Fall Back Into Breakfast

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- As you turn your clocks back to mark the end of Daylight Savings, take a few of those extra minutes to add a healthy, protein-packed breakfast to your morning routine.  Research suggests that including protein like lean beef at breakfast promotes satiety, which can curb hunger when trying to maintain or lose weight(1). What's more, a new study finds that balancing protein intake across three meals by increasing protein intake at breakfast and lunch protects muscle when losing weight(2). With these benefits in mind, Daylight Savings is the perfect opportunity to save your day and break free of your morning rut with a protein-rich breakfast.

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"People tend to consume about 65 percent of their protein in one sitting at dinnertime(3), not realizing all the benefits of spreading protein intake throughout the day," said Dr. Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, and Executive Director of Nutrition Research with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage nutrition programs for the beef checkoff. "It is especially important to think outside 'the cereal box' when it comes to breakfast because high-quality protein foods like lean beef can be an important, simple and delicious addition to the morning routine."

According to Dr. McNeill, there are many advantages to beefing up your breakfast and incorporating the right balance of protein, nutrients, and flavor.

Why Beef Up Breakfast?

Breakfast is Easy: Breakfast doesn't have to be time-consuming. There are many simple, creative and delicious ways to include lean protein in your breakfast routine. Visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for a bevy of beefy new breakfast ideas -- from grab-n-go weekday wonders to gourmet ways to beef up your weekend brunch.

It's a Nutrient Powerhouse: Lean beef is a naturally rich source of 10 essential nutrients, and a perfect partner for your everyday breakfast favorites like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, making it simpler to start your day in a balanced way.

A Little Beef Goes A Long Way: Just one three-ounce serving of lean beef provides nearly 50 percent of the Daily Value for protein(4). From folding 95 percent lean Ground Beef into a breakfast burrito to using last night's leftover pot roast in a beefy sweet potato hash, beef makes it easy to incorporate more protein into your daily breakfast schedule.

Help Shed Those Pounds: Including protein at breakfast promotes satiety, which can curb hunger when trying to maintain or lose weight(5). What's more, choosing lean beef as a source of high-quality protein is actually a calorie-saver. A 3-oz serving of lean beef is, on average, about 154 calories. You would have to eat more than 7 Tablespoons (680 calories) of peanut butter to get the same amount of protein(6).

For more information on recipes, nutrition information and to learn more about how to include nutrient-rich lean beef in your daily breakfast routine, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

About The Beef Checkoff

The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national Checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

About The National Cattlemen's Beef Association

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor to the national Beef Checkoff Program which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Board. Consumer-focused and producer-directed, NCBA and its state beef council partners are the marketing organization on behalf of the largest segment of the food and fiber industry.

(1) Leidy H, Bossingham M, Mattes R, Campbell W. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009; 101, 798–803.

(2) Devkota S, Layman D. Protein metabolic roles in treatment of obesity. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition. 2010; 13:403-407.

(3) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2005. What We Eat In America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual nutrient intakes from food compared to dietary reference intakes. Internet: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg (accessed 13 October 2010).

(4) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2010. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23.

(5) Leidy H, Bossingham M, Mattes R, Campbell W. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009; 101, 798–803.

(6) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2010. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23.

SOURCE The Beef Checkoff