Tag Archives: protein

4 protein swaps that will improve your health

November 15, 2016 By in Nutrition that works Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

1. Swap processed red meats (such as sausages, bacon, ham and salami) for unprocessed red meats (such as beef, lamb and pork) and reduce your intake of preservatives, salt and nitrates, improve heart and metabolic health, and prolong your life.

2. Swap unprocessed red meats for poultry or eggs and reduce your intake of heme iron, and improve bowel and heart health.

3. Swap poultry or eggs for seafood (particularly oily fish) and increase your intake of iodine, selenium and omega-3, and improve heart health.

4. Swap seafood for legumes (such as baked beans, chickpeas, red kidney beans and lentils) and increase your intake of plant protein and dietary fibre, improve heart and metabolic health, and prolong your life.

Yes, protein can promote fullness, increase metabolic rate, stimulate the growth of muscle, and support weight management.

But food, of course, is much more than just protein.

How you can eat less sugar and not lose weight

April 18, 2016 By in Nutrition that works Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

An important nutrition principle is the one of replacement: for every food (or nutrient) you remove from the diet, another usually takes its place.

One common limitation I see with many popular diets is that they fail to appropriately advise on replacement. Low sugar, low fat and low carb can each be effective for better health and body weight. But they can each be pointless exercises, too.

To demonstrate, consider these well established research findings:

  • Replacing sugar (and other carbohydrates) with protein reduces weight gain. Yet replacing sugar with other carbohydrates (starchy foods like white bread, rice and crackers), does not.
  • Replacing fat with protein and fibre reduces body weight. Yet replacing fat with carbohydrate, does not.
  • Replacing carbohydrate with polyunsaturated fat (found in sunflower, safflower and soybean oil, and a variety of nuts, seeds and oily fish) reduces heart disease risk. Yet replacing carbohydrate with saturated fat (found in some meats, dairy and butter), does not.

Talking about what to eat less of, matters. But talking about what to eat instead, matters even more.

One simple solution for feeling fuller

August 19, 2015 By in Nutrition that works Tags: , , Leave a comment

There is sound and consistent evidence that including protein in our meal can help us to feel fuller and better manage our weight.

Indeed, research suggests a higher protein diet may be one of the best dietary strategies for long term weight maintenance.

My experience is that whilst we are good at including a protein source at dinner, we too often skip protein at breakfast, and occasionally lunch too.

Some ways to include nutritious protein sources in our meals are:

  • Greek yoghurt with fruit and either muesli or a high fibre cereal,
  • Eggs or baked beans on wholemeal toast with vegetables, such as tomato and spinach,
  • Tuna or egg with a multi-grain salad sandwich,
  • Chicken or lean beef with a vegetable soup,
  • Legumes (beans and pulses like kidney beans, lentils or chick peas) at dinner, particularly if we are vegetarian or not eating meat (although they make for a great addition anyway), and
  • A small tub of yoghurt or a handful of nuts as a snack if we are hungry in between meals.

Note the goal is not to eat as much protein as possible, nor to eat just any food that contains protein.

Instead, it is about making sure we consciously include a nutritious protein source with each meal.

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