Eating a Protein Rich Breakfast Helps Curb Your Appetite

According to a recent article released by Daily Science, eating a protein rich breakfast helps curb your appetite through out the morning and helps you make smarter eating decisions throughout the day.

“While Americans generally consume enough protein, they tend to eat a small amount at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch, and the largest amount at dinner. New research presented today at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting in Atlanta shows that eating high protein sausage and egg-based breakfasts curbed hunger throughout the morning, compared with a low-protein breakfast (pancakes and syrup) or skipping breakfast, in 18-55-year-old women.

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

All of the breakfast meals contained approximately 300 calories and similar quantities of fat and fiber. The protein-rich breakfast bowls contained 30 to 39 grams of protein. Participants completed questionnaires to rate aspects of appetite -- such as hunger, fullness, and desire to eat -- before breakfast and at 30 minute intervals between breakfast and lunch. A standard lunch meal of tortellini and sauce was served and subjects were asked to eat until comfortably full. Study participants had improved appetite ratings (lower hunger, more fullness, less desire to eat) throughout the morning after eating each protein-rich breakfast, and also ate fewer calories at lunch, compared with the low-protein breakfast and breakfast skipping (water only).

"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," said Heather Leidy, an assistant professor specializing in appetite regulation at the University of Missouri and a co-author on the study.”

This article solidifies Dr. Scharper’s mission to provide a convenient and affordable high protein breakfast option to you. The lack of options in the mornings coupled with the ever growing list of responsibilities we have at the start of our day make it difficult to prioritize eating right over eating quick. But, Dr. Scharper’s Serious Oats boast 20g of protein in each individual cup and provides the perfect foundation to start your day off with good nutrition. 

Why Diet Soda is Not the Answer

After reviewing many studies on artificial sweeteners, Susie Swithers, a professor of psychological

sciences and a behavioral neuroscientist, suggests that diet soda does not help you lose weight. In fact according to recent studies, diet sodas might be just as bad for you as the non-diet kind. Boom. Do you hear that? It is the sound of millions of heart breaking across America.

Artificial sweeteners are no strangers to the scrutiny of the public eye, it has been suggested that they cause a wide array of health issues. But despite this information the sales of these no-cal beverages still skyrocket in the ever-lasting fight against obesity. But a Purdue University Study has discovered that diet sodas may actually be linked to a number of health problems ranging from obesity to diabetes – just like the sugary ‘full sugar’ version.

Some of the studies reviewed suggest that when people consume diet sodas, they engage in what is known as ‘cognitive distortion’ and decide that since they have saved on liquid calories they can splurge somewhere else. ‘Ill have a diet soda and some fries.’

Interestingly, there are studies in animals that suggest something else could be going on too that is sabotaging the weight loss capacity of your ‘diet soda’. According to an article on Swithers’ findings in USA Today,  

Studies in animals note a link between consuming artificial sweeteners and overeating that leads to weight gain. Somehow artificial sweeteners throw off the body's ability to know how many calories it needs. 

"We think there's a much more basic fundamental learning process that's getting interrupted," Swithers said. 

Normally when someone consumes something sweet, the body expects calories and sugar to follow. But when a person drinks diet soda the payoff never arrives. 

You get this kind of confusion and that can lead to overeating, and at least in the animal model that can lead to an increase in blood sugar spikes," Swithers said.