In focus on protein intake, don’t forget about dietary fibre

Protein has been everywhere lately. You may have seen food products promoting high protein content, or reels online telling you how to boost your intake.

One of the ways protein supports our health is by helping a meal fill us up (satiation) and keeping us feeling fuller for longer between meals (satiety). It does this by influencing our appetite hormones and other metabolic processes.

But protein is not the only nutrient that helps with satiation and satiety. And if we focus too much on protein, we may miss the big picture and forget about other important nutrients.

It’s time to put the spotlight on dietary fibre and where to get it – especially as most of us aren’t eating enough.

Let’s take a look at how much protein you need, how much fibre, and how they compare in keeping you feeling full.

First, do we really need more protein?

The recommended dietary intake of protein for Australian adults aged 19–70 years is 46 grams a day for women and 64g a day for men.

Across your day, this could look like eating:

• 200 millilitres of natural yoghurt (10.6g protein)

• a beef burger (31.5g protein)

• 20g almonds (3.9g protein)

• and for men – an extra 75g of cooked chicken thigh (18.2g protein).

Data from the 2023 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey indicated that, on average, Australian women are eating 78.7g protein a day...

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