Exercise high protein breakfast

5 high-protein breakfasts for a nutritious start to your day

From waffles and pancakes to eggs and oats

Supercharge your breakfast with one of these easy, high-protein, healthy recipes. From baked eggs and overnight oats to pancakes and breakfast burritos, set your day up right and give the most important meal of the day a nutritious makeover.

What is a high-protein breakfast?

‘A high-protein breakfast typically includes foods that are rich in protein and other nutrients that help you feel full and energized throughout the morning,’ explains Georgia Chilton, senior nutrition manager at Fresh Fitness Food. ‘This may include, eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, whole grains and/or leanmeats.’

‘A personal favorite of mine is overnight oats, as you can add in ingredients such as Greek yogurt and protein powder to increase the protein content, before incorporating other ingredients such as berries and nut butter for additional flavor.’

Why are high-protein breakfasts good for runners?

High-protein breakfasts can be beneficial for runners for several reasons:

Helps muscle recovery.

‘Running can put a great deal of stress on your muscles, as it is a high-impact form of exercise,’ says Chilton. ‘Ensuring you are consuming enough protein is vital as protein is needed to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. A high-protein breakfast can provide the necessary amino acids to support this process and aid in muscle recovery.’

Improves energy levels.

‘Protein is a nutrient that is slower to digest than carbohydrates, which means that it can provide a sustained source of energy throughout the day,’ she says. ‘It also slows down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, which can help to stabilize your blood sugar levels and work to prevent sudden drops in energy. This can be particularly beneficial for runners who need to maintain their energy levels over a long period of time and allows them to maintain a steady pace during a run.’

Keeps you feeling full.

‘As protein is broken down more slowly and provides you with a sustained source of energy, it can help to keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer periods of time,’ explains Chilton. ‘This is helpful for runners, as you do not want to go into a session feeling hungry.’

They’re nutrient dense.

‘High-protein breakfasts can be a great source of important nutrients, such as iron and B vitamins, which are essential for energy production and optimal performance,’ she says.

Wondering how you can increase the protein in your day-to-day breakfast? Here are some of our favorite high-protein breakfasts for a nutritious start to your day.

Plant-Based Breakfast Burrito

‘For this plant-based burrito, we’ve swapped chicken for tempeh,’ says Chilton. ‘Soy-based products such as tempeh are an example of a complete plant-based protein. This means they contain all the essential amino acids required by the body.’

Ingredients (makes 2)

• 2 tortilla wraps
• 50g tempeh (diced into 1 cm cubes)
• 30g baby spinach
• 50g black beans (drained)
• 20g red cabbage (finely sliced)
• 1 small, sweet potato (diced into 1 cm cubes)
• 1 red chili (finely sliced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp coriander (chopped)
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 avocado
• ½ small onion (diced)
• ¼ lime (juiced)
• ½ tsp paprika
• Salt to season

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Place the sweet potato and the tempeh into a roasting tray and season with paprika and olive oil. Roast at 180 C until the tempeh has started to turn golden and the sweet potato is cooked through. Then leave to the side to cool.
3. Meanwhile, wash and finely slice the red cabbage and red onion – cover with red wine vinegar until needed and refrigerate. Drain before using.
4. Wash and spin dry the baby spinach.
5. Wash and pick up the coriander.
6. Wash and finely slice the green chilies.
7. Wash the sweetcorn and cut it from the cob or if using frozen sweetcorn, cook as per packet instructions.
8. Mash the avocado with the lime juice.
9. Roll all ingredients into round burritos.

Strawberry Protein Pancakes

‘This stack of delicious, fluffy pancakes will hit those sweet breakfast cravings without giving you the undesired sugar crush,’ says Chilton. ‘They also include a serving of protein to help hit your macronutrient goals and keep you fueled and full until lunch. The addition of strawberries to the batter keeps them sweet and fresh and a bonus is they are both gluten-free and vegan too.’

Ingredients (makes 2)

• 170g buckwheat flour
• Pinch of baking powder
• 20g vanilla protein powder
• 300g oat milk
• 5g olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• 15g maple syrup
• 150g strawberries, washed and finely chopped.

Method

1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients and strawberries together with the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.
3. Heat a small (10-12cm) nonstick pan over a medium heat.
4. Place a ladleful of the batter mix in the pan, let it cook until the underside is golden, and the edges have set, then flip it and continue until it is cooked through.
5. Serve with extra maple syrup, fresh strawberries and mint.

Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats

Packed with protein and fiber, this breakfast will get your day going with the energy you need. Chilton suggests trying these with a bit of peanut butter, too.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 150ml water or milk of your choice
• ½ cup gluten-free oats
• ¼ cup chocolate whey / vegan protein powder
• ½ banana
• ½ tbsp honey

Method

1. The night before, mix the oats and protein powder together, then add your choice of water, milk or dairy-free milk and place in a jar or container and pop in the fridge overnight to chill while you sleep.
2. The next morning all you must do is get your oats and drizzle on some honey, give it a stir and top it with banana.