Dr Rupy Aujla says he has changed his mind “massively” on protein in the past couple of years.
The GP and nutritionist, who is known for his appearance on This Morning, BBC’s Morning Live, and Saturday Kitchen, now advocates for considerably higher protein consumption than current UK guidelines, which recommend roughly 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight daily.
“I used to be of the opinion that current guidelines were sufficient,” admits the 39-year-old.
However, based on recent research, Dr Aujla now believes this figure should be increased by at least 50 per cent, and in some cases, doubled.
He argues that previous guidelines focused on the bare minimum, rather than optimising health and well-being.
Dr Aujla, who runs The Doctor’s Kitchen and recently published Healthy High Protein, explains, “We’ve been suggesting a lower amount to prevent deficiency, rather than an adequate amount to help us thrive.”
He says his own previous protein deficiency led to fatigue and low energy, particularly impactful given his regular exercise routine, which further elevates protein needs.
He says that those who exercise regularly require significantly more protein.
What is protein?
“Proteins are complex molecules that are essential for nearly all biological processes, and they’re composed of 20 amino acids,” says Dr Aujla.
When we think about protein we often think about building muscle, but only 25 per cent of dietary protein goes towards that purpose.
“The vast majority of the rest of the protein that you’re consuming and recycling in your body is going to other areas; enzymes, hormones, cell structures, bones, hair, nails,” he says.
What happens if you don’t eat enough protein?
When you don’t eat enough protein, your body starts drawing on your biggest source of protein materials – your muscles.
“So you actually get mild muscle breakdown, ” explains Dr Aujla.
“You can tolerate this for a small amount of time, but then you’ll probably end up getting some mild symptoms. It could be breaking your hair, brittle nails, lack of energy and fatigue [or] frailty, particularly as we get older. And all these things coalesce into generally feeling not your best.”
Do we need more protein as we age?
“You need more protein as you get older,” stresses Dr Aujla, for a number of reasons.
“Reason one is your appetite tends to go down, so the amount of energy you consume through food tends to reduce. And so overall, you’re not consuming enough protein.
Secondly: “If you were to consume enough protein, your digestive system doesn’t work as well, so you’re not absorbing enough proteins from the diet.”
And finally” “Even your response to proteins reduces when you’re above a certain age, around 50 years old, you experience something called anabolic resistance. It’s essentially where your muscles don’t respond to dietary protein in the same way they would do if you’re in your 20s and 30s. So you actually need to consume more protein to have the same desired effect on your muscles and your general health.”
Is it possible to consume too much protein?
“It’s very hard to,” says Dr Aujla.
“You’ve got to be really motivated, like a bodybuilder, to get too much protein into your diet, but it is possible. But even if you were to do that, your body is really efficient at excreting any excess proteins. It gets broken down to the amino acids. Your body is like ‘we don’t need it’ and it goes out via urine and stools.”
Consuming a lot of fatty animal protein can be a problem though, he notes, for example rib-eye steak, chicken thighs with the skin on or processed meats like sausages and chorizo. “Because you’re getting a lot of saturated fat as well as the high-protein animal-based product,” he says.
“Whilst [your body] will be able to get rid of the protein, if you’re consuming a lot of energy in the form of saturated fat, that puts you at high risk of cardiovascular disease. We know that high amounts of saturated fat in the diet is associated – or causative – of high amounts of cholesterol, and that can lead to dementia as well as heart attacks.”
What’s a healthy way to eat protein?
Dr Aujla says he leans towards eating lean meats and plant-based sources of protein, because “they have added benefits beyond just the protein”.
While animal sources will give you protein and some B vitamins, those can be sourced from plants too.
Variety is the strategy here. So instead of having red meat as your sole source of protein, think oily fish, tofu, tempeh, and lean chicken.
Some studies show that if you have more plant-based proteins into your diet, you live longer and you’re at lower risk of different conditions, Dr Aujla notes.
Adding a variety of nuts and seeds to your diet is a really easy way to bolster your plant-based protein – peanuts are particularly high in it, at about 10 grams of protein per handful.
Walnuts and almonds are seven or eight grams a handful.
You can also put hemp seeds into salads and smoothies, or use in the base of a curry, he suggests. Or add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter into a Thai curry with coconut milk: “It adds a depth of flavour of the sauce and a lovely texture, but a good amount of protein as well.
“Edamame beans, that you can get frozen and can be thrown into casseroles, have got around 15 grams [of protein] per 100 grams, as well as tons of fibre.”
Are protein shakes OK?
Some have a lot of ingredients added to them, including emulsifiers, additives, gums and sweeteners, on top of the whey protein, Aujla warns – and are going to “negatively impact your gut health”.
“Particularly because they are marketed as daily drinks so you’re getting a daily dose of ultra-processed food.”
If you are going to take them, he suggests the unflavoured, single-ingredient whey protein is better (although, still processed) and to make the shake with whole ingredients, like banana or milk. There are also plant-based varieties made from a blend of pea, soy, corn and rice, which can be “equally effective”, he says.
