The Breakfast Battle: Protein vs. Carb

We have been told many times that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for growing kids. Breakfast provides the nutrients and energy needed to feel our best, and research shows that eating breakfast can aid in weight maintenance. New research suggests it is not simply eating breakfast that is important; the macronutrient composition of your breakfast choices matter as well.

Researchers from the University of Arkansas conducted a study comparing the effects of protein rich breakfasts versus carbohydrate rich breakfasts on metabolism, hunger and food choices in ten year old children. The children were split into two groups. The first group, called the protein group, was fed a breakfast consisting of 344 calories, 21 percent protein (about 18 grams), 52 percent carbohydrate and 27 percent fat. The second group, called the carbohydrate group, was fed a breakfast consisting of 327 calories, 4 percent protein (about 3 grams), 67 percent carbohydrate and 29 percent fat.

Over a period of four hours following breakfast, researchers measured the participants’ energy expenditure (the rate that the body is burning calories), carbohydrate and fat oxidation (the ability of the body to use these substrates), feelings of hunger and food intake. Participants who ate the protein rich breakfast had 16 percent higher fat oxidation and 32 percent higher carbohydrate oxidation at the end of four hours than the group that ate the carbohydrate rich breakfast. The participants in the protein group also reported feeling more satisfied and full than participants in the carbohydrate group.

Bottom Line: Breakfast should include a healthy balance of foods rich in protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat. Many breakfast options, i.e. cereal or pancakes, pack in a lot of carbohydrates with very little protein. Consider trying more protein-powered breakfast options such as a breakfast burrito with eggs and black beans, a tofu scramble, Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, or oatmeal with chia seeds and a swirl of almond butter.

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