Are Protein Snacks Overhyped? Experts Weigh In on Health Risks and Benefits
Let me state the obvious: protein is everywhere. If you're enjoying all that the protein snack trend has to offer, that's your right, and far be it from me to yuck somebody's yum. But as a person constantly on the receiving end of emails about product launches for yet another high-protein snack, I feel I have the credentials to say we've taken it a little too far. Does everything need to have protein in it? Is it a crime to enjoy ice cream and chips in their original form?
I'm obviously not sitting here saying protein isn't an important part of our diets. Of course it is. What I am saying is that, in hyperfixating on increasing our daily protein intake, we've started relying on highly processed items to get us there. How healthy is that, really? We all eat processed snacks from time to time, but dare I suggest it's healthier to get our protein from whole food sources, like meat, fish, and dairy, over a bag of pretzels or a pint of ice cream?
"They're slapping lipstick on a pig," says Aston Dommel, RD at Top Nutrition Coaching. "Basically, they're trying to position their generally considered 'unhealthier' snacks as 'healthier' options by adding protein to basically the same formula. Adding protein to something doesn't inherently make it 'healthier' for you. I'm all for increasing protein intake, but there are better ways to do it via shakes, powders, or whole foods."
"A donut is still a donut, and a Dorito is still a Dorito," says Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, performance nutritionist and Link Snacks’ expert spokesperson. "Adding 10 grams of processed protein powder doesn't make it a health food. Stick to real, whole-food sources. There are plenty of protein-rich snack options like jerky, edamame, hard-boiled eggs, or yogurt, which provide an array of nutrients."
Nevertheless, the U.S. ready-to-eat protein market, now valued at $7.7 billion, only continues to grow. Overall category sales saw an 8 percent sales increase over the prior year, with notable growth. Protein cereal experienced a 10.3 percent increase, while protein snacks saw a whopping 47.5 percent increase.
"Food is marketing," said Stephen Zagor, an adjunct associate professor at Columbia Business School who focuses on food businesses, per CNBC. "We eat emotionally. Marketing attracts us, and that's what makes it exciting when a company says, 'Yeah, this is a product that we've had for decades, and now we're high protein or full of protein. And that brings it back off the shelf."
Do We Really Need to Eat So Much Protein?
Tie in the marketing of it all with new federal dietary guidelines, which recommend adults to consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, far higher than previous minimum recommendations. And the guidelines fail to mention that many in the U.S. already consume more than enough protein.
Still, protein intake isn't so black and white, despite what the industry wants us to think. Everybody has their own needs. A lot of variables are at play, including health conditions, body size, muscle mass, daily activities, and current fitness goals. If you exercise a lot or are trying to gain muscle, you'll need more protein than someone who is mostly sedentary, for instance.
All this to say, yes, protein is important. But if you want to eat a donut, just enjoy a donut rather than forcing yourself to eat a "protein donut." These products don’t change the fundamentals of nutrition, and they certainly don’t override the bigger picture of balance, consistency, and moderation.
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source https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/does-everything-really-need-protein-heres-why-your-favorite-high-protein-snacks-might-not-actually-be-healthy
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