This Specific Breakfast Food Might Protect Against Diabetes

Breakfast is key to starting off your day right, here are five things you need to know about breakfast and some great tips so you can stay energized for whatever your day may hold...

Breakfast is key to starting off your day right, here are five things you need to know about breakfast and some great tips so you can fuel your day right. 

A recent study found that high-protein breakfasts help maintain better glucose and insulin control than lower-protein or no-protein meals. Dr. Heather Leidy from the University of Missouri commented, "If you eat healthy now and consume foods that help you control your glucose levels, you may be protecting yourself from developing diabetes in the future."  Based on the study's findings, the researchers are hopeful that the consumption of protein-rich breakfasts also would benefit individuals with pre-diabetes, although future research is needed to confirm this hypothesis. 

Gain energy, focus, and get smart! Studies show that eating breakfast can improve students' test scores, attendance and behavior. Starting off the day with a nutritious protein packed breakfast will help keep kids and adults focused, ensures they wont reach for sugary snacks before lunch time, and helps build or maintain strong bones. 

We generally don't eat enough protein for breakfast. The average breakfast is usually rich in carbohydrates i.e. a bagel, muffin or cereal, which on average weighs in at about 10 grams of protein. Protein is critical for maintaining muscle mass, among other things, as proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. Proteins are constantly being broken down, and thus we must replace them through the foods we eat. Protein also helps keep us feeling satisfied longer and our blood sugar more stable so we are able to concentrate. 

Breakfast curbs overeating later in the day.  Skipping breakfast usually backfires when hunger comes raging back mid-day, often leading to overeating, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The literature suggests that people who eat breakfast tend to have healthier weights. Children and adolescents who eat breakfast have healthier nutrient profiles and a lower prevalence of obesity as compared to their non-breakfast eating counterparts, according to a study from Baylor College of Medicine, Louisiana State University, and Texas Woman’s University.

What should you choose? Some great protein-rich ways to break the fast are yogurt with granola or cereal, eggs or a vegetable omelet with whole grain toast, a yogurt-based fresh or frozen fruit smoothie along side a hardboiled egg. Melting cheese atop a whole grain bagel, English muffin, or toast is also a protein rich option. Seed and nut butters like almond, peanut, and sunflower are not only protein rich but also rich in essential minerals as well; serve with sliced banana or strawberries for a serving of fruit. Nut and seed butters are extremely versatile and can even be mixed in with oatmeal to increase the nutrition content of this already nutritious breakfast choice. Like veggies? Eat a veggie egg scramble for an antioxidant rich start to the day.