Advice from Our Naturopathic Doctors about Increasing Protein

Protein is one of the most commonly under-fuelled macronutrients. Our macronutrients are one of 3 nutrients: carbohydrates, fat, protein. One of the main symptoms of low protein is low energy, but we need protein for immunity, digestion, metabolic health, mental health, hormone health, and more!

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Something that we find comes up often in conversations with our patients is making sure they're getting enough protein because most people tend to underestimate the amount of protein that they need in a day!

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Here are answers to the top questions we get asked when increasing protein in the diet!

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How do I pick a protein powder?‍

• We look for products that have simple ingredients, few fillers, little to no added herbs (can interact with medications), are cost-effective and have a good texture and taste. These are our favourite brands
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What if I can't digest beans?‍

• A lot of people struggle to digest legumes and this can be for many reasons. If you are looking for ways to increase protein without increasing your consumption of red meat, we often recommend adding protein to your meals with nuts, protein rich whole grains, dairy sources (greek yogurt and cottage cheese), a quality protein powder and focus on adding protein rich snacks.
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What can do if I am dairy free?‍

• Try swapping your nut and oat milks for soy milk! It has a higher protein content than other non-dairy milks.
• Add collagen powder to your shakes or water for added protein (there are lots of delicious flavoured ones!)
• Focus on protein rich snacks like eggs, hummus, protein balls, canned fish, nuts & seeds, nut butters.
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What are quick protein rich snacks to have on the go?‍

• Celine's favourites - cottage cheese + chilli crunch dip for veggies and crackers, greek yogurt and berries, boiled eggs, hemp heart and PB energy balls
• Lauren M's favourites - hummus and vegetables, boiled eggs, homemade protein balls nut butter/nuts and seeds, greek yogurt with berries, overnight oats adding protein powder, canned salmon salad (tuna-style).
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What grocery store protein bars do you like?
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• RX Bars - sweetened with dates and protein comes from egg whites, best price is at Costco!
• Go Macro - higher in sugars, but great before or after a training session
• KIND Protein Bars - whole ingredients like nuts and seeds, lower in added sugar than other KIND bars
• Simply Protein - plant-based, available at Costco, very low in added sugar (less than 2g!)
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How do you choose a protein bar at the store? What do you look for?‍

• Nutrition content: ideally, a bar will have 10g of protein, 3 g of fiber, and 12 g or less of added sugar per serving.
• Ingredient quality: we pay close attention to ingredient lists, prioritizing bars with minimal amounts of artificial additives like flavourings, sweeteners, and preservatives.
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What do I do if I am vegetarian/vegan?‍

• Snacks are key for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet! We help you strategize by finding ways to add protein powder to snacks or choose protein-rich snacks.
• We recommend having a home-made trail mix on hand that you can portion out for the week, having hummus with vegetables, and adding protein powder to things like oats, smoothies, power balls.
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What are you favourite protein powders?
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• CLICK HERE for free access to our Guide to Increasing Your Protein that breaks down our favourite Whey and Plant-based protein powders, and collagen powders!
• CLICK HERE to shop our favourite protein powders