Whether you are plant-based or not, protein is undeniably an essential part of your dietary intake; it’s one of the macronutrients that makes up part of just about all foods, and its inclusion in your diet is essential to ensure that your body is able to repair muscles, and just generally carry on ticking over. 

But how much do we really need? 

With the rise of ketogenic and high-protein fever, there are a lot of health and fitness gurus who recommend ketogenic diets (high fat, moderate protein), or diets that are extremely high in protein; much higher than is recommended by the national health guidelines of just about any country. 

In one of the world’s largest studies comparing nutritional profiles, the dietary habits of over 71,000 Americans from varying dietary backgrounds (nonvegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and strict vegetarian) were compared to examine the intake of various nutrients and macronutrients, and their effects on the likelihood of developing disease. With thanks to this study, there is a definitive end result to the answer “do we get enough protein?”

This particular study revealed that the average protein requirement across all subjects was roughly 42g/day. Naturally, the non-vegetarians were WELL above this level, but not-surprisingly, so were all of the other dietary groups. Every. Single. One. The results showed that “on average, vegans and vegetarians get 70% more protein than they actually need”, with less than 3% of Americans getting less protein than they strictly need. It’s reasonable to assume that the people not meeting their ideal protein intake are most likely part of a highly controlled diet, possibly for health reasons. Even without this allowance, 97% of the population getting adequate protein? I like those stats.  

Dr Michael Greger highlights that while protein concerns are largely unfounded, what is potentially a more pressing issue is the recorded consumption levels for fibre, with less than 3% of Americans getting adequate intake of dietary fibre. This is especially concerning as there is an established link between consumption of adequate dietary fibre and a reduction in risk for diabetes, obesity, cardio vascular disease (CVD) and numerous cancers; all of which are leading causes of health maladies in the United States, and elsewhere in the world. 

Many people have been misled to where adequate fibre can be sourced from. As a rule, the only source of dietary fibre comes from plants, and ingesting fibre in this way is highly preferable to taking dietary fibre supplements – not to mention cheaper! There is no dietary fibre in eggs, dairy or meat products, and only minimal in processed foods. 

To hit you with some deets (though, admittedly, a few years old now);

In 2014:

• 96% of Americans did not meet the dietary recommendation for beans and legumes. 

• 96% did not meet the dietary recommendations for dark leafy greens.

• 99% of the population were not consuming enough whole grains.

That’s crazy! And so easy to improve upon, with minimal cost or effort involved. 

When increasing fiber intake, it is recommended that you do not increase your intake by more than 5g/week, in order to minimize any gastro-intestinal distress arising from the extra digestive demand. Simply being sure to eat more plants, legumes and whole grains as part of your diet will help to boost your fiber intake, and in turn increase the sensation of fullness, help with maintaining blood sugar, a stable body weight, as well as reducing your risk for numerous health concerns. In addition to this, beans, rice and legumes are often one of the cheapest cooking ingredients, have an extraordinarily long shelf life, and are readily available just about everywhere. 

If kale is outside your region (or your budget – or taste buds, yuck), simply making a few more achievable swaps can hugely boost your fiber intake;

1. Instead of your regular processed cereal in the morning, switch to oats. Even quick-oats! At the moment I’m eating my way through a box of Quaker Oats.  
2. Instead of white rice or rice noodles, eat brown rice.
3. Eat broccoli, cabbage, and all other manner of plant ‘roughage’. Eat what you like. Eat green things, eat leafy things. If you don’t like bok choy, don’t eat bok choy. If you hate Brussel sprouts, don’t feel obligated to eat them. Find non-starchy veggies that you enjoy, and be sure to incorporate them into your diet each day. 

Not sure how to keep track of your fibre intake? Try entering a few days of your dietary intake into Cronometer (it’s completely free, linkable with your fitness watches, and available either via the web, or their phone app).

Just as a reminder, increasing your fiber intake; 

• Improves the sensation of fullness, leading to less hunger pangs and better success with weight management
• Helps to regulate blood sugar 
• Helps to protect you from numerous cancers 
• Works to protect you from heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol 
• Feeds your digestive system, and encourages your body to expel waste (ie it makes you poop) 

There are literally no downsides! 

Happy chewing! 

Sources: 

• J Y Wick. Diverticular disease: Eat your fiber! Consult Pharm 2012 27(9):613 – 618.
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• A Moshfegh, J Goldman, L Cleveland. What we eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual nutrient intakes from food compared to dietary reference intakes. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service 2005.
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• P Clarys, T Deliens, I Huybrechts, P Deriemaeker, B Vanaelst, W De Keyzer, M Hebbelinck, P Mullie. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients 2014 6(3):1318 – 1332.
• J M Jones. Dietary fiber future directions: Integrating new definitions and findings to inform nutrition research and communication. Adv Nutr 2013 4(1):8 – 15.
• R Chutkan, G Fahey, W L Wright, J McRorie. Viscous versus nonviscous soluble fiber supplements: Mechanisms and evidence for fiber-specific health benefits. J Am Acad Nurse Pract 2012 24(8):476 – 487.
• S M Krebs-Smith, P M Guenther, A F Subar, S I Kirkpatrick, K W Dodd. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J Nutr 2010 140(10):1832 – 1838.
• D E King, A G Mainous III, C A Lambourne. Trends in dietary fiber intake in the United States, 1999-2008. J Acad Nutr Diet 2012 112(5):642 – 648.
• Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary reference intakes: proposed definition of fiber. A report of the panel on the definition of dietary fiber and the standing committee on the scientific evaluation of dietary reference intakes. Institute of Medicine. 2001. National Academy Press: Washington, DC.