It is about half an hour after your lunch, and you are staring at the vending machine again. Your brain refuses to stick to your diet regimen. Your focus is out of the picture. All you can think about are sweets. Anything sweet to get through the rest of the day. And before you know it, you are eating the sweet treat. Sounds familiar? Reaching for a snack right after lunch is more serious than it seems. It is definitely not about your willpower. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a leading California-based gastroenterologist trained at Harvard and Stanford, has explained the reason why some people cannot stop snacking after lunch.
Why You Cannot Stop Snacking
According to Dr. Sethi, this afternoon craving is often tied to your breakfast. “I had a patient who could not understand why she was raiding the vending machine every afternoon at 3 PM. She would eat a ‘healthy’ breakfast of oatmeal with fruit, but by mid-afternoon, she was desperate for cookies and candy,” he said in a recent newsletter. The doctor discovered the cause once he learned about her breakfast. “When I looked at her breakfast, I found the problem immediately. Zero protein,” he said.
Your ‘Healthy’ Breakfast Could Be the Problem
Dr. Sethi explained how people end up missing protein on their plates. That is when a ‘healthy’ breakfast can backfire. “When you eat a breakfast that is mostly carbs, even healthy carbs like oatmeal, your blood sugar spikes and then crashes a few hours later. That crash is what is driving your afternoon cravings. A breakfast can look ‘healthy’ but still lead to cravings later,” he explained. This is exactly why adding protein to your breakfast is important. Dr. Sethi also referred to multiple studies that suggest getting enough protein at breakfast has profound effects on what people eat the rest of the day.
What Happens When You Eat a High-Protein Breakfast?
If you want to prevent afternoon snacking, eat more protein. According to Dr. Sethi, when people ate high-protein breakfasts, they:
- Consumed less food throughout the day
- Had fewer cravings for sugary and processed foods
- Made better food choices naturally
How Much Protein Do You Need for Breakfast?
Dr. Sethi suggests getting 25-35 grams at breakfast. Good sources include:
- Eggs (one egg = 6-7 grams)
- Greek yogurt
- Chicken or turkey
- Chickpeas or beans
“I try to get 25-35 grams of protein at every meal, especially breakfast. It sets up my entire day for success. Fix your breakfast. Watch your cravings disappear,” he said. So, if you find yourself obsessing over snacks after lunch, try fixing your breakfast first!
