Media Note: Hold the Bacon

04/01/2018

Following on from the CSIRO’s latest report claiming eating more protein at breakfast can help weight loss, Ms Anne Finch LiveLighter Dietitian, is available for comment on the following:

• Breakfast is a key time in the day to eat many valuable nutrients. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating foods from a wide variety of food groups and a healthy breakfast can provide us with much needed fibre, calcium and protein.
• Protein is important because it provides us with amino acids – the building blocks of cells, muscle tissue, hormones and other important messengers in our body. Foods that are high in protein can help us feel full and satisfied.
• What is 25g of protein? 25g of protein at breakfast can look like: Spinach and mushroom omelette, and a slice of grainy toast; OR 2 grainy toasts, a thin spread peanut butter and a glass of milk
• Protein doesn’t have to equal meat. There are many good sources of plant protein, which also have the benefit of having no saturated fat and often being high in fibre, eg Quinoa, beans, nuts, tofu, chickpeas and whole grains (2 slices of grainy toast has the same amount of protein as a glass of milk and almost as much as 2 eggs)
• Protein at breakfast and weight loss: We know that people who regularly eat breakfast tend to eat an overall healthier diet for the rest of the day.
• What’s a healthy breakfast? A healthy breakfast should contain foods from two or more food groups – think of it as an opportunity to eat nutrients you may otherwise miss
• If you struggle to eat enough dairy foods, try milk or yoghurt with your breakfast. Cow’s milk or an alternative (like soy milk) fortified with calcium are all good options.
• If wholegrains don’t usually make it on your plate, choose some grainy toast, rolled oats or a wholegrain cereal (with at least 3 g fibre per serve)
• Breakfast is a great time to get some nuts and legumes in too. These nutrition powerhouses are a great source of both protein and fibre. A fab start to the day! Try baked beans, hummus on toast, nut butters or a sprinkle of chopped nuts on your cereal.

 ENDS

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