Protein early in the day keeps fat away

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NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Eating a high-protein breakfast with nuts may lead to being leaner and less hungry during the rest of the day, a fitness expert says.

Charles Poliquin said his single best dietary tip for optimal leanness, energy and sustained mental focus, is the meat-and-nuts breakfast, which allows for a gradual rise in blood sugar and results in decreased cravings throughout the entire day, AskMen.com reported.

Examples of Poliquin's high-protein breakfast are one to two lean turkey burgers and a handful of almonds, a salmon omelet and a handful of walnuts, or two lean ground-beef patties and one handful of Brazil nuts.

"The Effects of Consuming Frequent, Higher Protein Meals on Appetite and Satiety During Weight Loss in Overweight/Obese Men," published in the journal Obesity last April, followed subjects throughout the course of the day after they consumed either a high-protein diet or a normal-protein diet.

The study found eating higher-protein meals led to a greater feeling of satiety, less preoccupation with thoughts of food and a decrease in late-night eating.

The nuts provide a great dose of healthy fats that allow blood sugar to remain stable for a longer period of time, Poliquin said.

Poliquin said although beef is a great source of protein, people can become allergic if it is consumed every day, so he suggests using a variety of meat and not eating the same protein source two days in a row.