5 high-protein, high-fiber foods a top nutritionist eats regularly instead of meat for better gut health – Business Insider
2025-05-01T11:43:00Z
Dr. Federica Amati said people focus too much on eating enough protein. The source of protein is more important, she said.
Federica Amati said that plants are healthier sources of protein than animal products.
Federica Amati said that plants are healthier sources of protein than animal products. ZOE/Getty
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You don’t need to be scoffing steaks or gorging on protein shakes to get enough of the macronutrient — a top nutritionist says plant-based protein is the best kind and better for your gut health than meat.
Hitting protein targets is a huge health trend. But Federica Amati, the lead nutritionist at Zoe, a science and nutrition company, told Business Insider that most people get enough and shouldn’t worry about eating more protein unless they’re an athlete or actively trying to change their body composition.
But where people get their protein from matters, she said.
Amati, who’s also a medical scientist at Imperial College London, referred a study that followed 50,000 healthy nurses, who were between 30 and 55 years old when the study started, from 1984 to 2016. The results of the study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last year, found that the nurses who ate more protein, and specifically plant protein, had a higher chance of being free from 11 major chronic diseases, having good mental health, and not having cognitive or physical impairments as they aged. Meanwhile, the study said participants who ate more animal protein had an increased risk of chronic disease.
Similarly, a 2021 study of 474,985 middle-aged British people by researchers at the University of Oxford found that participants who ate more red and processed meat were more likely to develop heart disease, pneumonia, diabetes, and growths in the colon. Participants who ate more poultry had a higher risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases and diabetes, the study found.
Amati said the results of the 2024 study suggested that better health outcomes came not from consuming more protein but from eating more fruit, vegetables, and whole foods. The researchers said the dietary fiber, micronutrients, and polyphenols in plant foods are associated with positive health effects, including reduced low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and decreased inflammation.
Amati still eats some animal proteins but gets most of her protein from plants. ZOE
Amati does eat some animal-based proteins. She eats oily fish twice a week, and eggs and fermented dairy — kefir and Greek yogurt specifically — regularly. But most of her protein comes from plants, she said.
Even if you don’t go fully plant-based, research suggests it’s possible to significantly reduce your risk of chronic disease by replacing some animal protein with plants, Amati said.
She shared some of the best sources of high-fiber plant protein that she eats regularly.
Nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast, or “nooch,” is deactivated yeast that has a cheesy flavor and contains B vitamins.
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“It’s a nice example of a food that has both protein and fiber,” Amati said. In terms of nutritional value, 100 grams of nooch contains about 50 grams of protein and about 20 grams of fiber.
A dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet previously told BI she incorporates nooch into her diet by sprinkling it on savory dishes as a cheese replacement. The gut health expert Tim Spector, Amati’s colleague at Zoe, uses it instead of bouillon cubes to add flavor to his cooking.
Soy products
Soy products are good sources of protein and fiber. There are about 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in 100 grams of edamame beans, and around 20 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber in 100 grams of tempeh. And 100 grams of tofu contains about 8 grams of protein but less than 1 gram of fiber.
Tofu is a great plant-based source of protein. Natasha Breen/Getty Images
A 2020 study of 210,000 people found that participants who ate at least one serving of tofu a week had a lower risk of heart disease than those who ate it less than once a month. The researchers suggested that the estrogen-like compounds in tofu could mirror the beneficial effects of estrogen in women who weren’t taking supplemental hormones, or the fiber and minerals found in tofu could help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Oats
Amati often eats oatmeal or overnight oats in the morning, adding kefir, chia seeds, and fruit.
When it comes to nutrition, 100 grams of steel-cut oats contain about 10 grams of fiber and 12 to 13 grams of protein. Oats also contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which has been associated with reductions in LDL cholesterol.
Legumes
Amati eats legumes every day as part of her personalized “five-a-day” target for gut health. For lunch, she often eats lentils or canned beans with whole grains and leafy greens.
Different types of beans have different nutrient contents, but 100 grams of canned chickpeas contains about 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are also part of Amati’s five-a-day goal.
She said chia seeds are high in macronutrients, with around 17 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber per 100 grams of dry seeds.
To incorporate nuts and seeds into her day, Amati keeps a bag of mixed nuts in her bag at all times for a snack and sprinkles nuts on her morning oatmeal.
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