‘I swapped to high protein breakfasts for a week, here's what I learnt...’
We’re told that high protein meals will keep us fuller for longer, so is there a breakfast option that can keep me going until lunch? By Laura Wingrove This was my breakfast on Saturday, but did it leave me full until lunchtime? Read on to find out Protein has become something of a buzzword in recent years, with everything from yoghurt to cereal bars packaged with boasts about their high protein content. We know that protein is essential for our bodies to grow and repair themselves, but it’s also thought to keep hunger at bay. “There’s evidence to suggest protein has a higher satiating power – compared to carbohydrate and fat – which can help most individuals feel fuller for longer,” explains dietitian Tai Ibitoye, who is also quick to point out that it needs to be consumed as part of a balanced diet. My lunch and evening meals include plenty of protein, but breakfast? Not so much. A slice of toast with yeast extract or shop-bought granola are my go-to options. And the result? I’m a frequent mid-morning snacker, hungry by 11am. So, I was keen to put myself to the test. If I upped my protein at breakfast, would I feel full until lunch? “Incorporating protein into breakfast can help many people feel fuller for longer… and it can also reduce the urge for mid-morning snacking,” Ibitoye confirmed to me, but before I got carried away, she did have a word of warning. “It's important to ensure breakfast is balanced… rather than focusing solely on protein. Also, it's important to consider the types of protein consumed at breakfast and their frequency, as some sources may be high in fat and / or salt, like bacon, smoked salmon and sausages.” So, with advice heeded I drew up a week-long menu of high protein breakfasts. Ibitoye thought they were all well-balanced though, she made a few suggestions to make a few of them healthier (see below). Here’s what I discovered… Monday: Frittata Protein per serving: 24g Substantial and tasty, this was a great start to the week. Made with eggs, bacon, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach, this took just 20 minutes to prepare, using leftover roast potatoes from the previous day. Alternatively, you could use tinned potatoes to keep the prep time down. It’s a great one-pot dish. After frying several of the ingredients you add them back to the pan with your egg mixture, cook on the hob for 10 minutes, before finishing under the grill. Easy. Fuller for longer? Despite being on the lower end of the calorie count, the mix of high protein and carbs left me satisfied until lunch, with no mid-morning cravings. Best for: Meal-preppers Tuesday: Turkish eggs Protein per serving: 28.6g This was delicious – what’s not to love? Creamy Greek-style yoghurt, poached eggs, and spicy chilli butter. All winners. I followed Nigella’s recipe but I upped the eggs to two to increase the protein. I will say, making it on a weekday was an error. Preparing the chilli butter (*I used regular chilli flakes instead of the harder-to-find Aleppo pepper *), warming the yoghurt over a saucepan of water and poaching the eggs made it fiddly and left me with plenty of washing up. But taste-wise it’s hard to beat. Fuller for longer? My hunger was curbed until lunchtime Best for: A leisurely breakfast Related stories: High protein or high carb: Will either boost your fitness?Do you need to eat more protein as you get older?How much protein is it safe to eat? High protein or high carb: Will either boost your fitness? Do you need to eat more protein as you get older? How much protein is it safe to eat? Nigella's Turkish eggs felt like an indulgent breakfast to have and would be perfect for a weekend brunch Wednesday: Granola and quark My quark and granola - I had it on the way to work but did it leave me full? Protein per serving: 36.5g I followed Elly Curshen’s granola recipe but swapped fruit compote for a handful of blueberries and used quark instead of yoghurt (it’s higher in protein). I chose this granola recipe because it uses egg whites as a binder, increasing the protein in the process. I was surprised at how easy it was to make. I could easily make a big batch in one go which would last a few weeks and is tastier than shop-bought options. Fuller for longer? The high protein and carb mix kept me full, however, the sweet flavour at the beginning of the day left me craving sweet treats throughout the day Best for: Batch cookers Thursday: Silken tofu smoothie bowl Protein per serving: 14.6g protein I had high hopes for this vegan silken tofu smoothie bowl especially because it’s so quick to make. To make two servings you put a 300g pack of silken tofu into a blender along with 300g frozen mixed berries and a frozen banana. After blitzing together, you top with 10g chia seeds and serve. The fruit flavour dominated – in fact the tofu left no aftertaste, but the portion was huge and so cold it was difficult to eat on a cold day. I gave up after about half a portion. This was so filling I couldn't finish it, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing Fuller for longer? Unfortunately, because I only got about half the protein, I was hungry by lunchtime. Best for: A hot summer’s day Friday: Classic beans on toast There's a reason beans on toast is a classic Protein per serving: 16.2g A great source of fibre, protein and easy to prepare, it’s both simple and delicious. I used a regular tin of beans but I could have upped the ante by making my own. That way, I could control the sugar and salt levels and increase the protein further by adding more beans. Fuller for longer? Even though I went to the gym, I had no mid-morning cravings. The best result I could have hoped for Best for: Tight budgets Saturday: Cooked breakfast Protein per serving: 36.5g Taste-wise, you can’t go wrong with a fry-up, except, it’s not always the healthiest, So, could I take the beloved breakfast, keep the high protein content but reduce some of the calories? To make it high protein I opted for bacon, eggs, sausages and beans, adding toast as a fifth ingredient for some carbs. To make it healthier, I grilled all the meat and poached my egg cutting out the oil you’d require for frying them. I also swapped regular sausages for chicken sausages to keep the fat content down and they were surprisingly satisfying. I went for a run about an hour after eating it and achieved a personal-best, I do put that down to the energy it gave me. Ibitoye pointed out though I still might not want to have this too frequently: “Although a high-protein cooked breakfast may be a weekend treat, it's important to not regularly consume red, processed meats such as bacon, as they tend to be high in salt and saturated fats.” Fuller for Longer? I was stuffed until lunch Best for: A weekend treat Sunday: Kedgeree Protein per serving: 25g I’m a big fan of fish but always end up opting for smoked salmon. So, given this was a week to experiment, I went for the traditional – but new to me – kedgeree – a mix of smoked haddock, rice, eggs, peas and cream. In my mind this was going to be complicated to make. Yes, you’re, going to use a minimum of three pans and yes, it does require cooking different elements at the same time but it’s actually straight-forward – and relatively quick - to make. The key here is to make it on a day when you’ve not got work or plans looming, you don’t want to feel pressured when you’re boiling eggs, cooking rice and making a creamy sauce at the same time. It was really delicious, with curry powder bringing a touch of warmth to it. Fuller for Longer? The mix of carbs and protein left me full and ready for the day Best for: Trying something new Originally published September 2024