• A nutritionist uses a simple diet strategy to boost energy, improve gut health, and curb cravings.
• Her 'triple 30' rule makes it easier to get enough protein and fiber without overdoing it.
• It's all about adding healthy foods to your diet, including treats like dark chocolate and popcorn.

Forget proteinmaxxing — a simple three-part rule can help you hit your goals without overdoing it, says a top nutritionist in the UK.

Dominique Ludwig has been helping people eat healthfully for three decades. She said most diet trends offer contradictory advice, wasting your valuable time, money, and energy.

"In a world where nutrition is very confusing, it can actually be really simple," she told Business Insider.

Ludwig's new book, "No Nonsense Nutrition," offers a road map for healthy eating principles that work for both her and her clients.

One of her favorite tips is the "triple 30" rule: eating 30 grams of protein at each meal, 30 grams of fiber each day, and at least 30 different plants in your diet each week.

Ludwig said that within four weeks of following the triple 30 rule, her clients can cut back on processed foods without feeling deprived or relying on complex or strict eating plans.

As a result, they often have reduced cravings and "food noise," better digestion, lower inflammation (which may translate to fewer aches and pains), better mood, and more energy.

"Sometimes you don't need to jump down every rabbit hole. If you just start with the foundation, you suddenly see that food actually can be one of the most transformational things we can do to our health," Ludwig said.

Eat protein at every meal

You're probably already getting enough protein, Ludwig said, but timing it correctly can help you feel full throughout the day.

"It stabilizes your blood sugars. It keeps you feeling fuller for longer," she said. "Having your protein in the morning is really important because if you get breakfast right, it sets the bar for the rest of the day."

She recommends aiming for around 30 grams of protein at each meal through sources like Greek yogurt, fish, chicken, or legumes.

That's about 90 grams of protein per day, although you may need more if you're larger or highly active. Research suggests that adults benefit from around 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.7 grams per pound) daily.

Getting the right amount of protein is also important for a long, healthy life, and we generally need more as we get older to prevent age-related loss of muscle tissue and promote a healthy metabolism.

"Proteins are not only for our muscles, but they're also for repair, they support our immune system, and our neurotransmitters. They're really important," Ludwig said.

Aim for 30 grams of fiber a day

While protein gets all the attention, Ludwig said fiber is an underrated nutrient that supports gut health, weight loss, and more.

"We're living in this massive fiber gap at the moment," she said. "It's the missing link."

Getting enough fiber helps slow digestion, which can promote steadier blood sugar and energy levels, helping you feel more satisfied after meals.

"Protein and fiber are like this dynamic duo; together they're bulky, and that means they switch on all these satiety mechanisms," Ludwig said.

She recommends 30 grams a day, slightly more than typical dietary advice, based on research from the American Gut Project, a study of more than 15,000 people led by the University of California San Diego, that analyzed health and eating habits.

High-fiber diets — rich in foods like beans, nuts, and whole grains — are also linked to a lower risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and colorectal cancer, making fiber a key nutrient for longevity, too.

Include a variety of plants in your diet

The final 30 in Ludwig's formula refers to including 30 different types of plants in your diet each week, to provide a wide range of nutrients for gut health.

Your digestive system hosts colonies of beneficial bacteria, your microbiome, which play a key role in health, from your mood to your energy levels.

Ludwig compared the microbiome to a zoo: just as giraffes prefer different foods from lions, each type of gut microbe thrives on different micronutrients found in different plants.

Loading up on 30 plants a week is easier than you might think: every little bit counts, from the herbs and spices in your pantry to your morning coffee or tea.

And, she said, don't forget to treat yourself: fresh fruits, popcorn, and dark chocolate all help support a healthier gut in the long term.

• A new study tracked the "biological age" of people who swapped some of their meat for more veggies.
• Eating more vegetables and complex carbohydrates seemed to improve basic health metrics.
• Importantly, people didn't lose strength when they cut back on animal protein, from 50% to 30%.

Pump up the veggies, beans, and nuts, and pare down the meat, just a little bit.

That appears to be the takeaway from a new study tracking how changes to the typical "Western" diet, subbing in more vegetables and lowering saturated fat content, might contribute to healthy aging.

The study, conducted in Australia, fed roughly 100 healthy adults aged 65 to 75 a rotating menu of freshly prepared, unprocessed meals for one month, only changing up how much fat, meat, and carbohydrates different people ate on different diets.

The study was short, but on both functional measurements like grip strength, as well as clinical tests and measures of an emerging health metric called "biological age," people appeared to derive a slight health benefit from replacing some of their daily meat with plant proteins, and replacing saturated fat with more complex carbohydrates.

"What we wanted to do was a study that actually provided some real information about the causal relationship between macronutrients and health in old age," senior study author Alistair Senior, a nutrition scientist at the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, told Business Insider.

The results lend more evidence to the idea that cutting back on, but not necessarily eliminating, meat can be good for a person's long-term health.

"Even our vegetarian diets weren't 100% vegetarian," Senior said. "They aim for about 70% of the protein coming from plant sources, and 30% from animal sources."

Three diet tweaks made a typical 'Western' diet healthier

For the study, researchers split participants into four different groups. They were instructed to only eat the food given to them during weekly meal deliveries for a full month. No alcohol, no extra sweets, no ultra-processed snacks.

"It's not perfect, people cheat, people might not be reporting everything they eat, but I think we did as good as is feasible," Senior said.

There were two "omnivore" diets:

• Diet 1: 14% protein, ~40% fat, ~40% carbohydrates

A meal on this plan was the closest to a standard, "Western" diet, with half of the protein intake coming from animal products.

For example: chicken tikka masala with white rice and green beans.

• Diet 2: 14% protein, ~30% fat, ~50% carbohydrates.

Similar to the first diet, with half of the protein from animal sources. This diet includes more carbohydrates from whole grains and vegetables, and has a lower fat content, with ingredients like brown rice and quinoa included more often.

And there were two "pro-veg" diets:

• Diet 3: 14% protein (less meat), ~40% fat, ~40% carbohydrates

For example: yellow coconut curry with rice, veggies and tofu.

• Diet 4: 14% protein (less meat), ~30% fat, ~50% carbohydrates.

A meal on this plan includes more carbohydrates like potatoes.

For example, a veggie-heavy cottage pie, with peas and carrots on the side, was on the menu.

People on diets 2, 3, and 4 all ended the month with measurable improvements to their "biological age," as measured with the Klemera-Doubal Method, which includes data from regular blood tests a doctor might order at an annual exam, like blood pressure, cholesterol, and creatinine levels. People who ate diet No. 1, the high-fat pro-meat "Western" diet, saw no change on their "biological age" tests. All four diet groups lost about the same amount of weight, an average of roughly four pounds, three of those being fat (this may just be a result of the nature of the trial, as a no-junk-food, no alcohol plan).

The study, while still preliminary, suggests older adults don't have to load up on meat to maintain their muscles and strength as they age.

Why meat may be bad for longevity

When people reduce their meat and saturated fat intake, they change the forces that are acting on their cells.

Senior says the amino acids in animal proteins turn on pro-growth pathways that tell our cells to grow and reproduce. Too much cell growth in old age can be a bad thing, propelling disease processes like cancer. Longevity scientists are also studying how the opposite of cellular growth and proliferation, what's called autophagy, the process by which starving cells eat and recycle themselves, may be a longevity-booster.

Meat consumption also amps up oxidative stress on cells, and can increase chronic inflammation, which is linked to many age-related chronic diseases, like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. In particular, animal proteins that are not "lean" and have a higher saturated fat content, like those in red and — most especially — processed meat, are known to be pro-inflammatory, whereas protein-rich foods like fish, beans, and eggs tend to be more anti-inflammatory.

Sneak fiber into your meals

Longevity researcher Dan Belsky, who studies biological aging, and who was not involved in the study, said it is a "reassuring" finding for nutrition science.

"On balance it seems like maybe a little less meat, a little more veg in your diet is a good thing," Belsky, an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, said. This idea goes along with decades of other research, in studies that have tracked what people eat over months and years, and looked at their health outcomes. Even among identical twins, people who eat more plants and less meat seem to do better on standard health measurements.

"We know we can manage our risk for heart disease, diabetes, reduce our risk for many cancers," Belsky said.

Nutrition is personal. How individuals respond to different foods can vary a lot, based on our genetics, our gut microbiome, and lifestyle.

Still, decades of research suggest a diet high in red meat is not great for your health and longevity.

Senior says you can easily mix your meat with other protein sources, like beans.

If you're making a bolognese sauce, why not substitute half of the meat for lentils? Beans are famously rich in dietary fiber, which can improve blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and tamp down inflammation.

"We're not even saying you need to go for a fully vegetarian diet, but trying to substitute some of that [meat] out might do the trick," he said.

• You don't need to count your macros to eat enough protein, a registered nutritionist said.
• Sophie Gastman relies on high-protein staples to reach her protein goals without overthinking.
• Her kitchen is always stocked with products like tinned fish.

When Sophie Gastman, a registered nutritionist, counts macros like protein, it can lead to overthinking.

"Staying away from hyper-focusing on any kind of number is more helpful," she told Business Insider.

Instead of tracking her meals or counting macros, Gastman incorporates high-protein ingredients into her dishes, alongside generous portions of vegetables, fibrous foods like beans, and healthy fats like avocados. Despite social media trends like protein-maxxing and debates over how much of the muscle-building nutrient we really need for optimal health, most of us tend to eat enough protein without trying, the author of "Find Your Healthy" said.

Research suggests that active people should aim to eat between 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. To put that into context, a 130-pound woman should aim for around 90 to 130 grams of protein a day, while a man weighing 176 pounds should aim for between 125 and 176 grams a day. In a day, that might look something like eating: a half-cup of Greek yogurt, two eggs, a chicken breast, a cup of beans with rice, and a glass of milk .

She shared the easy protein sources she always has in her kitchen that help her eat protein at every meal without planning ahead.

Tinned fish

Tinned fish is affordable, high in protein, and can last for months, even years, if left unopened in a cool, dry place.

"I've got tuna, sardines, mackerel, salmon, literally always," Gastman said.

She chucks tinned fish onto salad, smashes them on toast, and stirs them through a stir-fry or a bowl of rice. "You could literally put them on anything," she said.

Eggs

Gastman always keeps eggs stocked in her kitchen.

One large egg contains about 6 grams of protein and cooks in minutes, she said. Eggs can be added to salads, breakfast tacos, or the classic avocado on toast.

Frozen edamame beans and peas

Peas and edamame beans have a regular spot in Gastman's freezer. She loves to add them to stir-fries, salads, and rice bowls.

A 100-gram serving of cooked edamame beans contains 11.5 grams of protein, while the same amount of peas contains around 4.7 grams."They're a really great source of protein," she said, "They make meals really satisfying."

"Once you combine ingredients like eggs and edamame beans and peas, you've suddenly got something that is actually quite high protein," Gastman added.

• I'm a registered dietitian who relies on Trader Joe's for easy and nutritious meal options.
• Some of my favorite breakfast items include the store's Greek yogurt, bread, and frozen fruit.
• Trader Joe's frozen rice medley and steamed lentils help me make quick and easy meals.

As a registered dietitian, my happy place is wandering the aisles of a grocery store — especially Trader Joe's.

It's been one of my favorite stores since I was a child, and it's still one of the first places I go when I want to pick up items that make nutritious eating feel more realistic.

Here are some of the many items I always add to my cart.

Trader Joe's roasted-garlic hummus is satisfying on its own or when paired with veggies.

Hummus is one of my favorite foods for rounding out snacks and meals.

Since it's made primarily from chickpeas, it adds fiber, plant-based protein, and iron in a form that's easy to eat.

I use the roasted-garlic version as a dip, sandwich spread, salad dressing, or addition to a snack plate, and I especially love pairing it with Trader Joe's mini cucumbers for the perfect no-prep snack.

Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is one of the most versatile items in my fridge.

The combination of protein and live probiotic cultures makes Trader Joe's Greek yogurt one of my most-used staples.

I use it as a breakfast base with fruit and chia seeds, as a smoothie thickener, or in savory meals as a sour-cream substitute.

I usually buy the plain version with no added sugar, so I can add my own fruit or chia jam, and control the sweetness myself.

Strawberry kefir is easy to drink on my way out the door.

As a fermented dairy product, kefir contains a wider variety of probiotic strains than yogurt and can help support healthy digestion.

The strawberry version from Trader Joe's is drinkable and lightly sweet, without the pronounced tartness plain kefir can have.

On mornings when I don't have time to put breakfast together, I'll pour a glass alongside a piece of seeded toast or fruit for a quick, gut-health-boosting breakfast.

One thing to note: Trader Joe's flavored kefirs contain added sugars, so if you're looking to avoid that, I suggest going for the plain version.

Trader Joe's frozen rice medley is a major time-saver.

I love having Trader Joe's rice medley in my freezer because it provides a more interesting base for dinner.

The mix of whole grains adds more fiber than white rice alone and pairs well with curries, stir-fries, and roasted vegetables. I just microwave it in the pouch for three minutes.

Garbanzo beans provide protein, fiber, and so many options.

Each half-cup serving of Trader Joe's garbanzo beans contains both fiber and plant-based protein, making this a must-have item in my pantry.

There are so many ways to prepare these beans. I air fry them for a crunchy snack, toss them into salads and grain bowls, stir them into soups, add them to dense bean salads, or blend them into sauces.

Since they're shelf-stable, I always have a can (or three) on hand to make a filling meal with minimal prep.

The sesame-crunch salad kit is a low-effort meal that's ready in under 5 minutes.

I love salad kits that taste good because they make me far more likely to prepare lunch instead of defaulting to takeout.

Trader Joe's sesame-crunch chopped salad kit has pre-shredded vegetables, a flavorful sesame dressing, and crunchy toppings that make it feel like a real meal instead of a side salad.

To make it more substantial, I like to add grilled chicken and edamame.

Trader Joe's steamed lentils make it easy to add fiber and protein to my diet.

Lentils are one of my favorite foods for adding plant-based protein and fiber to a meal. I especially like Trader Joe's precooked version because it saves me a lot of time.

I use them in a shortcut for lentil soup, as the base of bowls, and even in tacos when I want a plant-forward meal. They're also a good source of iron, which is another reason they're a staple in my fridge.

Frozen turkey burgers are a lean protein source that can be served with or without a bun.

Trader Joe's turkey burgers are one of the freezer staples I rely on most when I need dinner ready quickly.

Turkey is a complete protein and provides a good source of B vitamins like B6 and B12, which support energy production, mood, and cognitive function.

These burgers cook quickly in the air fryer or on the stove, and I use them in burger bowls, on salads, or with a whole-grain bun and sweet-potato fries for a quick weeknight meal.

The frozen fire-roasted bell peppers and onions make taco night easy.

Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C, and the fire-roasting process gives them a depth of flavor you wouldn't expect from a frozen vegetable.

I add these to tacos, fajitas, and grain bowls when I want a vegetable that's already chopped, cooked, and ready to eat. This product saves me time, adds color and flavor, and makes it easier to eat my servings of vegetables.

Edamame is a great source of fiber.

Edamame is one of the few plant-based foods that contains all nine essential amino acids — AKA the ones the body can't make on its own and, therefore, has to get from food.

The legume is also an excellent source of fiber, which supports digestion, helps stabilize blood sugar, and sustains fullness.

I keep a bag in the freezer at all times, and like to steam a bowl for a mid-afternoon snack.

Frozen fruit is just as nutritious as fresh, and this berry blend never goes to waste.

Frozen fruit is one of the easiest ways to keep a healthy option on hand without worrying about it going bad.

Plus, since frozen fruit is picked and processed at peak ripeness, its vitamin and antioxidant content is comparable to that of fresh versions.

I especially like picking up Trader Joe's Very Cherry Berry blend, which provides a nice variety of cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. It's perfect for smoothies or as an oatmeal topping.

I always grab a loaf of Trader Joe's organic seeded bread.

Trader Joe's organic seeded bread makes toast or a sandwich feel more substantial. The seeds are a great source of healthy fats, magnesium, and fiber.

I especially like using this bread for turkey and avocado sandwiches at lunch, and I'll have it with peanut butter and banana before a workout.

Keep reading our Trader Joe's diaries here.

• A dietitian created a simple template that helps her build balanced but enjoyable meals.
• Hailey Gorski anchors her meals in satiating protein and micronutrient-packed fiber.
• She focuses on what she can add to her plate rather than what she can remove.

Hailey Gorski has a simple rule for making delicious meals that fit her nutrition goals: PPP, or produce, protein, portion.

The 28-year-old dietitian based in Los Angeles anchors her meals in protein, to help her feel full, and nutrient and fiber-packed produce, such as veggies and beans.

To portion her food, she takes a plate and fills about half with produce, about a quarter with protein, and high fibre carbs and maybe some healthy fats for the remainder, she said. PPP can be applied to any meal.

"That's kind of how I visualize my plate and then I reverse engineer my meals from that," Gorski told Business Insider.

She developed the simple template to help her clients who want to lose weight, because she noticed they would often fall into the trap of adopting an all-or-nothing mindset, which was tripping them up.

Clients thought "either I'm super healthy and I'm eating at home, or I'm dining out and eating fast food and junk food and more convenience foods, and I'm being 'unhealthy,'" Gorksi said.

"When you give people a template 'produce, protein portion,' it makes it a lot easier to find healthy options that align with your goals," she said.

Following this template helped Gorski lose 20 pounds in 2016, without cutting out her favorite foods.

"What's great about it is it helps you build the plate, but also helps you shift from the deprivation to the abundance mindset," Gorski said.

When it comes to weight loss, eating balanced, nutritious meals that don't feel restrictive is crucial to long-term success, she said.

PPP rule-approved meals Gorski eats on repeat:

High-fiber, high-protein pasta

• High fiber pasta (portion)
• Ground beef in marinara sauce (protein)
• Three different frozen vegetables added into the sauce (produce)

Low-lift wraps

• High-fiber tortilla wrap (portion)
• Turkey slices (protein)
• Guacamole and arugula (produce)

Grain bowls

• Grilled chicken (protein)
• Tomato, cucumber, red onion salad (produce)
• Wholegrain pita, hummus, olives (portion)