# Does eating protein for breakfast affect cardiovascular or diabetes risk factors

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-protein-for-breakfast-affect-cardiovascular-or-diabetes-risk-factors/558917>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 30, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-protein-for-breakfast-affect-cardiovascular-or-diabetes-risk-factors/558917 "2010-10-30T21:11:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-protein-for-breakfast-affect-cardiovascular-or-diabetes-risk-factors/558917/1 "2010-10-30T21:11:33Z")

</div>

This isn’t medical advice, just a question. I have read that eating fiber for breakfast can reduce the risk of both type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

> **[A Healthy Breakfast May Protect Against Heart Disease - Harvard Health...](https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/a-healthy-breakfast-may-protect-against-heart-disease)**
>
> Eating breakfast, especially one that includes whole grains, reduces your risk for heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure, reports the May 2008 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter....

However I have never read anything pro or anti protein for breakfast wrt health effects. I’ve heard it can help with weight control, but have never heard of it being studied for chronic disease prevention.

I’ve heard of whey protein being possibly helpful for those conditions. But have no idea of rice, soy, casein, etc proteins have the same benefits. Plus those were studies on whey protein any time of day, not really breakfast.

So

1. Have studies shown protein for breakfast improves health parameters and outcomes for various diseases?

2. If so, does it matter which protein (whey, casein, soy, rice, etc)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-protein-for-breakfast-affect-cardiovascular-or-diabetes-risk-factors/558917/2 "2010-10-31T02:54:45Z")

</div>

How about some relatively non-fatty meat, like some skirt-steak? (This is a serious question.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-protein-for-breakfast-affect-cardiovascular-or-diabetes-risk-factors/558917/3 "2010-10-31T05:17:15Z")

</div>

A high-protein, low Glycemic Index diet (at any time of day) helps control Diabetes, and is a good way to lose weight. But unfortunately, some diabetics are prone to kidney damage, and have to cut their protein consumption.