If you know you need to eat more protein but aren’t sure how to go about it, breakfast is a good place to start. Eating a sizeable portion of your daily protein goal first thing not only ticks the box early, it also helps to curb energy slumps, sugar cravings and sluggishness later in the day.
Current UK guidelines recommend 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, but this number can change depending on your age and lifestyle. For example, if you strength train regularly or have an active job, this number may increase. If you’re older and more sedentary, it’ll decrease.
The benefits of eating a high-protein breakfast
“Eating a healthy portion of protein for breakfast can help balance blood sugar and energy,” says nutritionist and Artah founder Rhian Stephenson, who tends to recommend closer to 1.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to her clients. “Plus, studies have shown that front-loading your day with adequate protein improves satiety and decreases appetite throughout the day.” Consider us persuaded.
To build muscle, how many grams of protein should I eat for breakfast?
Generally, nutritionists recommend aiming for 25g to 30g of protein in a single meal. While no conclusive evidence exists to indicate that eating more than that is fruitless, there is a lack of clarity around whether the body can absorb and utilise more than 35g of protein in one go.
To build muscle, focus on eating enough protein throughout the entire day, not just at breakfast. That may look like a high-protein breakfast, lunch and supper, with higher-protein snacks peppered throughout the day. The exact number of grams of protein will be dependent on your age, activity level, current bodyweight and height. Usually, this will mean aiming for the upper limit of protein, around 1.5g to 2g of protein per kilogram.
Muscle growth is also reliant on appropriate time under tension (strength training, bodyweight training and load-bearing exercise), along with adequate rest and enough food and protein.
Savoury vs sweet high protein breakfast options
Both savoury and sweet breakfasts can be high in protein. For example, high-protein pancakes (sweet) or an egg white frittata (savoury). Switching between the two will likely keep you more consistent, given the variety. With both types, remember to focus on the gold standard combination of protein, fibre and fat. This will keep you feeling fuller for longer and supports cognitive, hormonal and digestive function.
High-protein egg-free breakfast recipes
Not an egg person? Thankfully, there are plenty of egg-free high-protein breakfast ideas, such as Greek yoghurt bowls, protein porridge, protein smoothies and shakes, tofu scramble, or dishes containing skyr, quark or cottage cheese. For meat eaters, chicken or turkey sausages are also great lean protein options.
