CENTENNIAL, Colo. – As Daylight Savings time ends this weekend, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is requesting consumers to add beef to their breakfasts to ensure a healthy and satisfying morning meal.

Including protein like lean beef at breakfast promotes satiety, which can curb hunger when trying to maintain or lose weight, research relays. Another new study finds balancing protein intake across three meals by increasing protein intake at breakfast and lunch protects muscle when losing weight.

"People tend to consume about 65% of their protein in one sitting at dinnertime, not realizing all the benefits of spreading protein intake throughout the day," said Dr. Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, and executive director of nutrition research with the NCBA, which contracts to manage nutrition programs for the beef checkoff. "It is especially important to think outside 'the cereal box' when it comes to breakfast because high-quality protein foods like lean beef can be an important addition to the morning routine."

Many advantages exist when enhancing breakfast and incorporating the right balance of protein, nutrients and flavor, Dr. McNeill said:

• There are many convenient ways to include lean protein in a breakfast from grab-n-go hand-held foods to gourmet weekend brunch.
  
• Lean beef is a naturally rich source of 10 essential nutrients, and a good addition for everyday breakfast favorites like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.
  
• One 3-oz. serving of lean beef provides nearly 50% of the Daily Value for protein. From folding 95% lean Ground Beef into a breakfast burrito to using last night's leftover pot roast in a beefy sweet potato hash, beef makes it easy to incorporate more protein into your daily breakfast schedule.
• Including protein at breakfast promotes satiety, which can curb hunger when trying to maintain or lose weight. Choosing lean beef as a source of high-quality protein is actually a calorie-saver. One 3-oz. serving of lean beef totals, on average, about 154 calories. A person would have to eat more than seven tablespoons (680 calories) of peanut butter to get the same amount of protein.