Does your typical morning routine involve grabbing a pan, frying two eggs, and throwing them on top of a slice of toast? Same. That is, until recently. A few weeks ago, I learned that two eggs—which have a total of about 12 grams of protein—are far below the recommended 30 grams of protein dietitians say you should be eating for breakfast.
Since then, I’ve been scrambling (much more than just eggs) to figure out ways to boost my protein intake—which is precisely what led me to Magic Spoon Cereal. This nutrient-packed cereal is packed with protein that’ll help you tackle the busy day that comes after breakfast, plus it comes in a range of deliciously fun flavors and nostalgia-inducing packaging.
Why RDs say that 30 grams of protein for breakfast is the gold standard
According to Brierley Horton, MS, RD, co-host and co-creator of the Happy Eating podcast, and Vanessa Rissetto, MS, RD, CDN, CEO and co-founder of Culina Health, the amount of protein we require at breakfast varies from person to person, but that two eggs simply won’t cut it in most cases. “Protein intake recommendations should be based on an individual’s size, fitness level, age, and goals—but generally speaking, roughly 25-40 grams is a good place to start for breakfast,” Horton and Rissetto previously shared with Well+Good.
So, why’s there so much buzz around adding loads of protein to your brekky? And before anyone says otherwise: It’s far from being all about the #gains. Research shows that getting enough protein can help keep your immune system strong, support skin and nail health, and boost your longevity.
How Magic Spoon cereal can help you meet your protein quota
While a number of store-bought cereal brands do contain copious amounts of sugar and additives, Magic Spoon, a grain-and gluten-free cereal company, is *blessed* (pun intended) exception. The brand offers a wide array of tasty, no sugar added, high-protein cereals, from fun flavors like cinnamon roll and peanut butter to cocoa and my all-time favorite, birthday cake. “Magic Spoon is a protein-packed way to start your day on the right foot and stay full all morning long, with 12 to 14 grams of complete protein, only four to five grams of net carbs, and no artificial ingredients,” says Gabi Lewis, co-founder of Magic Spoon.
To put things into perspective in the protein department, check out this detailed chart of how Magic Spoon stacks up against other comparable products on the company’s website. At a glimpse: Froot Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Reese’s Puff only have about two grams of protein per similar-sized serving (36-38 grams). Meanwhile, Magic Spoon Cereal has about 12 to 14 grams of protein per 36 to 38-gram serving. But wait, isn’t that just as much protein as two eggs and under the recommended 30-gram threshold? Indeed, it is. However, when you’ve exhausted your egg breakfast recipe options (and the price for them continues to skyrocket), a bowl of cereal is also a great option to boost your protein intake.
What’s more, the folks at Magic Spoon Cereal recommend combining the cereal with other high-protein foods like Greek yogurt to get you to that 30-gram goal. (Yup, a three-quarter cup serving of Chobani Whole Milk Plain Greek Yogurt has about 16 grams of protein.) So, 12 to 14 grams from Magic Spoon Cereal plus 16 grams from Greek yogurt…I’ll let you do the math.
Lewis also points out that Magic Spoon’s protein comes from whey protein concentrate, which contains all essential amino acids. This means it’s a complete source of protein, aka it has all nine essential amino acids: lysine, cystine, methionine, threonine, histidine, leucine, tryptophan, valine, and phenylalanine. “The human body is able to produce 11 out of the 20 amino acids on its own. But the other nine must be obtained from daily food sources,” Scarlett Full, RD and nutrition scientist, previously shared with Well+Good.
TL;DR? Eating 30 grams of protein for breakfast is easy with the help of a delicious bowl of cereal that comes in fun flavors (ahem, maple waffle) and colorful mood-boosting packaging when paired with other delicious high-protein foods.
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