Looking for hormone balancing breakfast ideas? First let’s talk about breakfast – why you need it and how to do it in a way that supports hormone balance. Breakfast is probably the most polarizing meal in the health world. It has long been touted as “the most important meal of the day” while also being consistently and proudly skipped by intermittent fasters, old school dieters and busy people everywhere. But let’s be clear – when it comes to your health (and your hormones), eating a balanced breakfast is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Why You Need to Eat Breakfast for Hormone Balance
Eating a balanced breakfast sets the tone for your day by stabilizing blood sugar and boosting metabolism, both of which are foundational for hormone health. When you skip breakfast, instead of signaling your metabolism to start turning food into fuel, you’re telling your body to run on stress hormones, like cortisol instead. This might feel okay for a few hours but eventually you’re going to crash and then will likely be battling the ups and downs of imbalanced blood sugar for the rest of the day – hello anxiety, cravings and brain fog!
If skipping breakfast becomes a habit, morning hunger cues will become suppressed due to a slowed metabolism – the real reason many people don’t feel hungry in the morning! If this sounds like you, start with eating something small in the morning (ideally before drinking your morning coffee) and your morning appetite will eventually build back up.
What Makes a Balanced Breakfast
Now that we can agree on the importance of eating breakfast, we must also acknowledge that not all breakfasts are created equal. What we eat for breakfast also impacts our blood sugar throughout the day so we want to choose something stabilizing.
A balanced breakfast ideally includes protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and fiber. Eating carbohydrate-centered breakfasts (such as cereal, toast or oatmeal) with minimal protein, fat and fiber will lead to a similar blood sugar crash as skipping breakfast would. Balanced blood sugar is key for balanced hormones.
It’s also common to think that breakfast should be a smaller meal, but studies have actually shown that eating a bigger breakfast (and eating more of your daily calories earlier in the day) has beneficial effects on womens’ hormones and metabolism.
So don’t be afraid to fill your plate. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by the positive effects of eating an actually satisfying breakfast.
Protein and Hormone Balance
Eating adequate protein is important for hormone balance not only because including it in meals helps balance blood sugar, as previously mentioned, but also because proteins are essential for hormone signaling and synthesis. Protein also supports lean muscle mass which has a positive impact on metabolism, glucose sensitivity (blood sugar) and, therefore, hormone balance.
Thus, a hormone balancing breakfast is also a protein-rich breakfast!
How much protein each person needs is highly individual, but a good place to start for most women is 20-30 grams per meal. This might feel like a lot at breakfast if you aren’t used to eating high-protein in the morning. If that’s the case, start with a lower goal and work your way up!
High-Protein, Hormone Balancing Breakfast Ideas
3 Egg Scramble with Veggies + Avocado Toast – An egg has 6g of protein so using 3 gets you closer to your protein goal. You could add another protein source, like cheese, to your scramble to hit 20 g or put a scoop of collagen in your morning coffee.
Berry Tahini Smoothie – Most protein powders contain at least 20g of protein per serving, making this an easy way to hit your morning protein goal, especially if you prefer sweet over savory. This is my personal favorite smoothie, plus it includes plenty of hormone supportive ingredients.
Greek Yogurt Bowl with Berries and Granola – Greek yogurt is a great source of protein with about 15 grams per serving. Add a little more protein by mixing in your favorite protein powder or have a few breakfast sausages on the side.
Breakfast Burrito – Wrap up 2 scrambled eggs, sausage, salsa, avocado and whatever your favorite toppings are for a portable high-protein breakfast option!
Lox or Smoked Salmon Toast – This is a great savory alternative to eggs! Spread 2 pieces of toast with cream cheese, ricotta or a dairy free alternative and top generously with lox or smoked salmon, sliced red onions and dill.
If you are looking for personalized support with balancing hormones, improving gut health or optimizing fertility, you can learn more about working with me 1:1 here.
