Every attempt I make to find a fun, easy workout online is sabotaged by what feel like pro-protein psy-ops.
Gym influencers complain about how expensive, difficult, and time-consuming it is to get enough of the muscle-building stuff into their diet, encouraging very high (often too high) consumption.
But as an exercise lover myself, I’m afraid my fibre fixation prevents me from going too hard on the stuff.
Lots of high-protein food lacks gut-friendly roughage, which is a shame as it’s crucial to good bowel health.
Thankfully, Dr Karan Rajan, known for sharing his medical wisdom on TikTok, revealed we really can have it all.
In a recent video, the doctor said: “What if you could hit your protein and improve your gut health too?” before listing three of the best gut-friendly sources.
1) Nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast, also known as “nooch,” is popular in vegan and veggie communities because it gives food a cheesy flavour without using any animal products. It also contains some B vitamins, which are helpful to the gut’s lining.
Dr Rajan says that it “has an incredibly high protein density, with 8g of protein in just two tablespoons of the stuff.”
It also contains beta-glucans, a prebiotic also found in oats that “means more anti-inflammatory compounds produced in the gut and the growth of beneficial bacteria.”
2) Greek yoghurt
Greek yoghurt is strained, meaning it’s got a higher concentration of protein compared to other yoghurts (twice as much, according to Dr. Rajan).
“One cup can be about 15-20g of protein,” the doctor added (a cup of yoghurt is about 250g).
“But it’s also a fermented product and contains live cultures,” which are “natural probiotics,” the doctor shared.
3) Edamame beans
You can get up to 18g of protein from 160g of these beans when cooked, Dr. Rajan revealed.
They’re also “very high in fibre” ― a 160g serving will pack 8g of fibre alongside the protein, “which is over a quarter of your daily recommended intake of fibre.”
More specifically, edamame beans contain prebiotic fibres and resistant starches, both of which “are beneficial in different ways in promoting the growth of bacteria like bifidobacteria.”
They also contain something called isoflavones, which are a “type of antioxidant which can help to reduce inflammation.”
I’m sold...