Protein, fibre and healthy fats

Protein, fibre and fats are three words you hear constantly online, often with a lot of hype. Here is what each one actually does, where to find it in everyday food, and why you rarely need anything special to get enough.

Protein: building and repairing

• Protein is used to build and repair the body, including muscles. Most people get plenty from ordinary meals, so the aim is variety rather than huge amounts.
• Animal sources include fish, eggs, chicken, meat, milk, laban, yoghurt and cheese.
• Plant sources include lentils, beans, chickpeas, seeds, nuts and nut butters such as peanut butter, plus tofu and tempeh. Think of hummus, foul medames, falafel, adas and lentil soups.
• Meat substitutes such as soya burgers can be good protein sources but are often high in salt and fat, so the British Dietetic Association suggests having them in moderation.
• Spreading protein across meals is easy in practice: eggs or labneh at breakfast, chickpeas or chicken at lunch, fish or lentils at dinner.

Plant-based eating and key nutrients

• Plant iron is found in dried fruit, wholegrains, nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds, peas, beans and lentils, but it is absorbed less easily than iron from meat and eggs.
• Eating vitamin C foods with plant iron helps absorption, for example lemon juice on a lentil salad or an orange after a bean stew.
• Iron is especially important for teens who have periods, according to nidirect (NI Government) guidance for adolescents.
• If you eat no animal foods at all, the only reliable sources of vitamin B12 are fortified foods and supplements, so check labels on plant drinks and cereals.

Fibre: the quiet hero

• Fibre helps keep your bowels healthy and helps you feel full after eating.
• UK guidance is about 25g of fibre a day for 11 to 16 year olds and 30g a day for adults. Most adults average only about 20g, and 11 to 18 year olds average about 16g.
• Good sources: oats and porridge, wholemeal bread, brown rice, bulgur (as in tabbouleh), wholewheat pasta, potatoes with skins, beans, lentils, chickpeas, fruit, vegetables, and unsalted nuts and seeds.
• On a label, a food counts as high in fibre if it has 6g or more per 100g.
• Increase fibre from a variety of foods rather than relying on one, and drink enough fluid as you do.

Fats: the type matters

• Saturated fat is found mostly in animal foods plus palm and coconut oil: fatty meat, butter, ghee, hard cheese, cream, chocolate, biscuits, cakes and pastries. Eating too much raises 'bad' LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol when they replace saturated fats. Monounsaturated sources include olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, almonds and peanuts.
• Omega-3 fats come from oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Walnuts, flaxseed and rapeseed oil are plant options.
• UK guidance is no more than 30g of saturated fat a day for men and 20g for women, with children needing less than adults.
• Trans fats, from partially hydrogenated oils, also raise cholesterol. If you see 'hydrogenated oil' on an ingredients list, that is one to have only sometimes.
• Simple swaps: cook with olive or vegetable oil instead of ghee most days, and choose nuts or seeds as a snack some days instead of biscuits.

Putting it together

• A bowl of lentil soup with wholemeal bread gives protein and fibre together.
• A tuna or salmon salad with olive oil dressing covers protein, omega-3 and unsaturated fats.
• Overnight oats made with milk or laban, topped with fruit and a few nuts, provide all three.
• You do not need protein shakes or bars for everyday activity: ordinary food usually covers your needs.