Which breakfast is ideal for you depends on your goals and schedule. A breakfast with a lot of sugars can give you a lot of energy for a tough workout, but can also give you an energy dip when you are working. Not having breakfast with intermittent fasting helps to limit your calorie intake, but can also make you feel uncomfortable with hunger. And then there is a protein-rich breakfast! This allows you to enjoy the benefits of fasting, such as stable energy and focus, while still being able to eat something. Find out which 6 benefits a high-protein breakfast can have for you.

What is a high-protein breakfast? 

Although there is no real definition of a high-protein breakfast, we can give a guideline. An average person weighing 75kg needs about 120g of protein per day. Divided over 4 eating moments, this gives 4 portions of 30g of protein. If you want to use your breakfast to meet your protein needs, you will have to take in about 30g of protein, depending on your weight. 

For many people breakfast is a somewhat smaller meal than lunch and certainly dinner. And with protein-rich snacks you can also get extra protein in between. That is why 20g of protein with your breakfast is enough to call it a protein-rich breakfast. It therefore also partly depends on what the rest of your daily schedule looks like.

The amount of fats and carbohydrates depends on your goal. In a weight loss eating plan, you can have a protein-rich breakfast that is low in fat and especially low in carbohydrates. In an eating schedule for weight gain, you will take in extra fats and carbohydrates together with the portion of proteins. 

Why is a high-protein breakfast important? 6 advantages!

1. You achieve your daily protein requirement more easily

Let’s clarify this with our calculation example used. If you do not eat protein at all with your breakfast, you will have to take in 40g of protein at the other 3 eating moments. That is quite difficult! So as soon as you opt for a low-protein meal.

2. Long-term fat burning

If you eat carbohydrates in the morning, you give the signal to your body that sugar and therefore energy is available again. Your body produces insulin, which greatly reduces your fat burning. With a light protein-rich breakfast that is low in fats and carbohydrates, your insulin levels remain low and your nighttime fat burning can continue for a while.  

3. More energy and focus

A light protein-rich breakfast will give you the necessary energy to start the day, but you will not suffer from a sugar dip. This allows you to keep your sharp focus all morning. This is especially true for mental tasks. A high-protein breakfast is also great for a leisurely workout such as a walk or light weight training. For intensive strength training or interval training, it is better to take extra carbohydrates. 

4. Less appetite for sweets

A good start is half the battle. A high-protein breakfast is very filling. It takes more time for your body to digest proteins than sugars. This slow digestion ensures that the energy is released more slowly in the body, so that you do not have a high energy peak or energy dip with the known “cravings” or binge eating as a result.

By starting your day well with a protein-rich breakfast, you increase the chance that you can also resist the temptation of unhealthy sweet snacks for the rest of the day.

5. Stops muscle breakdown

After your evening meal, you will normally have absorbed enough protein to recover throughout the night. Especially when you exercise a lot, a good night’s sleep is essential for rebuilding your muscles. When your body has used up all the protein in the morning and you do not replenish it, your body can start to break down muscles. This is especially true if you really train intensively. But with a protein-rich breakfast you still have to be on the safe side. 

Boost your mood

Eating protein increases the levels of the amino acid tyrosine. This amino acid is responsible for the production of dopamine, which makes you feel good. This way you can whistle out the door after your protein-rich breakfast!