What Are the Benefits of Having a Protein Shake for Breakfast?

Written by Amanda.J, PharmD | Reviewed by Jamie, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

A protein shake is a convenient and high-protein option for a nutritious breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast can help you feel fuller for longer, support your metabolism, and help you lose weight.

If you’re struggling to fit breakfast into your morning routine, a protein shake for breakfast may help make sure you get the full benefits of eating breakfast without the hassle.

Why Is Breakfast Important?

About 1 in 4 Americans report regularly skipping breakfast. (1) If you’re younger than 40, you may be even more likely to skip breakfast. (2) There are many reasons you may be skipping breakfast — from a busy morning routine to the belief that breakfast will help you lose weight. However, most people who lose weight and keep it off for more than a year report eating breakfast every day. (3)

It may be cliché to say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but research can help back up this claim. Breakfast is your first meal of the day after your overnight fast. A fast is a period of time when you don’t eat or drink. Since you’re not eating or drinking while you’re sleeping, this is considered a period of fasting. (4)

Eating breakfast gives you the nutrients you need to start your day right and help your body work more efficiently. When you eat your first meal of the day, your body can switch from burning fuels, such as fatty acids, to glucose (sugar), which can help support higher energy levels. (4) Eating breakfast can help boost your metabolism and encourage your body to use sugar and other fuels more effectively throughout the day, supporting healthier blood sugars. (5,6) A 2023 study found that eating a high-protein breakfast may promote healthier blood sugar levels after meals throughout the day. (7) Additionally, people who eat breakfast may also be more physically active in the morning compared to people who skip breakfast. (6)

Effects of Skipping Breakfast

Skipping breakfast may seem like a way to cut back on calories. However, studies have found that skipping breakfast is associated with weight gain and negative health effects. (5)

If you don’t eat breakfast, you may be more likely to make up the calories later in the day and end up eating more than if you had breakfast. Higher daily calorie intake can lead to weight gain. (6)

When you skip breakfast, your brain may not function at its full potential, making it harder for you to think and concentrate. (8)

A 2019 study in Japan showed that regularly skipping breakfast, when combined with a sedentary lifestyle, promoted unhealthy blood sugar levels. (9) Skipping breakfast has also been associated with poor heart and kidney health. (10,11)

Talk to your healthcare provider about how skipping breakfast may affect your health.

Is a Protein Shake Good for Breakfast?

Protein shakes are a great way to start your day. Compared to a meal high in carbohydrates or fat, a high-protein meal for breakfast may help boost the amount of energy your body burns. (5) Protein shakes are a convenient option for people to make sure they get a nutritious breakfast every day.

How Much Protein Should I Eat for Breakfast?

The amount of protein you should eat for breakfast depends on several factors, including your age, health, body weight, and activity level. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That translates to about 64 grams of protein per day for a person weighing 175 pounds (about 80 kilograms). (12)

However, this amount of daily protein may be too low for some people, especially older adults. As you age, you lose muscle mass. This can increase your risk for serious health problems, such as falls, hospitalization, and even death. (12) Eating more protein can help support your body and help you keep more muscle mass. Some research suggests that older adults need between 0.85 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (68 to 160 grams of protein for a 175-pound person). (13,14)

Many health experts recommend eating about 20% to 25% of your daily protein for breakfast. (15) Depending on your daily protein requirements, you may need between 16 grams and 40 grams of protein for breakfast.

Your health care provider can help you understand your daily protein requirements.

Can I Just Eat a Protein Shake for Breakfast?

If you don’t have time to make a full breakfast or you’re not very hungry in the morning, you may wonder if you can just have a protein shake on an empty stomach. A protein shake that’s formulated as a meal replacement, such as Almased, may be a good option for you. Almased is packed with ingredients rich in essential amino acids, bioactive peptides, and honey-derived enzymes, so you get all the nutrients you need.

You can check out 10 Perfect Summer Healthy Breakfast Smoothies Recipes for ideas on how to make a healthy breakfast protein shake.

What Should You Eat With a Protein Shake for Breakfast?

Health experts recommend a breakfast with a variety of foods, including protein, whole grains, fruits, and dairy products to ensure you get the vitamins and minerals you need to stay focused and burn energy throughout the day. (16,17)

Depending on your personal nutrition needs and the type of protein shake you’re using, you may add other healthy foods to your breakfast. However, it’s important to watch your calories.

When you have a protein shake, like Almased, you can be sure you’re getting the essential vitamins and nutrients you need to get you through your day. If you get bored having the same thing every day, you can mix it up by adding your favorite ingredients to your protein shake, such as coffee, berries, or cinnamon. For ideas on how to incorporate your favorites into your daily protein shake, read 10 Protein Shake Recipes That Actually Help With Weight Loss.

Should You Have a Protein Shake Before or After a Workout?

Protein helps to support muscle growth and recovery. If a morning workout is part of your routine, you may want to know if you should have your protein shake before or after your workout. However, this is a controversial topic without an easy answer. Research findings show there are benefits of consuming protein before and after a workout. (18,19)

Some studies show that consuming protein before a workout can help replenish your amino acids (the building blocks of protein) before resistance training. Other studies show that protein after a workout helps build muscle. (18) A 2017 study shows that having protein before or after a workout has similar effects. (20)

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) states that pre- and post-workout protein may be effective for increasing strength and improving body composition. They also state that consuming high-quality protein within 2 hours after finishing exercise may help support building muscle. If your goal includes building more muscle, drinking a protein shake after a workout may support this goal. However, a protein shake before or after a workout can be beneficial. (18,19)

Talk to your healthcare provider for more information about the timing and amount of protein you need to reach your fitness goals.

Are Protein Shakes Good for Weight Loss?

A high-protein diet is a weight loss strategy often recommended by healthcare providers. (21)

Protein shakes can be a convenient way to achieve a high-protein diet for weight loss.

Not all protein shakes are created equal. Almased is a protein shake with a powerful blend of superfoods and more than 30 years of research on its health benefits.

Almased Helps Promote Fat and Weight Loss

Several studies have found that Almased can promote fat and weight loss.

A 2021 study with more than 450 people showed that using Almased for 12 weeks was associated with weight loss and improved nutritional intake. (22) Another 2021 study showed that Almased may promote more fat loss than other diets with the same amount of calories. (23)

When combined with exercise, Almased can encourage fat loss and improved metabolism. (24)

Almased Promotes Satiety

Eating breakfast can help you feel full and make healthier food choices throughout the day. (6) Clinical studies have also shown that Almased can promote a feeling of satiety (feeling full) and balance appetite-regulating hormones, such as leptin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). (24,25)

To learn more about how leptin affects your appetite, you can read Fight Obesity With Leptin Supplements.

Almased Supports Your Metabolism

Almased protein shakes can help optimize a slow metabolism. Using Almased can encourage your body to burn more energy and promote a healthy balance of hormones, like insulin and leptin. (22,25)

Almased can also promote healthy levels of fat and sugar in the blood. (26)

Almased Is a Convenient Breakfast That Can Support Your Health

Almased is a protein shake you can feel good about having for breakfast every day. Not only does it provide 24 grams of protein plus all the nutrients you need to start your day right, but it also promotes weight loss and supports your metabolism while curbing hunger.

Almased can fit into any busy morning routine to make sure you get the benefits of a healthy breakfast. Simply mix a serving of Almased with water, skim milk, oat milk, or almond milk, shake, and go! Adding ingredients, such as coffee, cocoa powder, or berries, can help you feel satisfied.

Try Almased today if you’re looking for a convenient breakfast option or a weight-loss shake.

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