Fruit and Yogurt with Granola
Power Up your Breakfast with Protein
Some studies suggest a high protein breakfast can help maintain blood sugar control, and control cravings for carbohydrates and sugar throughout the day. It may even help people take in less calories throughout the day, and possibly speed up metabolism.
The Benefits of Protein at Breakfast
In one study, “University of Missouri researchers compared the benefits of consuming a normal-protein breakfast (cereal and milk ~ 13g protein) to a high-protein breakfast (~35g protein from eggs, lean pork) and found the high-protein breakfast prevented gains of body fat, reduced daily food intake and feelings of hunger, and stabilized glucose levels among overweight teens who would normally skip breakfast” (1)
Eating a high protein breakfast helps prevent a blood sugar crash mid-morning – which often results in hunger.
There is a whole body of research around timing of nutrition and calories and how this plays a role on metabolism – it’s pretty interesting.
Breakfast Skippers/Low Protein Breakfasts: The Fallout
What I hear time and time again is “I just don’t have time” or “my stomach cannot handle eating that early” or “I’m not hungry that early in the morning”. Unfortunately skipping breakfast doesn’t seem to be in their benefit. Others are stuck in the typical American breakfast pattern of high sugar/carb choices like toast or a bagel, pancakes with syrup, cereal with milk, just fruit, a muffin of some sort.
While the science is interesting – I always like to see how this works in real life. I have been recommending a higher protein breakfast for some time to clients. Those that make the change report feeling more full throughout the morning and increased energy. It also often helps to curb late night snacking (not for everyone, this often comes back for the reason behind the snacking – but it helps many!) Those changes occur even at 20 g of protein for breakfast – but the latest research is showing that 30-35g of protein in the morning is optimal to provide all the benefits above.
Getting in 30g of protein at breakfast may sound challenging – but it doesn’t have to be that hard. It might not be the typical American breakfast of cereal and milk, or grabbing a muffin and coffee though.
Fruit and Yogurt with Granola
This is one of my favorites! Protein packed breakfast with Greek Yogurt, protein granola (chocolate), pumpkin seeds, and mango
INGREDIENTS
1 C Plain Greek Yogurt, non-fat or whole milk
2 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
1/3 C Kind Granola
1 C Strawberries or Mango
INSTRUCTIONS
Put greek yogurt into a bowl, layer additional ingredients to your liking
NOTES
Nutrition Facts: (with 1C strawberries )30g pro, 365kcals (for non fat yogurt), 435 kcals (for whole milk yogurt) 40g Carbohydrate
with Mango 1/2 C: 29.5 g protein; 380 kcals (for non fat yogurt), 450 Kcals (for whole milk yogurt; 46 g Carbohydrate
