10 Ideas for a Protein Boost at Breakfast

You have probably heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”.  Regardless, you may be one of the many Canadians who find themselves in the line-up at Tim Horton’s, looking for anything to silence their grumbling stomach!

Research has shown that including protein in breakfast promotes satiety, which may help promote weight loss and prevent weight-gain 1, 2, 3. However, we are accustomed to eat high protein foods mainly at lunch and dinner. Hence, some of us find it challenging to eat a protein-rich breakfast.
Aiming for a nutritious breakfast that provides 15 grams of protein or more is a good target for an average person.  In this post, I have listed 10 protein-rich ingredients to include in your breakfast. Remember that it is important to ensure variety in your diet!

1. Eggs

Nutrition:

Serving: 2 eggs

154 kcal

6 grams protein

Good source of vitamins D, B12, B6 and A

Ideas:

2. Greek Yogurt (2%)

Nutrition:

Serving: ¾ cup

120 kcal

16 grams protein

Very good source of calcium

Ideas:

3. Cottage Cheese (2%)

Nutrition:

Serving: ¾ cup

146 kcal

20 grams protein

Very good source of calcium and vitamin B12

Ideas:

4. Nut Butter (all natural)

Nutrition:

Serving: 2 Tablespoons

188-200 kcal

7-8 grams protein

5-8 grams monounsaturated fats

2-4 grams polyunsaturated fats

2-3 grams fibre

Very good source of magnesium

Ideas:

5. Nuts and Seeds (Mixed, Raw)

Nutrition:

Serving: ¼ cup

160-200 kcal

5 grams protein

3-13 grams monounsaturated fats

2-13 grams polyunsaturated fats

2-9 grams fibre

Ideas:

  • Add nuts to porridge, cereal, and yogurt parfaits

6. Hemp Seeds

Nutrition:

Serving: 2 Tablespoons

107 kcal

6 grams protein

6 grams polyunsaturated fats

2 grams fibre

Very good  source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin and iron.

Ideas:

  • Sprinkle hemps seeds on toast, porridge, cereal, and yogurt parfaits

7. Chia Seed

Nutrition:

Serving: 2 Tablespoons

130 kcal

6 grams protein

6 grams polyunsaturated fats

10 grams fibre

Good source of calcium and iron

Ideas:

  • Chia pudding
  • Sprinkle chia seeds on toast, porridge, cereal, and yogurt parfaits

8. Tofu

Nutrition:

Serving: ½  cup

94 kcal

10 grams protein

Very good source of calcium and iron

Ideas:

9. Milk

Nutrition:

Serving: 1 cup

124 kcal

8 grams protein

Very good source of calcium and vitamin B12

Ideas:

10. Oats

Nutrition:

Serving: ½  cup

150 kcal

5 grams protein

4 grams fibre

Good source of iron

Ideas:

If you are interested, look for more nutritious recipes at Cookspiration!

References

  1. Greco, E., Winquist, A., Lee, T. J., Collins, S., & Lebovic, Z. (2017). The Role of Source of Protein in Regulation of Food Intake, Satiety, Body Weight and Body Composition. J Nutr Health Food Eng, 6(6), 00223.
  2. Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Lemmens, S. G., & Westerterp, K. R. (2012). Dietary protein–its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. British journal of nutrition, 108(S2), S105-S112.
  3. Blom, W. A., Lluch, A., Stafleu, A., Vinoy, S., Holst, J. J., Schaafsma, G., & Hendriks, H. F. (2006). Effect of a high-protein breakfast on the postprandial ghrelin response–. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 83(2), 211-220.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *