Think of a high-protein diet and you might picture steak and protein shakes.
But in his new book, “Healthy High Protein,” Dr. Rupy Aujla, a London-based family doctor with a master’s degree in nutrition medicine, encourages people to get out of the mindset that high-protein equals lots of meat and ultra-processed supplements like powders and bars.
Instead, he advises hitting protein targets by eating more plant-based, whole foods, which will in turn increase how much fiber you consume without much effort. Fiber has a wide range of health benefits including a more diverse gut microbiome, which is linked to better health overall.
Aujla explained why it’s important to eat a high-protein diet, and one that’s gut-friendly.
Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders
Aujla thinks people need to understand that protein is “not just for bodybuilders, it’s for everyone.”
It’s true that protein does aid muscle growth by helping them rebuild after exercise, but only about a quarter of the protein we consume is used by our muscles, Aujla said.
The rest is for essential functions, such as repairing cells, building connective tissue, and making immune cells. Eating enough can also boost energy and focus by keeping you satiated, improve bone health, and combat age-related muscle loss.
Although there is a debate among experts over whether the emphasis on protein is overblown, Aujla argues government recommendations — 56 grams of protein per day for US men aged 31 to 50, for example — “are set far too low.”
“While they will prevent deficiency, it’s not necessarily optimum, and that changes according to different people as well,” Aujla added.
People who need more protein include those who:
Aujla aims to consume 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of his body weight daily, to support his lifestyle. Sedentary people who don’t work out should aim for 1.2 grams, he said, adding that those with obesity should calculate their requirements based on their “ideal body weight.”
Aujla has a free calculator on his app and website, The Doctor’s Kitchen, to help people work out their protein needs.
Prioritize plant-based protein sources over red meat and ultra-processed foods
To hit his protein targets while caring for his gut health, Aujla’s diet is 70-75% plant-based, with fish as his main animal source of protein.
He calls this approach “plant-focused” or “plant-forward.”
Aujla encourages people to eat foods like edamame beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, and seeds — which are both high in protein and fiber.
In contrast, red meat may be high in protein but has been linked to colon cancer. Protein powders, shakes, and bars are meanwhile often ultra-processed. Such foods have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, among other conditions.
It’s OK to have a protein shake once in a while, Aujla said, but he advises people not to have them too often.
“I’m obviously going to recommend that people get their protein from whole foods as much as possible, but I do see the inconvenience of not being able to cook every single meal from scratch, so in those circumstances I think it is permissible,” Aujla said.
Prioritize protein at breakfast
Eating protein at breakfast is particularly important, Aujla said.
“If you don’t get enough protein in the morning or to break your fast, your body is constantly signaling that you’re still hungry because we are protein-seeking machines,” Aujla said.
This is why when people only have, say, a piece of white toast, a croissant, or some granola and orange juice, they often feel hungry a couple of hours later, he said.
“Protein is satiating, and so when you start changing up your breakfasts to include more nuts, seeds, maybe some fermented dairy or eggs, you start to benefit from that improvement in focus and energy levels, and crave less,” he said.
By eating more protein, you may also find you lose weight without trying, purely because it keeps you feeling full so stops you getting hungry.
It’s a “lovely side effect,” Aujla said.
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