Diet help - more protein at breakast

September 8, 5:34 PMDenver Health ExaminerDonna Feldman

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Denver Health Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 diet breakfast? (flikr.com)

Which is the better breakfast?  Whole wheat bagel and 100% juice smoothie or 2 scrambled eggs and Canadian bacon?  Well, if you're a dieter, a new study suggests those scrambled eggs are for you.  Data from a Purdue University shows that overweight men on a low calorie diet felt fuller throughout the day when they ate a high protein breakfast.  High protein intake at other meals didn't produce the same results.  

The dieting subjects were eating slightly more protein as a percent of daily calories.  The average intake is 11-14%, but these subjects ate 18-25%.  The added protein was eaten as eggs and Canadian bacon, at either breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The researchers concluded that adding high quality protein at breakfast could help dieters stick to their lower calorie intake.  What they didn't report is whether the high protein breakfast eaters lost any more weight, or stuck to a diet plan longer when compared to other subjects.

Typical breakfast foods that are high protein are

• eggs
• milk
• cheese
• yoghurt
• lean meats or lowfat sausages

Typical breakfast foods not high in protein are:

• cereal
• bread and toast
• bagels
• pastries and doughnuts
• pancakes
• fruit and juice
• potatoes
•  

Bacon, sausages and cream cheese might sound protein-like, but are actually mostly fat.  High protein shakes or bars might have enough protein, but might also be high sugar.

This research doesn't mean breakfast should be a low-carb egg-bacon-cheese fest.  Plant-based foods like breads, fruit or cereals still have a place at the breakfast table.  But if you're trying to curb your appetite through the day, this research suggests that breakfast should include a high protein food.  Anti-diet breakfasts?  High sugar, low protein, low calorie or all-caffeine: 

• giant mocha latte with whipped cream plus a pastry
• sugared cereal with milk and fruit flavored beverage (5% juice or less)
• 3 cups coffee with cream and sugar (or 3 cups tea with same)
• Doughnuts and coffee (or juice or tea)
• chocolate bar and a can of soda pop