Why Protein at Breakfast Matters — And Why Eggs Are a Perfect Way to Start Your Day

Ham & Egg Breakfast Grilled Cheese

Ham and Egg Breakfast Grilled Cheese

Start your morning with protein, and you may be giving your body a better foundation for the day.

At Gemperle Family Farms, we’ve always believed that a good high protein breakfast is more than just something to get you out the door in the morning. It’s an opportunity to give your body the nourishment it needs to get the day started right.

And one of the most important pieces of that breakfast puzzle is protein.

That’s where eggs really shine.

A large egg provides about 6 grams of high-quality protein, along with important vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Eggs are also one of the most affordable and versatile sources of protein you can put on your breakfast plate. The Egg Nutrition Center describes eggs as a nutrient-dense food and highlights their protein, choline, vitamin D, lutein and zeaxanthin.

But what does the science actually say about protein at breakfast?

Why Does Protein at Breakfast Matter?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients our bodies need every day, along with carbohydrates and fat. It provides the amino acids our bodies use to build and maintain muscles and other tissues.

But protein can be especially helpful in the morning because it can help with satiety — that satisfied, comfortably-full feeling after eating.

Research has found that breakfasts containing more protein can increase feelings of fullness and reduce hunger compared with lower-protein breakfasts.

In one randomized study of healthy adults, researchers compared an egg breakfast containing either 30 grams of protein or 20 grams of protein plus fiber with a lower-protein cereal breakfast containing 10 grams of protein. The higher-protein egg breakfast produced significantly greater satiety, while both egg breakfasts reduced the post-meal glucose response and subsequent food intake compared with the lower-protein cereal breakfast.

That doesn’t mean every breakfast needs to contain 30 grams of protein. It does suggest something worth remembering:

Adding a quality source of protein to breakfast can make breakfast more satisfying.

Eggs: Small Package, High-Quality Protein

Not all proteins are exactly alike.

Egg protein contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. The quality of egg protein is one reason eggs have been used extensively in nutrition research.

And you don’t need a complicated recipe to get it.

Two large eggs provide roughly 12 grams of protein for around 140 calories.

Add a piece of whole-grain toast, some berries or other fruit, and perhaps vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes or peppers, and you have the makings of a balanced breakfast.

Harvard’s Nutrition Source also recommends eggs as one of several healthy protein choices, alongside foods such as beans, nuts, tofu, fish and poultry. The bigger picture, Harvard emphasizes, is the overall eating pattern and the foods we choose to eat with and instead of eggs.

The Egg Breakfast Research Is Pretty Interesting

Scientists have been studying eggs at breakfast for years.

In one randomized crossover study, adults who ate an egg breakfast reported greater satiety and consumed less energy at the following lunch than when they ate an equivalent bagel-based breakfast.

Another study involving adult men compared an egg breakfast with a bagel breakfast containing the same number of calories. The men reported less hunger and greater satisfaction after the egg breakfast and consumed fewer calories at lunch. Their total energy intake over the following 24 hours was also lower after the egg breakfast.

More recent research continues to explore the relationship between protein quality, quantity and appetite. Importantly, the results aren’t identical in every study. For example, a 2022 randomized trial found that when egg and cereal breakfasts contained similar amounts of protein, simply having higher-quality egg protein did not consistently produce greater satiety or lower overall food intake.

And that’s an important lesson:

Nutrition science isn’t about finding one magic food. It’s about understanding how foods fit into an overall healthy eating pattern.

Eggs Bring More Than Protein to the Breakfast Table

Protein may be the star of this story, but the egg yolk brings a whole supporting cast of nutrients.

Choline for Brain Health

Eggs are one of the most concentrated sources of choline in the American diet.

Choline is an essential nutrient involved in many important functions, including normal brain and nervous-system function. The Egg Nutrition Center highlights choline as an important nutrient for lifelong brain health.

And here’s something we don’t want to overlook:

Eat the yolk!

Nearly half of an egg’s protein and most of its vitamins and minerals are found in the yolk, according to the Egg Nutrition Center.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Eye Health

Egg yolks contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients associated with eye health.

Research has also shown that these compounds from egg yolk are bioavailable — meaning our bodies can absorb and use them.

Vitamin D

Eggs are also one of the relatively few foods that naturally contain vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays important roles in maintaining healthy bones and supporting normal body functions. The Egg Nutrition Center notes that eggs provide about 6% of the Daily Value for vitamin D per egg.

What About Cholesterol?

This is probably the question we hear most often.

For decades, eggs were viewed primarily through the lens of their dietary cholesterol. Nutrition science has become much more nuanced.

Harvard’s current guidance notes that, for most people, dietary cholesterol has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol levels than the overall mix of fats in the diet. Harvard also notes that moderate egg consumption can fit into a healthy eating pattern for most healthy individuals.

That doesn’t mean nutrition is one-size-fits-all. People with certain health conditions may have different dietary needs and should discuss egg consumption with their healthcare professional.

The bigger takeaway is to look at the whole plate — and the whole diet.

An egg paired with vegetables, fruit and whole grains is a very different breakfast from an egg served alongside large amounts of processed meats, refined carbohydrates and saturated fat.

Building a Better Breakfast

So what does a protein-rich breakfast actually look like? feed

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Try building your breakfast around four simple components:

1. Protein
Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans or another quality protein source.

2. Produce
Fresh berries, bananas, apples, tomatoes, spinach, peppers or whatever fruits and vegetables you enjoy.

3. Whole grains or other high-fiber carbohydrates
Whole-grain toast, oatmeal, whole-grain tortillas or potatoes.

4. Healthy fats
Avocado, nuts, seeds or a small amount of olive oil.

And, of course, eggs can play the starring role.

A Few Gemperle Family Breakfast Ideas

The Classic:
Two scrambled Gemperle eggs + whole-grain toast + fresh berries.

The Veggie:
A vegetable omelet with spinach, peppers, tomatoes and a little cheese.

The Southwest:
Scrambled eggs + black beans + avocado + salsa in a whole-grain tortilla.

The Make-Ahead:
Egg muffins packed with vegetables — perfect for busy mornings.

The Grab-and-Go:
A hard-cooked egg + fruit + a handful of nuts.

And if you have leftover vegetables in the refrigerator, don’t throw them away. Toss them into an omelet or scramble.

That’s one of the things we love about eggs in the Gemperle Family kitchen: they make it easy to turn simple ingredients into a satisfying meal.

The Bottom Line

There is no single food that makes a breakfast “perfect.”

But there is good science behind the idea of making breakfast more protein-rich, particularly when that protein comes as part of a balanced meal.

Eggs offer a lot in a small package:

  • About 6 grams of high-quality protein per large egg
  • All nine essential amino acids
  • Choline
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin A and several B vitamins
  • Lutein and zeaxanthin
  • Selenium and other important minerals

And research suggests that protein-rich egg breakfasts can help increase satiety and, in some studies, reduce food intake later in the day.

So tomorrow morning, before you reach for a sugary cereal or grab a pastry on your way out the door, consider cracking a couple of eggs.

A better breakfast might be as simple as two eggs.

From our family farm to your family’s table, we’re proud to produce an everyday food that has been nourishing families for generations. For more recipes for back to school kids lunch visit the Increedible egg.

Gemperle Family Farms — Farm Fresh Every Day.

Sources & Further Reading

  • Egg Nutrition Center: Science and nutrition education resources on eggs, including protein, brain health, eye health and overall nutrition.
  • Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — The Nutrition Source: Eggs.
  • Harvard Health Publishing: Eggs, protein, and cholesterol: How to make eggs part of a heart-healthy diet.
  • Bonnema et al., randomized controlled crossover trial examining egg-based breakfasts, protein, satiety and food intake.
  • Ratliff et al., randomized crossover study examining eggs for breakfast, appetite and energy intake.
  • Vander Wal et al., randomized crossover study comparing egg and bagel breakfasts and satiety.