Why I don't believe FIBER is the new PROTEIN
My GI doctor told me “You just needed to eat more fibre to have regular bowel movements and manage your IBS!”
I was pretty aware I was eating a lot of fruits and veggies… but I hadn’t actually *tracked* the grams. SO I just thought okay…. eat even more!
I was loading my morning smoothies with all the veggies, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini…… anything that could be masked with fruit. The texture was always terrible….. but I got it down (Scott did too, even though he would always ask why I was adding so many veggies and flax to my smoothie….) I was eating TONS of fibre so I figured it should fix my digestive issues any day. I just needed to be consistent right?
But I was wrong. And to be honest, this was terrible advice without taking anything else about my case into consideration. I wasn’t asked about my sleep, the supplements I was taking, what I had tried, my eating habits, or my exercise routines…. just to name a few.
There is such a push to eat more veggies, eat more veggies…..
The first thing most people think they need to do to eat “healthier” is eat tons of veggies. YES - we do need fibre for good gut health, but it’s not the only thing, and the timing does matter. When your gut is in a state of imbalance, more doesn’t equal better. Too much can cause more issues.
When I work with clients in The Good Gut Method, I see protein undereaten the most. Protein should be a star of the show - and that is rarely the case. Even if you aren’t working out a ton or at all, your protein needs are higher than you think!
Most importantly, if you want to improve your digestion and bring your gut back into balance you need to prioritize protein.
Lets’s cover the major reasons why protein is so important:
1 - Critical for tissue repair.
Every tissue of the body is built and repaired with protein. If you are dealing with any digestive distress, there is usually some tissue repair that is needed.
2- You need protein to produce enzymes.
Your body produces enzymes to properly break down your food. If you are lacking enzymes you will likely have digestive issues.
3- necessary for stomach acid.
Protein NEEDS stomach acid to break it down. When you eat protein, it triggers your body to start releasing more stomach acid. If you have trouble digesting meat, cutting it out is not the solution. You should be able to break down and tolerate meat!
4- Forms neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are our body’s chemical messengers such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA - all of which impact your mood and play a role in feeling happy, your ability to relax, control your anxiety, fear etc…. Adequate protein is necessary to form neurotransmitters.
5- crucial for THE production of hormones.
Protein creates the framework for hormones to develop. Protein gives your body the building blocks they need to produce hormones like estrogen, insulin, and thyroid hormone (this impacts your metabolism.) As a woman, you are “hormonal” ALL THE TIME. Not just around your period. There are many different hormones in your body and protein has a big impact on them!
6- Muscles and organ longevity.
You can’t build muscle without adequate protein (or adequate amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.) Muscle helps us live a longer and healthier life and in order to achieve that - we need to meet our protein needs.
7- you need protein to detox.
Many cleanses and detoxes (like a juicing cleanse) are deficient in protein, which inhibits the body’s ability to get rid of toxins. Essentially proteins help drag toxins out of the body.
Protein is needed for more than just building muscle and having a hot bod in a swimsuit - just like you learned above. You need it for the structure, function and regulation of every tissue in your body, your organs and muscles. You need muscle to increase your longevity, support your body composition, blood sugar regulation, for strength to prevent injuries and so much more.
We all know to eat more fruits and veggies, but eating more protein is not talked about enough! I always recommend prioritizing animal-based proteins as they are superior to plant-based proteins in terms of their availability of nutrients. Not to mention, plant proteins like beans and rice are much higher in calories for the SAME amount of protein as beef - without the nutrient density and much more difficult to digest.
For example, a 4 oz steak has 300 calories and 28 grams of protein. The same amount of chickpeas has 413 calories and 21 grams of protein (along with that you would need to eat rice to make it a complete protein which would add about over 100 extra calories.)
Women who don’t eat animal protein often see with metabolism and detoxification which can result in acne, hair loss, inability to lose weight, irritability, blood sugar issues, gut issues, bad PMS and brain fog.
Eating more veggies is a good start for improving gut health, but prioritizing protein intake is equally important. Protein is essential for various bodily functions and can help alleviate common gut issues. Adequate animal-based protein intake can improve overall health and prevent various health problems associated with inadequate protein consumption.
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