Eat for Energy: How Protein, Fibre, and Gut Health Work Together

Do you ever feel like you’re dragging through the day even after a full night’s sleep? Turns out, the secret to steady energy isn’t just more coffee, it’s how you fuel your body from the inside out. Here’s how protein, fibre, and gut health work together to boost your energy levels. 

Why energy can be hard to maintain 

A lack of energy can be caused by a variety of underlying factors. While we often blame a busy lifestyle or poor sleep, the root causes can be more complex and include inflammation, brain fog, sugar crashes, nutrient deficiencies, and poor gut health.

One of the biggest contributors to these energy dips is the modern day diet, that typically consists of refined carbohydrates, low fibre, and a lack of fibre diversity. This type of eating pattern can lead to unstable blood sugar levels, disrupt the gut microbiome, and result in poor nutrient absorption, all of which impact how energised you feel on a day to day basis.

A common misconception is that our energy levels are determined solely by the number of calories we consume. While total calorie intake does play a role, it’s only part of the equation. How your body processes and utilises nutrients, such as protein, fibre, and micronutrients, has a far bigger impact on your sustained energy.

For example, two meals with the same number of calories can affect your body very differently depending on their nutrient composition, fibre content, and how well they support gut function. In other words, energy is not just about quantity, but quality and the ability of your body to efficiently convert food into usable fuel.

The formula for energy: Protein + fibre + good gut health 

Protein: The building block of sustained energy 

Protein is one of the key game players in our energy levels. Unlike sugary snacks or refined carbs, protein helps slow the absorption of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. This means that foods rich in protein cause fewer blood sugar spikes and crashes, leading to more stable, long lasting energy throughout the day.

Protein also provides amino acids, which are vital to maintain muscle mass. This is important as our muscle tissue burns more calories when we're not moving them compared to fat tissue, which helps to regulate our overall energy metabolism.

Having a more regulated, faster, metabolism means that your body is using and producing more energy day to day, in turn boosting your energy levels. In addition to this, if you’re low on carbs and fat, and not eating enough protein, your body may start using muscle tissue for energy, leading to even more muscle loss and lower energy output.

Protein also triggers the release of satiety hormones like peptide YY (PYY) and GLP-1, which tell your brain you’re full. It also reduces ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger.

By staying full for a longer, amount of time you will have a more steady supply of energy throughout the day. In addition to this, by helping you feel full, protein helps prevent the quick hunger spikes that can often lead us to opt for nutrient poor, sugary, snack choices that in turn lead to sugar spikes and crashes.

Fibre: The slow burning fuel 

Although often overlooked as an energy booster, fibre is an amazing tool for maintaining, steady, lasting energy. 

Similarly to protein, fibre slows down how quickly your body breaks down and absorbs sugar. This means glucose enters your bloodstream more gradually, avoiding sudden spikes and crashes in blood sugar, which as mentioned, previously is a major cause of energy dips.

Fibre also adds bulk to your meals and helps keep you feeling satisfied for longer. This promotes better appetite control, reducing the urge to reach for quick, sugary snacks that can lead to energy spikes and crashes.

Fibre, especially prebiotic fibre, feeds the good bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut helps your body absorb nutrients, like B vitamins and iron, that are essential for energy production in our cells.

Good gut health: The unsung hero 

Contrary to what most people think, our gut isn’t just for digestion, it’s deeply connected to our overall energy, mood, and immune system. A healthy gut lining and diverse microbiome help your body properly absorb key nutrients from food.

This is especially important for our energy levels when looking at energy boosting nutrients such as, B vitamins (important for converting food into energy), Iron (needed for oxygen transport in the blood) and Magnesium and zinc (support energy metabolism). Without these, your cells can’t produce energy efficiently and that can leave you feeling tired or drained.

A well functioning gut helps regulate our digestion and blood sugar levels, leading to fewer spikes and crashes in your energy throughout the day. A dysregulated gut can lead to drastic energy highs and lows and therefore increased cravings.

Poor gut health can cause chronic low grade inflammation, which puts your immune system on constant alert. This drains resources from your body’s energy systems. A healthy gut leads to less inflammation and therefore more energy for your brain and body to use.

Your gut produces about 90% of your serotonin, which is the bodies ‘feel good’ hormone that affects your mood, focus, and motivation, all of which can influence how energetic you feel. This means that a healthy gut can lead to a healthier mind and therefore more mental and physical energy.

How they work together 

To support sustained energy throughout the day, it’s important to make sure you’re not focusing on protein, fibre or gut health in isolation. If you're aiming for optimal energy levels, then you need to combine all three.

When your meals include a balance of high quality protein, adequate fibre, and foods that support a healthy gut, your body functions more efficiently, digestion improves, and energy becomes more stable.

For example, you may have a diet that is rich in protein, which supports muscle maintenance and helps regulate appetite. However, if your fibre intake is lacking, your digestive system may not function optimally, potentially leading to poor gut health and lower energy levels. Similarly, an imbalanced gut microbiome can affect nutrient absorption and even influence your mood and focus, factors that are directly tied to how energised you feel.

By incorporating all three components into your daily meals, you create a foundation for better metabolic health, improved digestion, and more consistent energy.

Top energy boosting meals and snacks 

Here are some meals and snacks which support both your fibre and protein intake as well as promoting good gut health. 

Grilled salmon with lentils and steamed greens

• Protein: Salmon is a high-quality, complete protein and rich in omega-3s (which also help reduce gut inflammation).
• Fibre: Lentils are fibre powerhouses, meaning they’re great for digestion and blood sugar stability.
• Gut Health: Lentils are also prebiotic, feeding your good gut bacteria. Leafy greens like spinach or kale support gut function by encouraging microbial diversity.

Stir-Fry with Tofu, Brown Rice, and Mixed Vegetables (with Garlic & Ginger)

• Protein: Tofu is a versatile, plant-based protein source.
• Fibre: Brown rice and mixed vegetables (e.g., sugar snap peas, peppers, cabbage) provide lots of fibre.
• Gut Health: Fermented tofu adds probiotics if you want a gut health boost and garlic and ginger are natural prebiotics and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Oats with Chia Seeds, Berries, and Kefir or Yogurt 

• Protein: Yogurt/kefir provides complete protein, especially Greek yogurt.
• Fibre: Oats, chia seeds, and berries are all high in soluble and insoluble fibre.
• Gut Health: Kefir and yogurt are rich in probiotics; chia seeds support digestion and act as a prebiotic.

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter and a Sprinkle of Flaxseed

• Protein: Peanut butter is a good source of plant protein.
• Fibre: Apples (especially with the skin) and flaxseed add fibre.
• Gut Health: Flaxseeds contain prebiotics and omega-3s, which support the guts lining.

Hard-Boiled Eggs with a Small Side of Sauerkraut or Kimchi

• Protein: Eggs are high in bioavailable protein.
• Fibre: Add some veggie sticks (like carrots or celery) for a fibre boost.
• Gut Health: Sauerkraut and kimchi are rich in live probiotics and help populate your gut with beneficial bacteria.

Final thoughts  

When it comes to feeling consistently energised, there’s no single magic nutrient or quick fix. True, lasting energy is built on a foundation of balanced nutrition that supports your body at a deeper level. By combining high quality protein, fibre rich foods, and ingredients that nurture your gut health, you’re not just feeding your body, you’re optimising how it functions. Small, intentional changes in how you build your meals can make a big difference. So next time you’re planning what to eat, remember: it's not just about eating more, it’s about eating smarter. Focus on the quality and balance of your meals, and your energy will reflect it.