You may be aware that breakfast is regarded by many as the most important meal of the day. Your body goes into rest mode for almost 8 to 10 hours when you are sleeping through the night. 

Hence, it becomes essential to eat a balanced meal in the morning.

Breakfast should have the right proportion of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibres, and antioxidants. It may be a difficult task to incorporate all these nutrients into your breakfast due to a busy lifestyle. 

You can always try to incorporate as many nutrients as you can, especially proteins in every breakfast meal. A high protein intake can provide many health benefits, like helping your body repair, gain muscle, maintain a healthy weight, and improve your body composition. 

Here are a few items that you can add to your breakfast to make it super healthy and nutritious:

7 Protein-Rich Foods to Include in Your Breakfast

1. Peanuts: A good source of proteins and MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), peanuts will be a great addition to your breakfast. You can use it in different forms as peanut butter, chutney, etc. and spread it on bread or chapati. It works well if added to pre-workout meals also. 

100 g of dry roasted peanuts will give you 24 to 26 g of proteins. 

2. Mixed Sprouts: Soak legumes or seeds in water for 6-8 hours, drain the water, and tie in a piece of cloth for sprouting. Add a handful of sprouts either raw or steamed to your salad. The raw ones will give you good enzymes as compared to the cooked ones whereas steamed ones will be easier to digest. Following are the rough values for steamed sprouts:

  • 100g of Moong (Green gram) - 24 g of protein.

  • 100g Matki (Moth bean) - ·23 g of protein.

  • 100g Chana (Chickpeas) - 19 g of protein.

3. Nuts: Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashew nuts can be added to your bowl of breakfast or eaten as it is. They are rich in minerals like calcium, good fats like MUFA, and omega 3 fatty acids. 


100 g of almonds contain 21 g of protein, 100 g of walnuts contain 15 g of protein, and 100 g of cashew nuts contain 18 g of protein.

 4. Seeds: Seeds such as sesame, flax, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds can serve as a substantial protein quotient for your breakfast. You can eat them as it is or grind them to make chutney or dips like tahini that can be made from sesame seeds.

100 g of sesame seeds contain 18 g of protein, 100 g of flax seeds contain 18 g of protein, 100 g of pumpkin seeds contain 19 g of protein, and 100 g of sunflower seeds contain 21 g of protein.

5. Milk: A glass of milk can be a whole meal in itself. It goes well with chapati, bread, or cereal. You can also substitute your morning cup of tea with a cup of milk.


1 cup of milk gives you 8 g of protein on average.

6. Yogurt: Add a bowl of curd or yogurt to make your breakfast not only protein-rich but yummy as well. You can mix soaked poha (flattened rice) or cooked rice with it to give a better texture and taste. Fruits with yogurt can be another option and make a complete meal. 

1 cup of yogurt gives you approximately 10 to 11g of protein.

7. Eggs: Eggs are among the healthiest and most nutritious food options available. They are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Egg white is pure protein whereas whole eggs are high in proteins. Eat them boiled, scrambled, poached or make an omelette for breakfast. 


One large egg can contain 6 g of protein.

Try to include these high-protein foods in your breakfast and see the difference in your overall well-being.


Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.