Protein at Breakfast May Help With Weight Loss

A University of Missouri researcher has found that a protein-rich breakfast keeps you feel full for longer and and reduces hunger throughout the day. Using an MRI, they discovered that eating a protein-rich breakfast reduces the brain signals controlling food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior. Researchers looked at the eating habits of teenage girls and divided them into the three groups that:

1. Continued skipping breakfast
2. Ate portions of cereal and milk containing normal quantities of protein
3. Ate a high-protein waffle breakfast

At the end of each of 3 weeks, the teens filled out appetite and satiety questionnaires and had brain scans using functional MRIs to look at brain activation in regions controlling food motivation and reward. The researchers concluded that a high-protein breakfast is a simple strategy for satisfying the appetite and quelling the urge to snack. Breakfast can be simple and healthy. Here are some quick breakfast recipes that are protein rich:

• Two poached omega-3 eggs over 1/4 avocado drizzled with a little balsamic or fresh lemon.

• Free-range egg fried in just a touch of olive oil or safflower oil, topped with cheese from an organic farm a on a toasted sprouted-grain English muffin

• Whole wheat bread slathered with almond butter and topped with sliced banana

• 2 egg whites, 2 pieces of turkey bacon and sliced cucumbers or tomatoes on a slice of multigrain toast

What are your favorite protein-rich breakfasts?