.
Eating adequate protein at breakfast can help to:
- Increase the feeling of fullness (1,3)
- Reduce cravings (1)
- Achieve a healthy weight (1,2)
- For people trying to lose weight, some studies show that eating a high protein breakfast can result in 65% more weight loss than a low protein breakfast (1).
- Lower risk of several chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol (1)
In conclusion, whether you are trying to manage your weight, reduce your risk of chronic disease, reduce your cravings, or have more sustained energy throughout the day, eating a protein rich breakfast can likely be beneficial.
How much protein should you eat at breakfast?
For most people, 20 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast can increase your feeling of fullness and result in consuming less calories throughout the day (1,4). However, the specific amounts of protein will vary from person to person. If you need more personalized nutrition information click here to learn more about my services.
10 high protein breakfast ideas
- Egg Salad
- 1 serving egg salad
- 1-2 pieces of whole grain bread (I recommend the 21 grain bread by Dave's Killer Bread)
- ½ avocado
- Loaded Oatmeal
- ½ cup oatmeal
- ½ cup berries
- ½ cup oatmeal
- 2 tbsp. hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- Peachy Yogurt Bowl
- 6oz Greek yogurt
- 1 peach
- 1 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tbsp. cashew butter
- ¼th cup raspberry almond granola
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- 1 cup milk of choice (for a higher protein plant based milk, try Ripple milk)
- 1 handful spinach
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 scoop collagen
- 1-2 Medjool dates
- For 20 other healthy smoothie recipes, check out my smoothie e-book
- Breakfast Tacos
- Whole grain tortillas
- 2 eggs sautéed with veggies (bell pepper, onions, mushroom, spinach, etc.) and ¼th cup black beans (drained & rinsed)
- ½ avocado
- Salsa
- Click here for the full breakfast tacos recipe
- Chicken Sausage Scramble
- 1-2 eggs scrambled with veggies of choice and 1 piece of apple chicken sausage
- 1 piece of whole grain bread (I recommend the 21 grain bread by Dave's Killer Bread)
- ½ avocado
- Cottage Cheese
- 5oz cottage cheese (I like Good Culture cottage cheese)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ avocado, diced
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Whole grain crackers to eat with
- Breakfast Salad
- 2 fried eggs
- 1-2 cups mixed greens
- ½ avocado
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
- Lemon & olive oil for salad dressing
- Avocado Toast with Lox
- 1-2 pieces of whole grain bread (I recommend the 21 grain bread by Dave's Killer Bread)
- ½ avocado
- Smoked salmon
- Almond Butter Paleo Waffles
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