A doctor has shared a key food to help “hit your protein” that may also improve gut health. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan is also known for regularly sharing health tips and tricks on social media.
Dr Raj, as he is known, has millions of followers. The medical expert, who is also an author, also often debunks or validates health claims made by other users on Instagram and TikTok.
In a new post, he explained that cottage cheese is not only full of protein, more than 20g per cup, but that it “also has probiotic-like effects on your gut” due to it undergoing a similar fermentation process to yoghurt. To get the most gut benefits, Dr Raj continued, you should “look for cottage cheese which contains live and active cultures, which means it contains live bacteria or probiotics – usually things like lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium”.
He further explained: “These can add diversity to your microbiome, plus the fermentation process means it’s generally lower in lactose than milk, making it easier to digest for those with lactose intolerance”
Protein plays many vital roles in maintaining our health this includes maintaining muscle strength, wound healing, making new cells and repairing old ones. NHS guidance suggests having at least 20g of protein in every meal.