High Protein Breakfast Cuts Food Cravings All Day

If you find yourself craving snacks throughout the day (and night) try eating a high protein breakfast–eggs are a good start. Researchers at the University of Missouri are convinced that such a meal can, in their words, “significantly improve appetite control and reduce unhealthy snacking on high-fat or high-sugar foods in the evening.” How do they know? The scientists worked with 20 overweight or obese women who either skipped breakfast, consumed a high-protein breakfast consisting of eggs and lean beef, or ate a normal-protein breakfast of ready-to-eat cereal. Every breakfast consisted of 350 calories and was matched for dietary fat, fiber, sugar and energy density. The high-protein breakfast contained 35 grams of protein. The women also completed questionnaires and provided blood samples throughout the day, and underwent a brain scan before dinner to view brain signals that control food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior. Here’s what they found: The consumption of the high-protein breakfast led to increased fullness or “satiety” along with reductions in brain activity that is responsible for controlling food cravings. The high-protein breakfast also reduced evening snacking on high-fat and high-sugar foods compared to when breakfast was skipped or when a normal protein, ready-to-eat cereal breakfast was consumed. Read more from the University of Missouri.