A NUTRITIONIST'S TOP THREE WAYS TO GET MORE PROTEIN IN - AND WHY

Protein. It’s a word that can sometimes scare us ladies - a lot. Do you ever struggle to have enough protein day-to-day? Well, ensuring you consume enough protein in your diet is extremely important, especially for women. But why?

We asked Free Soul ambassador and registered nutritionist, Harriet Well, why protein is such an essential part of our diets as females. Plus she gave us her best no-nonsense ways to add more to your day-to-day, to ensure we’re always nourishing our bodies with the goodness it needs.

Consuming enough protein is extremely important for hormone production and regulation. Hormones are produced in the body using amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Amino acids are also necessary for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, which play a critical role in mood regulation.

Protein can help to stabilise blood sugar levels, which is important for hormone balance. When blood sugar levels are unstable, this can lead to insulin resistance, which can negatively affect hormones like oestrogen and progesterone.

Another key benefit of having protein is that it helps to keep you full and satisfied from meals and snacks which helps to prevent overeating and cravings.

You might find it easy to understand the positives of eating enough protein but, it can sometimes be hard to actually implement what you know into your daily routine. It can be difficult to ensure you’re hitting your protein targets when simply, life gets in the way. So, we asked Harriet to give us her top three tips and tricks to get more protein into her diet.

1. Incorporate more lean protein sources into meals: foods like chicken, turkey, fish, and plant-based sources like legumes, tofu, and tempeh.
2. Eat protein-rich snacks: this can help increase your overall protein intake throughout the day. Examples include; Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, and edamame. These snacks are also nutrient-dense, providing additional vitamins and minerals that our body needs.
3. Add a high-protein powder to smoothies or meals: Protein-rich blends are an easy and convenient way to increase your protein intake. It can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, or even baked goods.

At Free Soul we swear by our Vegan Protein Blend. Adding the Free Soul Vegan Protein Blend to our daily routine considerably helps with hormone balancing. This is down to the Peruvian Maca, a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and fibre traditionally used to help regulate hormone balance and improve mood. Recent studies have shown that this adaptogen improves energy and focus. Give it a go and let us know what you think!

**At Free Soul, your wellbeing is our priority, and although we pride ourselves on our expertise in women's health and wellbeing, it is important to acknowledge the individuality of each person. Features published by Free Soul are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease, or replace the advice of your GP. We always recommend consulting with a healthcare provider if you encounter any health concerns, and we’ll always be here to support you so you’re never alone on your journey.