Protein Rich Breakfast Curbs Appetite throughout the Morning

Breakfast is considered as the most important meal of the day. But it is seen that during the week, one in four people skip breakfast.  A new study highlights the role of protein rich diet in curbing appetite.

According to a new study, protein rich breakfast made up of eggs and sausages helps in curbing the appetite throughout the morning compared to a low protein breakfast made up of pancakes and syrup or even skipping breakfast. A protein rich diet is helpful in cutting the hunger pangs of women in the age group 18-55.

"Eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and may help women to avoid overeating later in the day," Kevin C. Maki, principal investigator of the study and a research scientist with Biofortis Clinical Research, a Merieux NutriSciences company, said in a statement.

Nearly 300 calories are present in all breakfast meals and the fat and fiber content is similar. A breakfast rich in protein has 30-39 grams of proteins.

For this study,  a joint effort by Biofortis Clinical Research, Chicago, a division of Merieux NutriSciences, and the University of Missouri's Department of Exercise Physiology and Nutrition, Columbia, MO, the participants  ( all women between 18-45) were asked to complete questionnaire that revealed their rate of appetite such as desire to eat, fullness and hunger. This was done before breakfast and also at 30 minute intervals between breakfast and lunch.

The lunch meal included tortellini and sauce, and the participants were asked to consume it until they felt full. The researchers noticed that after the protein rich breakfast, the appetite rating of the participants improved. They had less desire to eat, felt full, and their hunger was reduced, throughout the morning. Also they consumed fewer calories at lunch. This was not the same in those who ate low protein breakfast or even skipped breakfast.

"In the USA, many people choose to skip breakfast or choose low protein foods because of lack of high protein convenient choices. These results demonstrate that commercially prepared convenient protein-rich meals can help women feel full until lunch time and potentially avoid overeating and improve diet quality," concluded Heather Leidy, an assistant professor specializing in appetite regulation at the University of Missouri and a co-author on the study.

The study was presented at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting that was held in Atlanta.