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Easy High Protein Breakfast Ideas for PCOS: 5 Recipe Ideas

Protein is a key component in a PCOS friendly diet but getting high protein at breakfast can be really hard.
If you’ve been looking for some easy high protein breakfast ideas for PCOS, I’ve got several great ones I hope will help you!

Let’s chat a bit about some of the best high protein breakfasts for PCOS and some common mistakes I see clients make when trying a high protein diet.

I’ve also just launched a new resource for you guys called The Ultimate Guide to Protein for PCOS. I’ll tell you more about that below but you can also find the Ultimate Guide to Protein for PCOS here.

Now let’s get into it!

Benefits of high protein breakfasts for pcos

The benefits of high protein diets for PCOS are numerous and the benefits of high protein breakfasts for pcos are even more!
The main takeaways are these: Higher protein diets can help balance insulin and blood sugar levels- key issues in the development of pcos symptoms.  Remember insulin is the trigger for all that extra testosterone! Functional Nutrition for PCOS

Protein is the most filling nutrient and keeps you full longer, helping you avoid cravings.

Protein is also helpful for gut health and stress responses. Many of the amino acids in Protein, like glycine, help to support the delicate lining of the gut and microbiome. This matters for PCOS because it helps reduce gut based inflammation, a common cause of higher testosterone.

Common high protein breakfasts for pcos

Women with PCOS are usually busy. We have the regular demands of life along with the needs of our condition. We’re also usually tired (hello PCOS fatigue!) Top Signs of High Cortisol and Adrenal Dysfunction in PCOS

In my experience, we are typically reaching for things like protein shakes or bars. These can be a great option (see my favorites here) but these often fail to get you added nutrients you could be benefiting from.

Additionally, as a nutrition professional I see a lot of frequent mistakes when women are trying to bump up their protein for their PCOS. Let’s talk about a few of these:

Common pitfalls of high protein breakfasts for pcos

The most common mistakes I see when women try to eat high protein for PCOS are:

• Not paying attention to macros aside from protein or to calories
• Leaving out helpful nutrients that could easily be added and benefit their PCOS

Pitfalls of High Protein Breakfasts for PCOS: Macros

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that calories are not the most important thing in a PCOS diet and we shouldn’t track them obsessively. This is true for carbs and fats as well.

However, many breakfast foods, especially breakfast meats like bacon, sausage and even eggs are pretty high in both fat and calories compared to other sources of protein.

On the other hand, foods like beans and whole grains can be good sources of protein but may be too starchy and high carbohydrate to really benefit PCOS on their own.

When we focus only on protein amounts at breakfast and try to meet them with breakfast meats that are high in fat, we may end up having to eat a portion that is too high in both fat and calories to support our overall health with PCOS.  Same with plant based proteins- eat too many and we may unintentionally spike our blood sugar too much.

Fortunately, there are a lot of other great high protein breakfast options out there!

More common mistakes of high protein for breakfasts for pcos

The second pitfall I typically see kind of goes along with the first. When we overfocus on the protein sometimes we lose sight of the overall picture.

Sure, we could eat 3 eggs on their own and get to our protein goals, but does eating 3 eggs alone for breakfast make sense for the rest of our PCOS goals?  Is a breakfast that has only protein really nourishing us?

Occasionally these kinds of breakfasts are just fine, I know I frequently have a protein shake for breakfast. But if we’re already making the effort to get protein, let’s also remember to add some anti-inflammatory nutrients that are quick and simple- a handful of berries and some high fiber toast could round out our meal helping us meet our goals.

If you’re curious what the overall goals for your PCOS day should be, you d benefit from my PCOS foundations course! You can find that here.

You also might want to check out this article How to Plan Your PCOS Diet like a Nutritionist

Easy High Protein breakfast ideas for pcos

I know you’re curious what these breakfast ideas are so let’s get to it!

But before we do, if getting a high protein diet for PCOS feels very overwhelming for you, you’d probably love my easy e-guide called “the ultimate guide to protein for pcos”

It’s packed full of my best tips and guidance for how to figure out your unique protein needs and how to eat enough, meal prep, cook to make it taste good, and more. There are recipe ideas for meals and snacks and even handy quick guides and tables of protein sources. I’ll take the guessing out of protein for PCOS by giving you the exact advice you need to know like what proteins are best for PCOS.

You can find more here.

Now on to the recipes

Greek Yogurt Parfait:
1 cup of Greek yogurt (about 20g of protein)
1/2 cup of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1 tablespoon of slivered almonds
Optional: drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon

Spinach and Feta Omelette:
3 large eggs (about 18g of protein)
1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese (5g protein)
1/4 cup of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of olive oil for cooking

Salmon and Avocado Toast:
2 slices of whole-grain toast (about 8g of protein)
1/2 avocado, mashed
3 oz of smoked salmon (about 16g of protein)
Sliced cucumber and radish for topping

Protein Smoothie Bowl:
1 scoop of protein powder (24g)
1/2 cup of unsweetened milk of choice
1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries
1 tablespoon of almond butter (4g)
1 tablespoon of hemp seeds
Optional: sprinkle of granola or sliced almonds for topping

Chia Seed Pudding:
2 tablespoons of chia seeds (about 6g of protein)
1 cup of unsweetened soy milk (about 8g)

1 scoop collagen or protein powder (24g)
1/2 cup of diced mango or pineapple or berries
1 tablespoon of shredded coconut
Optional: a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for sweetness

These breakfast ideas provide a balanced combination of protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied and energized throughout the day.

My typical high protein PCOS breakfasts

I have PCOS too so I’m always trying to get my protein in.

Usually, I’ll do something simple like some Applegate Farms breakfast sausage with some berries or a matcha latte with protein powder.

Often I will also do a protein shake using my favorite Be Well by Kelly Protein powder (this one– you can use my code AMBER10 for a discount if you’d like to try it).  If I do that, though, I will either make it a smoothie with greens and berries or I’ll make sure to add extra fiber and nutrients to my other meals during the day to make sure I make up for the lack at breakfast.

Every once in a while, especially on weekends, I like to switch it up by doing one of the above.

Keys to Healthy PCOS Breakfasts

With PCOS, the key is a breakfast that is high protein, high in anti-inflammatory nutrients (fruits and veggies), contains some healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, etc) and is low to moderate in carbohydrates.  This ensures that the balance falls in the favor of building up our nutrients but also not triggering major spikes in our blood sugar.

I’ve got several other great breakfast ideas in the Ultimate Guide to Protein for PCOS that I think you’d love so don’t forget to check it out here!

Get your protein!

I hope this article has helped spark some inspiration and ideas for how to get more easy high protein breakfasts for your PCOS!  I wish you the best on your journey, talk soon!

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