Ask the RD | August
Our registered dietitian, Jamie, offers answers to nutrition-related questions our community have submitted over the past month.
The information shared within this blog is meant for informational purposes only and should not be received as medical advice.
If you have a question to submit, please click the button and watch for a response the following month. Before submitting a question, we invite you to visit the main page for Ask the RD and enter a keyword into the search box — your question may already be answered!
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Recent research is showing that the order in which you eat food can impact how your body responds to the meal. This concept is called meal sequencing and has shown benefits in hormonal response, blood sugar management, and even weight management. Research suggests that the consumption of protein and/or fat prior to carbohydrate intake can enhance the body’s secretion of a glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1 (yes, like the synthetic hormone found in weight loss medications, such as Ozempic and others). This helps you feel fuller for longer and can suppress appetite by moderating the secretion of insulin and glucagon, while slowing gastric emptying (the process of moving food from your stomach to your small intestine). Fiber before carbohydrates can also be beneficial by slowing digestion and reducing blood sugars spikes associated with consuming carbohydrate-rich foods.
By adjusting the sequence of your food intake – fiber first, then protein and/or fat, and lastly carbohydrates – we can slow digestion to feel fuller longer, eat less, improve blood sugar response, and maybe even lose a bit of weight.
An example of meal sequencing might be starting your meal with your salad or broccoli, followed by chicken, fish, or other protein food, and then finishing with rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Though this concept may offer some benefits, it is not always a practical way of eating as our meals are also not always so straightforward. When we eat combination foods, such as whole grains and starchy veggies (carb + fiber), beans and lentils (carb + fiber + protein), or even mixed meals like soups, casseroles, stir fries, we can’t always separate out the fiber from the protein and carbohydrates. The overall recommendation is to focus on eating balanced meals and snacks throughout your day. For the healthiest meal planning, be sure to hit your fiber goals and eat a varied diet consisting of mostly fresh and minimally processed foods.
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Preparing plant-based proteins can feel overwhelming if you’ve never cooked with these foods before. And many folks say they don’t like them without ever having even tried them! Plant-based proteins are nutritional powerhouses when it comes to fiber, nutrients, and protein. Plus, they are a more economical alternative to most animal-based options. Give some of these healthy and delicious foods a try by following these tips:
Tofu: Tofu comes in a variety of consistencies, from smooth and soft (silken) to firm and spongy (firm, extra firm). If you are using one of the firmer varieties, it is recommended to press the tofu between paper towels or clean kitchen towels to absorb some of the excess water. This helps the tofu to take on more of the flavors added during cooking and creates a crispier end product. As tofu alone does not have a ton of flavor, it is helpful to season it well with spices or a marinade. Once pressed, cut your tofu into desired shape and size, then add marinade until well-coated. Allow the tofu to marinade for at least 30 minutes before cooking. If seasoning your tofu, add herbs and spices throughout the cooking process for a richer flavor. You can cook tofu using several methods including sautéing, scrambling, steaming, baking, grilling, air-frying, or pan-frying. When pan-frying or roasting, use a bit of oil in the pan and allow the tofu to cook until nicely browned on the pan side; if disturbed too soon or too often the fragile tofu will stick and tear.
Tempeh: Steaming tempeh before flavoring and cooking can help to lessen the bitterness, as well as allow for enhanced flavor upon seasoning. Tempeh can be steamed in the microwave for 5 minutes using a bowl of water, or on the stove top for 10 minutes using a steamer basket. Once steamed, marinade or season the tempeh to your liking as you would meat. You can then sauté, bake, air-fry or grill the tempeh depending on the recipe.
TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein): As TVP is a dehydrated product, you will need to add liquid to it before preparing. Use a hot liquid such as water or broth in a 1:1 to 1:2 ratio. Allow the TVP to soak for 5-10 minutes or until softened and doubled in size. Once rehydrated, drain and squeeze out any excess liquid and season as desired. You can cook TVP as you would ground meat in tacos, chilis, soups, stir fries, casseroles, and more.
Beans: When cooking dried beans, always give them a good rinse to remove any debris. Next you will need to soak the beans before cooking them. You can do this a few ways:
Traditional - Cover the beans with cold water and allow them to soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Quick Soak - For faster soaking, cover beans with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and cover, then allow to soak for 1-2 hours before cooking.
Crock pot - Simply soak dried beans in water for 6-7 hours on low heat, or 3-4 hours on high heat until beans are still firm but soft.
Instant pot - Add beans and water to the pot. You can also add in desired seasonings and spices before cooking as the instant pot combines the soaking and cooking process. Secure the lid and set to high pressure for the appropriate amount of time depending on which type of bean you are using. When the cooking process is complete, allow the pressure to be released naturally. Once all the pressure is released, open the lid, stir the beans and season with salt.
Additional resources:
Our Providence Heart Guide offers recommended cook times and ratios for cooking grains and legumes!
Visit our Recipe Collection to access several recipes using plant-based protein or the option to swap in lieu of other protein types. In the Search bar on the webpage, you can also enter “vegetarian” to narrow down to recipes tagged with plant-based ingredients.
Join us for In the Kitchen in August as we focus on proteins! We will discuss the health benefits across a variety of dietary lifestyles. Register for free and plan to attend our virtual classes: 30-minute live nutrition education session, and a live cooking session where we will share preparation ideas.
Previous related Ask the RD posts:
“Are there health benefits of eating tempeh? How do you prepare it?” (November 2024)
Jamie Libera, RD, LD, CCTD, is a clinical dietitian within the Providence health system. She works closely with the heart programs in offering consultations for heart failure patients, cardiac rehab patients, and serves as the nutrition consultant for Basecamp Prevention + Wellness. Jamie offers monthly nutrition-based classes and a monthly heart-healthy recipe as part of Basecamp’s free community programming.