Protein bars, protein cereal, protein powder, even protein chips. In recent years, there has been an up-labeling of “protein” content being displayed on different foods. This is mostly due to the rise in popularity of high protein diets, which are spread by social media and fitness influencers. Although high protein diets increase the anabolic response of the body and may seem healthy, buying all those protein foods is not as beneficial as the diet claims to be and could even be more harmful.
Firstly, the problem is not protein itself, as there have been multiple studies looking at the positive and negative effects of protein absorption in the body. Protein overconsumption, very importantly, has been related to increasing the kidneys’ workload and has some linkage to cardiovascular disease, but primarily to populations that have pre-existing health conditions. Currently, there are recommended guidelines of 0.8g/kg of body weight for an average sedentary adult and 1.1-1.5 g/kg of body weight for adults who exercise regularly.
With these claims, it may seem that protein foods (or protein snacks) would be better than their average counterpart. However, the Food and Drug Administration allows the “protein” label on packages based on its nutritional value percentages. The issue is these foods are processed, and there have been past examples where companies marked their brands with healthy labels, such as “vegan,” “plant-based,” “low sodium” and even “gluten-free,” potentially creating a “health halo” effect, or an illusion that occurs when a food is perceived as healthier than it is. It comes back to the problem of overeating calories due to unsatiating sizes and the dense calories packed in them. For instance, a bag of protein chips is still a bag of chips; they are equally unhealthy.
Thus, the best advice when consuming protein is to avoid all these gimmicky labeling for foods that should be eaten in moderation. Always strive to eat more whole foods, where the sizes and calories are nicely balanced and can make you feel more in control of your diet in your health journey.
