Lack of Protein in the Average American Breakfast.

We all know the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” however, according to a letter to the editor in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nearly one-quarter of Americans skip breakfast. That’s about 16% of your total caloric intake for the day! 

So if breakfast is so important, why do so many skip it?

Here’s the simple answer, many don’t have the time to prepare one. The importance of convenience when deciding what to eat plays a huge role in the overall decision to have breakfast. If something takes 10 minutes to prepare, it can be discouraging and cut down the time you may need before heading out the door. 

As grocery stores stock up every week, new and unhealthy options are introduced to their aisle every single day. Companies are creating innovative ways to trick the average buyer into purchasing sugary or highly refined breakfast items with fun or modern advertising in order to sell, but the unfortunate truth is, no fun pattern can distract from these products' lack of nutrition. 

The majority of breakfast options sold in stores are loaded with preservatives, sugars and high carbohydrates, which can lead to the decision to skip breakfast all together and simply wait for lunch to roll around. The average box of cereal contains about 2.4 grams of protein in every cup, and even stopping for a quick fruit smoothie when you’re on the go can add an extra 45 to 63 grams of sugar to your daily intake and can cause you to become hungrier sooner and crave sweets throughout the day. 

Incorporating sugar into your breakfast on a daily basis can increase chances of many health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, weight gain, tooth cavities and much more. Adding high levels of sugar into your first meal can also affect your mood, energy levels, and even skin complexion.

What many seek in a “first meal” is something that will keep their stomachs full to hold them off at work or throughout their day until lunch hour. However, with many of these sugar loaded breakfast foods such as cereal, breakfast bars and even smoothies, it's become difficult to consume the proper amount of protein and fiber to keep you satisfied until your next meal. 

According to the article “Protein, It's What’s for Breakfast” on nutrition.org, “A high protein breakfast has been shown to benefit muscle health and to support weight loss by increasing muscle mass, energy expenditure (calories burned), satiety hormones, glucose regulation and by decreasing the desire to snack at night.”. Prioritizing protein into your breakfast not only provides you with added health benefits but may help you build lean muscle and curb your hunger. 

Having a Smart for Life protein cookie or the low sugar protein bar for breakfast will help you incorporate that needed protein, fiber, and collagen to help you start your day full and energized. With an average of 6g to 19 grams of protein per serving, you will have more than doubled your amount of protein intake in a single bar, enough to keep you satisfied for up to 4 hours! Also, just one protein cookie has 6 grams of protein, the equivalent amount of protein as 1 egg and it also eliminates the extra time needed for preparation. 

With the compact size of our protein bars and protein cookies, it becomes a convenient way to grab breakfast on go! You can even store a box in your desk or work space for those days you’re running late. 

Overall, don’t allow these companies to fool you with their intriguing packaging, the true answer lies within their nutrition label. Incorporating a high amount of protein will not only satisfy your hunger but provide you with the added benefits that a sugar filled breakfast item cannot. Although unhealthier options often run a lower price tag, switching to a healthier alternative such as the Smart for Life protein bars and cookies may help you avoid a higher medical bill in the future.  

So next time remember,  breakfast is the most important meal of the day and with our protein cookies & bars it’s now the SMARTEST meal of the day!