Want to shed weight? Eat healthy breakfast packed with carbohydrates and protein, a new study said.

Researchers have discovered that women who consume about half of their daily calories in the morning shed more weight in the long term than those who start their day with just a small breakfast.

The study also found that good breakfasters continued to shed pounds while those who skimped on breakfast put them back on.

The researchers also said that eating a breakfast having protein and carbohydrates in larger quantities not only cuts cravings for sugary or stuffy foods later in the day but also promotes the body metabolism.

The researchers at Hospital de Clinicas in Venezuela have based their findings on an study of the breakfasting habits of 100 obese young women.

Dr. Daniela Jakubowicz, who led the study, stated that popular diets that merely restrict carbohydrates often fail as they do not address the problem of cravings.

The researchers believe that that the "big breakfast" diet controls appetite and cravings for sweet food and starches. It is also said to be healthier, because it allows people to eat more fruit.