If you know you need to eat more protein but aren’t sure how to go about it, breakfast is a good place to start. Eating a sizeable portion of your daily protein goal first thing not only ticks a box early, but it also helps curb energy slumps, sugar cravings, and sluggishness later in the day.
Current guidelines recommend around 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, but this number can change depending on your age and lifestyle. For example, if you strength train regularly or have an active job, this number may increase. If you’re older and more sedentary, it’ll decrease.
The benefits of eating a high-protein breakfast
“Eating a healthy portion of protein for breakfast can help balance blood sugar and energy,” says nutritionist and founder of supplement brand Artah, Rhian Stephenson, who tends to recommend closer to 1.2 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to her clients. “Plus, studies have shown that front-loading your day with adequate protein improves satiety and decreases appetite throughout the day.”
To build muscle, how many grams of protein should I eat for breakfast?
Generally, nutritionists recommend aiming for 25 to 30 g of protein per meal. While no conclusive evidence exists to indicate that eating more than that is fruitless, it’s uncertain whether the body can absorb and utilize more than 35 g of protein in one sitting.
To build muscle, focus on eating enough protein throughout the entire day, not just at breakfast. That may look like a high-protein breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with higher-protein snacks peppered in throughout the day. The exact number of grams of protein will be dependent on your age, activity level, current body weight, and height. Usually, this means aiming for the upper limit of protein intake, around 1.5 to 2 g per kilogram.
Muscle growth also relies on appropriate time under tension (strength training, bodyweight training, and load-bearing exercise), along with adequate rest and sufficient nutrient intake.
Savory vs. sweet high-protein breakfast options
Both savory and sweet breakfasts can be high in protein. For example, high-protein pancakes (sweet) and an egg white frittata (savory) are both great options. Switching between the two will likely keep you more consistent, given the variety. With both types, remember to focus on the gold standard combination of protein, fiber, and fat. This will keep you feeling fuller for longer and support cognitive, hormonal, and digestive function.
High-protein egg-free breakfast recipes
Not an egg person? Thankfully, there are plenty of egg-free high-protein breakfast ideas, such as Greek yogurt bowls, protein shakes and smoothies, tofu scramble, or dishes containing skyr or cottage cheese. For meat eaters, chicken or turkey sausages are also great lean protein options.
Now, here are four simple, high-protein breakfast ideas to incorporate into your morning routine.
High-protein yogurt bowl
Nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Farzanah Nasser eats this high-fiber, high-protein breakfast most mornings. “This recipe hits 30 g of protein and 13 g of fiber, which is almost half of the daily recommended amount. It also contains two sources of probiotics (which help maintain a healthy gut microbiome), and will keep you full until lunchtime—no energy crashes in sight.”
Ingredients
- 150 g 0% fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ to ½ cup kefir
- 20 g shelled hempseed
- 20 g ground flaxseeds
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 heaped tsp oats
- 1 heaped tsp almond butter
- Fruit of choice
- Optional: honey
