You know what they say: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Although you may think that limiting the amount of calories you consume is always the best way to go for weight loss, failing to eat a meal in the morning could ultimately make it difficult to lose weight. But it isn’t just eating breakfast that’s important; it’s crucial to ensure you’re fitting the right nutrients into your meal. And protein is among the most vital components, especially if weight loss is your goal.
To shed some light on a few of the best lean proteins you can easily add to your breakfast in order to shed pounds, we spoke to Trista Best, dietitian for Balance One Supplements, and Catherine Gervacio, Registered Dietitian and nutrition writer for Living.Fit. They told us that cottage cheese, egg whites, and yogurt are among the best options. Read on to learn more about the benefits of each.
1. Cottage cheese
While it may not frequently be praised for its high protein content, the benefits of cottage cheese may surprise you. In fact, Best recommends it as one of the best lean breakfast proteins. Believe it or not, she says that "a half-cup serving of cottage cheese can provide around 13 grams of protein." And since it's "relatively low in calories" at just 80 calories per serving, she dubs it as "a good option for people who are watching their calorie intake."
In addition to this high protein and low calorie content, this dairy is also nutrient-rich. "Cottage cheese is a good source of several important nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin B12," Best says. "These nutrients play important roles in bone health, immune function, and overall health." Perfect!
2. Egg whites
Eggs are one of the most popular, tastiest breakfast foods—and luckily, they're also one of the healthiest. This is especially true when it comes to the egg white, which Gervacio points out "is almost pure protein and does not contain bad fats."
Plus, egg whites can be a good choice for your heart, unlike some other protein sources, such as red meat. "If you want to increase your protein intake but are concerned about cholesterol, egg white is your best choice," Gervacio says.
3. Yogurt
Yogurt is another fantastic breakfast food that's versatile, delicious, and also very healthy. This is partly thanks to the fact that it can pack in lean protein, as Gervacio tells us. "Yogurt is probably one of the most popular breakfast choices for those who want to lose weight because of its protein and probiotics content," she says.
In fact, it's one of the best foods for your gut health, which can ultimately help you lose weight. Gervacio explains that yogurt "has millions of good bacteria to improve digestion by balancing out the microflora in the gut," a.k.a. probiotics. "Probiotics are known to aid in the release of the hormones peptide YY (PYY) and peptide-1 (GLP-1) known to reduce appetite. Increasing the release of these hormones may burn more calories and fat." Incredible!
The bottom line
It's important to remember that losing weight and maintaining your health is about more than adding a few magical foods to your diet. Reaching your goal weight will require commitment to a number of healthy habits. However, eating nutritious, protein-packed meals is a great place to start. And when breakfast rolls around, cottage cheese, yogurt, and egg white all make great options.
READ MORE: Dietitians Agree: This Is The Healthiest Sweetener To Add To Your Oatmeal
