The Power of Protein: How to Optimize Gut Health & Hormones as a Woman
surviving on lots of plant protein
I want to educate you on protein so you have accurate information without the overwhelm. Society is over focused on protein and most people aren’t even hitting their fibre recommended daily intake of 25g for women. I know colon cancer rates are going up and fibre is a great way to help potentially reduce that risk. With that being said, let’s dive in to all these protein. Maybe you read my blog post on my favourite sources of plant protein - it was a great starting point.
What Does Protein Do in The Body?
Healthlink BC provides a good summary of the benefits of protein. Protein provides building blocks for growth and cellular repair, that includes damaged intestinal walls (gut health!). Protein also makes enzymes (your digestive enzymes) and hormones, which carry out key bodily functions. A higher protein diet does help lower blood glucose after a meal so if you’re sensitive to that or have type 2 diabetes, I recommend pairing your carbs with a protein or fat source. The type of protein you choose to consume can even impact your microbiota so it’s safe to say, it impacts many functions of the body from hormonal health to immunity to gut health.
Protein and Hormones
Supports insulin sensitivity → Balanced blood sugar and reduced cravings
Regulates cortisol → Prevents stress-related inflammation & burnout
Supports estrogen detoxification → Helps clear excess estrogen via liver & gut
Boosts progesterone production → Aids in reducing PMS & perimenopausal symptoms
Thyroid hormone support → Provides amino acids like tyrosine for thyroid function
Protein & Gut Health
Amino acids like glutamine support gut lining integrity, reducing leaky gut & inflammation.
Protein promotes microbial balance → Supports beneficial gut bacteria that aid digestion.
Higher protein intake is linked to better microbiome diversity when paired with fiber-rich foods
Signs of Protein Deficiency
edema, swelling in feet as fluid is leaving the blood vessels
muscle wasting
bone fractures
thin hair
brittle nails
low serum albumin
sugar cravings
Signs of Too Much Animal Protein
high levels of liver enzymes
kidney may be impacted (stones, too much urea)
increased risk of colon cancers with red meat
cardiovascular disease
The Plate Method
If you’re a visual person like me who isn’t going to track of weigh food daily, I love the plate method. The idea is 1/2 your plate is filled with non starchy vegetables, 1/4 is filled with starchy vegetables or grains and 1/4 is protein. Then, fats are added if not already included in the meal (dressing, avocado, hemp seeds). This is a good ball park way to ensure you’ve got a little of everything on your plate. It doesn’t need to be exact.
Another way of demonstrate how much of each macronutrient you need per day is the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR). This is a breakdown of where you get your energy from.
Total protein percent of energy: 10-35%
Total carbohydrate percent of energy: 45-65%
Total fat perfect of energy: 20-35%
How Much Protein Do You Need In Grams?
The amount of protein recommended in Canada may actually be a little low compared to new research. The current guidelines suggests most adults need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
To calculate the protein target for health:
Step 1: Weight in pounds (lbs) ÷ 2.2 = weight in kg
Step 2: Weight in kg × 0.8 = average daily protein need (g)
Who needs more protein?
people with jobs that aren’t sedentary
if you exercise regularly
you want to gain more muscle mass
perimenopausal women as the decrease in estrogen impacts metabolic health
Research shows people may benefit more from 1.2 to 1.6g of protein per kilogram
Step 1: Weight in pounds (lbs) ÷ 2.2 = weight in kg
Step 2: Weight in kg × 1.6 = daily protein for above people
Women who are athletes, perimenopausal, or dealing with metabolic issues may benefit from 1.6-2.2g/kg. I recommend 1:1 advice.
The Case for Plant-Based Protein, At Least Sometimes
A neat research study looked at animal and plant protein intake in 131 342 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (1980 to end of follow-up on June 1, 2012) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 to end of follow-up on January 31, 2012). The results are fascinating.
“Replacing animal protein of various origins with plant protein was associated with lower mortality. In particular, the hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 0.66 (95% CI, 0.59-0.75) when 3% of energy from plant protein was substituted for an equivalent amount of protein from processed red meat, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84-0.92) from unprocessed red meat, and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.88) from egg.
High animal protein intake was positively associated with cardiovascular mortality and high plant protein intake was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, especially among individuals with at least 1 lifestyle risk factor. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially that from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source.”
The takeaway: eating more plant based proteins, even if only a 3% switch leads to better health longer term.
In Canada, it’s recommended to choose plant based proteins more often. The concern, I don’t think many people are doing that so I’m here to inspire you to try to increase your plant protein (which also means more fibre). Plant-based proteins are also more affordable and in today’s economy, we need that.
Incomplete Proteins
I can’t talk about protein without bringing up incomplete proteins. We have 9 essential amino acids meaning we need to get these 9 from our diet.
It’s NOT a concern! Back when I went to nutrition school, they taught us you needed to pair different amino acids to get a complete protein. Well, guess what? That’s now proven incorrect in research because we store amino acids for several days. This would only ever be a concern if someone ate the same couple proteins over 3-4 days or didn’t his the RDA for protein. I’m guessing everyone reading this has variety and are likely exceeding the RDA for protein. Also, every plant protein does contain every amino acid, the amounts just vary. The protein I use has added leucine which is low in plant-based foods, but I’m not a vegan athlete so I’m not even worried about it.
Digestibility of Plant Protein
A key thing to note is plant protein also contains fibre, which I think is a good thing. The amount of fibre present in protein impacts how well it’s digested. To be cautious, it’s recommended to add 10% to the recommended protein intake for adults. PS tofu is extracted form soybeans so it’s absorbed like animal protein as the fibre is mainly lost.
Phytic Acid and Lectins
Social media and a certain doctor who profits off his supplement line make you believe this is a concern, but it’s not. Tell me, when was the last time you ate a raw bean high in lectins? Can you imagine! Of course you would cook your beans and this reduces the lectins.
Phytic acid can bind to some minerals, but this is only ever a concern if you don’t eat a variety of foods causing very low mineral status. Phytic acid is an antioxidant associated with less cancer risk and it helps with blood sugar regulation. I personally soak all my grains (and beans if cooking them from scratch) and this reduces phytic acid. I opt for soaking overnight because the food cooks faster in the morning!
Vegans and vegetarians (or plant-heavy diets) have better health outcomes so lectins and phytic acids being harmful just doesn’t make sense. And yes, people with diets high in plants have lower rates of heart disease, cancer and metabolic disorders.
Tips:
if you’re cooking up ground beef, why not add in lentils to that so it’s 50/50
do a curry with tofu, it’s so good I promise
try a plant-based protein if you like smoothies
meatless monday
track your food intake for 3-5 days with cronometer and see how much saturated fat, animal protein and fibre you’re consuming
Spread protein intake evenly throughout the day (aim for 25-30g per meal).
Pair plant proteins for a complete amino acid profile (e.g., lentils + quinoa, beans + rice).
Support digestion by eating protein with enzymes (like fermented foods) & mindful chewing.
Combine protein with healthy fats & fiber for better absorption & hormone balance.
Top Plant-Based Sources of Protein
3/4 cup of tofu = 12g
1/4 cup of hemp seeds = 13g
beans, pea, lentils cooked = 12g
2 tbsp of natural peanut butter = 8g
1 cup soy milk = 8g
1 slice of bread, varies = 4g
1/3 a box of pea/chickpea pasta = 20g
1/2 cup quinoa cooked = 4g
1/4 cup edamame =11g
1/4 steel cut oats cooked = 6g
1 cup brown rice = 5g
protein powder = 20-30g per scoop
if you eat fish, this is also a good source that doesn’t contain high saturated fats
As you can see, if you’re intentional about it you can easily get enough protein.
Sample Day:
Breakfast: I have steel cut oats with 1/2 -1 scoop of of protein. The oats, soy milk and protein (30g per scoop) all contribute to hitting my protein goals. I add blueberries and sometimes top with hemp seeds or peanut butter. I also have a soy milk matcha, another 8g.
Lunch: Varies a lot and sometimes it’s leftovers from the night before. Today, it was chickpea pea pasta with pesto, tomato sauce, tempeh and pea. Other days, I have a smoothie or toast with avocado and smoked tofu. If you eat gluten, bread will have more protein than a gluten-free option.
Dinner: We love curries with tofu, red lentils added to soups, a protein and 2 sides (roasted vegetables and tempeh or broiled tofu or beluga lentils). We do tacos with black beans and beyond. In the summer, we may do salad rolls or a big salad with edamame or white beans.
Is Soy Good For You?
Yes and I have an entire blog on why. Read it here.
I hope this was so helpful. If you have any questions I didn’t address please add a comment on this blog post and I’ll make sure to update the blog.
Looking to work 1:1 with a plant-based gut and hormone nutritionist? I’m accepting new clients - and you don’t have to be veggie to work with me. To learn more about my services, head here.
Research and References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14522731/
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/sites/default/files/healthyeating/pdf/quick-nutrition-check-for-protein-en.pdf
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8840478/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27479196/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26960445/
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/sites/default/files/documents/quick_nutrition_check_for_protein_sample_menus.pdf
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables/reference-values-macronutrients.html
Plant Powered Protein by Brenda Davis RD
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8383315/