Why eating protein with breakfast matters
When you start your day with sufficient protein, that choice benefits your metabolism, hormones, blood sugar regulation, musculoskeletal health, satiety and more.
Evidence corroborates experience. Below are some cool research findings.
A 2025 review published in Oxford Academic’s Nutrition Reviews noted that most studies found “protein consumption at breakfast revealed potential benefits in increasing muscle mass.”
- Some of the studies also indicated an increase in muscle strength, but results on this were mixed.
- They also found “consuming high amounts of protein at breakfast or more protein in the morning than in the evening was associated with an increase in the skeletal muscle index and lean body mass.”
A 2022 longitudinal study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association found that “higher breakfast protein quality was associated with a reduction in incident weakness in older adults, independent of protein intake.”
- This finding emphasizes the importance of high quality protein as we age.
A 2013 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the breakfast habits of “late-adolescent girls” noted that “breakfast led to beneficial alterations in the appetitive, hormonal, and neural signals that control food intake regulation.”
- In particular, a high protein breakfast had more positive effects than a lower protein breakfast.
- They go on to state: “these data suggest that the addition of breakfast, particularly one rich in protein, might be a useful strategy to improve satiety, reduce food motivation and reward, and improve diet quality.”
A small 2022 randomized controlled trial published in the journal Nutrients found that when compared with a “normal” (i.e. low protein breakfast), a “high protein breakfast could suppress the breakfast postprandial glucose level, as well as following lunch and dinner, but this effect on dinner was attenuated when skipping lunch.”
- This means that having sufficient protein with breakfast can prevent blood sugar spikes or unhealthy increases after breakfast, which can happen if you’re not eating sufficient protein. Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar.
- This also means that the blood sugar benefits of a high protein breakfast can extend to lunch and dinner – unless you skip lunch, in which case it’s out the window for dinner too.
It’s obvious from the research that having high protein with breakfast is important for many aspects of health and longevity.
Wondering where to start with all this?
- Choose a protein you like and add it to your breakfast.
- Not having breakfast regularly yet? Start having it, and make it a protein you enjoy.
- Consider adding some of these protein-rich foods to your breakfast routine:
- Eggs (make a vegetable frittata in advance)
- Leftover chicken or turkey (seriously – if this appeals to you, no reason not to enjoy at breakfast)
- Hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond slivers, crumbled walnuts
- Plain Greek yogurt with fresh berries
- Protein powder or collagen mixed into oatmeal/muesli
- Protein shake/smoothie
- Steer clear of regularly consuming unhealthy fats
- This includes most sausage, bacon, ham, processed meats, fried foods, buttery foods, etc., even if they’re high in protein.
While studies are mixed on the exact amount of protein, we know that protein needs increase as we age. A good general place to aim is 30g of protein with breakfast. That said, discuss with your own doctor as to what’s best for you.
Resources:
doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad167
doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.11.037
doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.053116
doi: 10.3390/nu15010085
doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.01.018
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