Highlights
- NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan promotes a simple three-ingredient recipe to support gut health and muscle maintenance.
- The snack includes kefir yoghurt, raspberries, and chia seeds — all rich in fibre, protein, and beneficial compounds.
- Dr Rajan advocates for low-cost, preventative health strategies over expensive treatments.
- He stresses that fibre is often overlooked despite playing a crucial role in overall health.
- His TikTok channel and book aim to make scientific health advice accessible to the public.
Simple advice, powerful results
Making healthy choices has become increasingly difficult in the modern world. From ultra-processed supermarket food to endless distractions on our devices, temptation is often just a click away. But NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan is working to make health advice more accessible, affordable and actionable — and his approach is finding a wide audience.
Dr Rajan, who has built a following of more than five million on TikTok, uses short-form videos to break down complex medical science into practical tips. His new book, This Book May Save Your Life, compiles what he describes as “everyday health hacks to worry less and live better”.
He believes the popularity of his content reflects a wider shift in public health thinking. “Healthcare systems in most countries have flaws,” Dr Rajan told The Independent. “It’s harder to see a healthcare professional in some cases, particularly for chronic diseases. It’s also expensive if you are going down the private route. People are realising that prevention is a cheaper, more effective longer-term solution for health than treatment when burdened with disease.”
Gut health on a budget
One of Dr Rajan’s most popular tips is a simple three-ingredient snack that supports both gut health and muscle strength. It’s cost-effective, easy to prepare, and packed with nutritional value.
Ingredients:
- 80g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 250g kefir yoghurt
To make the snack, start by microwaving the raspberries for around 30 seconds, then mash them to your desired consistency. The deep red colour signals the presence of anthocyanins — antioxidants linked to gut health. This serving alone offers roughly 5g of fibre.
Next, stir in a tablespoon of chia seeds. These are rich in both fibre and mucilage — a type of soluble fibre that feeds beneficial bacteria in the colon. The chia seeds also help thicken the mixture into a jam-like texture.
Finally, use the mixture as a topping on kefir yoghurt — a fermented dairy product that contains live cultures and offers an additional boost of probiotics and protein. An optional drizzle of honey can be added for sweetness.
Dr Rajan calls this a “power combo” — containing the three Ps of gut health: prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols.
Why fibre matters more than you think
While protein remains a hot topic in fitness and nutrition, Dr Rajan says fibre is the real unsung hero of good health.
“Both protein and fibre are essential,” he says. “There are plenty of foods and meal combos where you can get both, but if I had to over-index on one, it would be fibre.”
According to Dr Rajan, most adults in the UK don’t come close to the recommended 30g of dietary fibre per day, with average intakes falling below 20g. This gap, he warns, is causing many to miss out on wide-ranging health benefits.
“When it comes to human physiology, there aren’t many processes in] fibre isn’t involved in, either directly or indirectly,” he says. “Its benefits include regulating hormones, metabolism, appetite, the gut microbiome, mood, bowels and more.”
Prevention over cure
The popularity of Dr Rajan’s content may lie in its simplicity and evidence-based approach. Rather than focusing on quick fixes or restrictive diets, he promotes everyday changes that can be sustained long-term. His three-ingredient snack is a clear example of that philosophy — easy to make, nutritionally rich, and based on solid science.
As access to healthcare becomes more challenging for many, he believes prevention is not just practical but necessary.
“People want advice they can trust, but also apply,” he says. “Improving gut health and increasing fibre intake are two changes most people can make today — and they’ll feel better for it.”
