One of my clients, a 32-year-old working woman, came to me struggling with constant cravings and weight gain despite “eating healthy.” On reviewing her meals, I noticed a gap – she was eating protein sometimes and fibre sometimes, but rarely together. For example, she would have boiled chana in the evening but without any vegetables. Within an hour, she was hungry again.
Interestingly, when she tried increasing her protein intake on her own, she also experienced constipation, which is a very common issue when fibre intake is low. This made her even more reluctant to continue with a protein-rich diet. We restructured her meals to combine the two. A chana salad was made fibre-rich by adding cucumbers, tomatoes and onions rather than serving chana alone. Instead of serving plain paneer with roti, we added sautéed spinach and beans on the side. Within six weeks, she not only lost 4.5 kg but also reported that her cravings had reduced drastically and her digestion became smooth. She described her meals as “light yet filling” – a simple change that gave long-lasting results.
What is the need to add proteins to fibre?
For a few decades now, protein and fibre have been the central nutrition labels prioritised on every meal box. Most Indians either consume very little protein or add fibre separately without realising how powerful the two can be when combined.
To begin with, fibre maintains the digestive system, regulates blood sugar and enhances satiety, while proteins contribute to muscle and tissue synthesis, muscle preservation, and metabolic health. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism demonstrated that the combination of protein and fibre in meals increased satiety by an additional 30 per cent compared to meals made up of a single nutrient. This is effective in curbing appetite and reducing overeating, which supports weight management.
Essentially, protein is for body construction, while fibre is for moderating digestion to control the pace at which energy is made available. Protein and fibre work together to keep one full, curb cravings and sharpen metabolism. Having just dal, which is protein, could lead to earlier hunger, and having only salad, i.e., fibre, is not very fulfilling either.
How can we combine protein with fibre across three meals
Breakfast combinations can be besan chilla (Chickpea flour pancakes) with grated vegetables and curd, oats cooked with milk, topped with flaxseeds and apple slices and moong dal chilla (lentil pancake) stuffed with spinach.
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Your lunch platter could vary between rajma with rice, cucumber and onion salad. Have grilled chicken/fish with sautéed vegetables and paneer bhurji (scrambled cottage cheese) with whole wheat roti and salad.
For dinner, have quinoa khichdi with moong dal and plenty of vegetables. Try a spinach tofu curry with multigrain roti. Or opt for masoor dal with sautéed beans and bottle gourd.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reports that the average protein consumption among Indians falls significantly short of what is recommended. The lack of fibre in the diet is just as, if not more, concerning. The need to combine these two, therefore, cannot be stressed enough.
(Simrat Kathuria is a clinical dietician)
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