All Calories are NOT created equal
Not all calories are equal, especially when it comes to carbohydrates and protein. A recent study found that eating protein for breakfast improves all the hormones that control weight, reduce the hunger hormone (grehlin), and slows emptying of the stomach. The exact same calories from a carbohydrate like white bread increase the hunger hormones and make your stomach empty faster.
When I say eat protein, I do not mean a steak-and-cheese diet. Protein can be found in nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, omega-3 eggs, wild fish, and lean poultry or other meats. Protein, it seems, is more thermogenic. It creates heat and energy. This means it increases metabolism more than other food sources so at the end of the day you have burned off more calories when you eat protein as opposed to sweet or starchy carbohydrates. In one study, participants on high- protein diets burned 71 more calories a day than those who ate low-protein diets. It may not seem like much - but over a year it is equivalent to an extra 7.4 pounds of weight loss.
Eating more good quality protein can help you not only lose weight, but lose it in the right places. High-protein, low-fat diets help people lower their waist circumference, their waist-to-hip ratio (one of the most important measurements in your body, which predicts heart disease, cancer and death better than almost anything), and intra-abdominal adipose tissue (otherwise known as belly fat!).
So include lean protein with every meal… but pick a variety, including lots of beans, nuts and seeds. And remember, a high-protein breakfast can be as simple as a healthful cereal, and milk.
That’s it for today, I’m Chef Bonita Woods. Eat healthy, eat happy, and have fun doing it!