Pass the Protein, Please

Hotel breakfast buffets are the enemy of your waistline—and your general health. Muffins, breads, cookies, bagels, and pancakes supply the body with simple carbohydrates (sugars), few nutrients, and not enough of a vital breakfast staple: protein.

Breakfast basics

Whatever you choose for your morning meal sends your body important signals, and protein sends better messages than carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates from processed foods, can cause fatigue and irritability (as you crash and burn from the sugar), as well as increased cravings and hunger.

Eating more protein, in contrast, causes you to eat less during the day yet feel more satiated. You’ll have better sustainable energy. Protein also supplies the body with the amino acid building blocks it requires to build and repair muscle.

Get cracking

In a revealing study, 30 overweight women ate either two scrambled eggs, two slices of toast and a tablespoon of reduced-calorie fruit spread or a bagel-based breakfast consisting of one bagel, two tablespoons of cream cheese, and three ounces of non-fat yogourt. The weight and calories in the breakfasts was similar.

The women in the egg protein group were found to have feelings of satiety and significantly reduced short-term energy intake (they ate less food and fewer calories until noon the next day), compared to women who ate a bagel breakfast.

Superfood protein sources

Quick and simple sources of protein are your best option for steady energy, fewer cravings and enhanced weight loss.

Whole food meal replacements contain organic hemp, yellow pea, brown rice, and flax proteins as well as fibre, essential fats, green food powders (for example chlorella), antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes, and probiotics.

In a whole food mix, the ingredients haven’t been stripped of their nutrients, fibres, or beneficial fats like most processed foods, so not only are you getting high quality protein but also a full compliment of essential nutrition to start the day right.

Blend together two cups of cold water, a banana, some berries of your choice, and a scoop of a natural-flavoured whole food meal replacement mix. There’s no end to tasty variations if you’re keen to experiment; try different fruits, mixes (such as berry or chocolate), and even herbs like freshly grated ginger or mint.

Kiss the buffet line—not to mention poor energy and food cravings—goodbye with a whole food protein-rich breakfast.