Not only do plant-based proteins provide that filling, muscle-building macronutrient, they\u2019re also rich in compounds that support your overall health \u2014 including gut health.<\/p>\n
There are two key things to look for in gut-healthy plant-based protein foods, says Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne is the obvious, which is fiber<\/a>,\u201d Rizzo says, \u201cand most plant-based proteins have at least some fiber.\u201d Fiber helps keep your digestive system moving regularly. It also supports your heart-healthy and slows digestion, which helps avoid blood sugar spikes.<\/p>\n Some types of fiber, found in certain plant foods, are also prebiotics<\/a>, a type of compound that supports the growth of healthy gut bacteria.<\/p>\n The second trait to look for is probiotics<\/a>, which are healthy gut bacteria found in fermented foods, Rizzo says. Different types of these gut microbes have different roles in your body, including helping you absorb nutrients from food and supporting healthy digestion, as TODAY.com explained previously.<\/p>\n Outside of diary foods, like Greek yogurt, there aren\u2019t a ton of foods that provide both protein and probiotics, Rizzo notes. But there are some plant-based foods that are rich in protein and gut-healthy nutrients, including both fiber and probiotics.<\/p>\n Dietitian\u2019s No. 1 Plant-Based Protein for Gut HealthTempeh<\/p>\n Made of fermented soy beans that have been pressed into a block, tempeh is one of the only plant-based proteins that provides both fiber and gut-healthy probiotics, Rizzo says.<\/p>\n Tempeh\u2019s nutritional profile is similar to that of soybeans. You\u2019ll get about 18 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in one serving of tempeh<\/a>. This plant protein is also rich in essential amino acids, including leucine, which supports muscle growth<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s firm-yet-crumbly texture makes it a great sliced meat substitute in sandwiches, like this veggie-packed maple \u201cbacon\u201d BLT.<\/a> And it can be a perfect plant stand-in for ground meat in this tempeh bolognese<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other Gut-Healthy Plant-Based Proteins to TryBeans<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for both healthy plant protein and fiber, beans<\/a> are going to be one of the best places for you to look, Rizzo says.<\/p>\n While all beans are rich in protein and fiber, white beans have the most fiber<\/a> of any type of bean, TODAY.com explained previously. For example, one half-cup serving of navy beans is packed with 9.5 grams of fiber and about 7.5 grams of protein. White bean are also quite high in calcium, an essential mineral that supports bone health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Try a classic white bean salad<\/a> or soup, or give high-fiber black beans or kidney bean a try if you prefer.<\/p>\n Oats<\/p>\n Providing about 5 grams of protein per serving, this whole grain may not be as high in protein as the other items on this list. But it is rich in heart- and gut-healthy soluble fiber<\/a>, Rizzo says. <\/p>\n And, when paired with a high-protein milk or non-dairy milk alternative<\/a> (such as soy milk), your bowl of oatmeal can make it easily reach 12 or more grams of filling plant protein<\/a>. <\/p>\n Add some nuts, seeds and fresh fruit to your oatmeal for added protein, fiber and antioxidants. Give Dylan Dreyer\u2019s blueberry<\/a> or apple oatmeal<\/a> a spin for a delicious, nutritious plant-based breakfast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Not only do plant-based proteins provide that filling, muscle-building macronutrient, they\u2019re also rich in compounds that support your…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":793467,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":["post-793466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=793466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793466\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/793467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=793466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=793466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=793466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}