We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now a new study shows that there is a secret to making breakfast even healthier. One that might help you drop a few pounds… without any extra effort.

Researchers from the University of Missouri confirmed what we’ve been saying all along. They just published their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1

The study subjects ate either a cereal-based breakfast with a low 13 grams of protein, a high 35 gram protein egg and beef breakfast, or nothing at all.

The two breakfasts had the same amount of calories, fat, fiber, and sugar. The only difference?

The amount of protein.

At the end of the study, both groups who ate breakfast experienced less hunger throughout the day. No surprise there. And the people who consumed the high protein meal showed the greatest benefit. They had less food cravings and felt fuller. And their MRIs showed a reduction in the brain activity responsible for triggering cravings. Again, we can’t say we’re too surprised. But even more…

The protein eaters cut back on high-fat and high-sugar evening snacks. They were able to control their eating habits the entire day AND into the night. All because of the protein they ate in the morning. Again, it was just an egg and beef-based breakfast. Simple, nutritious, and effective.

“These data suggest that eating a protein-rich breakfast is one potential strategy to prevent overeating and improve diet quality by replacing unhealthy snacks with high quality breakfast foods,” said study author Heather Leidy.

Another study from the University of Connecticut also found a link between a protein breakfast and satiety.2 Researchers gave 21 men either a protein rich egg breakfast, or a carbohydrate rich bagel breakfast. Three hours after eating breakfast the men were allowed to eat all they wanted at a lunch buffet. The men who ate the egg breakfast ate 112 fewer calories at the buffet. The protein-rich eggs they had at breakfast also helped the men eat a whopping 400 less calories throughout the day.

As you know from previous issues, we highly recommend the Paleo diet, commonly called the Caveman diet. It is high in protein and low in carbs. It focuses on the wholesome foods our ancestors ate, like free range meat, fish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, fruits, and berries.

Protein helps curb hunger because it takes longer to metabolize. That helps you feel full longer. It also helps prevent overeating. But protein also helps you build lean muscle. And having more muscle helps raise your metabolism. So you burn more calories even at rest.

When you wake up in the morning your body is recovering after eight hours of fasting. By starting your day with protein you can prevent your body from using muscle tissue for fuel.

But even if you don’t eat breakfast, there’s good news. It only takes a few days for the body to adjust to eating early in the morning. Start off slowly. Maybe an egg. Then add in a beef sausage. Nothing too heavy at first. As you get used to eating in the morning, up your protein to around 30 grams.3 Experiment with a variety of protein-rich foods so you don’t get bored.

Regardless if you are trying to lose weight or not, eating breakfast is important. But not just any breakfast, a protein-based one. It increases your energy, stabilizes blood sugar, and prevents snacking and overeating.

A high-protein breakfast will help you lose weight, gain muscle, and forget about hunger pangs.

Editor’s Note: There is a little-known chemical in our bodies that tells our brain we are full. If this chemical is off-balance, it doesn’t matter how much you eat…you’ll soon be hungry again. This chemical also tells your body to burn fat. So if it’s out of whack…that extra flab isn’t going anywhere. Luckily, keeping this chemical in check is simple as adding one activity to your daily routine. Discover the secrets behind this and two other chemicals that are keeping you fat—and how to quickly turn them around—HERE.

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References:
1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23446906
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20226994
3 http://abbmcertification.org/inc/assets/articles/Symons%2030%20g%20protein%20serving%20maximally%20stimulates%20muscle%20protein%20synthesis%20JAmDietAssoc%202009.pdf