Dietitian shares the breakfast that helps her hit protein and fiber goals at the same time
Breakfast is your chance to start the day off right and take the first step towards your nutritional goals. But sometimes it feels like our goals might be competing, especially when it comes to two of the most talked about nutrients these days: protein and fiber.
There are easy ways to make progress on both of those goals with the same meals and, sometimes, the same foods. For example, as one dietitian tells TODAY.com, there’s a simple meal she makes every week that provides filling protein and gut-healthy fiber.
Diet tip of the day: Try chia pudding to meet protein and fiber goals
When it comes to high-protein and high-fiber breakfasts, registered dietitian Grace Derocha tells TODAY.com that chia seed pudding is a consistent favorite.
And it’s not just a breakfast item in her house — Derocha loves chia pudding as a snack or even as a dessert.
“I make chia seed pudding every week, like a big batch, and everyone in the family loves it,” she says. “Chia pudding has fiber, it has heart-healthy fats and it has some protein,” she adds, so it’s the perfect nutrient combination to keep blood sugar balanced, especially in the morning.
And she’s not alone. Other dietitians that TODAY.com has spoken to recently also mentioned chia seed pudding as a high-fiber, high-protein and low-carb meal that’s a great vehicle for healthy fresh or frozen fruit, seeds and nuts.
Why it matters
While we often think of fiber and protein as separate nutrient goals, “the real power is (eating) protein and fiber together,” Derocha explained previously.
“When combined, protein and fiber can really help slow the system down,” she said, which helps slow your digestion, keeps you full and supports better blood sugar control.
There’s an endless variety of ways to combine protein and fiber in your meals, but one of the easiest is with foods that provide a good amount of both nutrients, such as chia seeds.
One serving of chia seeds packs 5-6 grams of protein and a whopping 10 grams of fiber, making these tiny seeds one of the highest-fiber foods you can eat. They’re also rich in magnesium, which supports blood pressure, Derocha said, as well as heart-healthy fats.
The catch is that a full serving of chia seeds is 2 tablespoons, which is a lot of chia seeds, Derocha said. That’s another reason why chia pudding is such a great option: It’s one of the few ways to actually eat that many chia seeds in one meal and reap the nutritional benefits of a whole serving.
How to get started
The basic concept of a chia seed pudding is letting the seeds soak in liquid overnight in the fridge. By the time you’re ready for breakfast the next day, they will have taken on a gel-like, pudding consistency.
Your liquid of choice could be milk or a non-dairy milk alternative, like almond milk, soy milk or coconut milk.
And from there, you can top your pudding with whatever you’d like. Dietitians previously mentioned using ingredients like fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, nut butter and a dollop of Greek yogurt for added flavor and nutrients. Feel free to drizzle a little honey or maple syrup on top or mix into your pudding for sweetness.
Or you could opt for a savory profile with flavorful herbs and spices along with riced cauliflower.
Here are a few simple TODAY recipes for chia pudding.
If you’re not ready for a full-on chia seed pudding, you can easily add some chia seeds to your overnight oats, as in Dylan Dreyer’s strawberry overnight oats.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.