\u2018For some reason protein has become a new health buzzword, and the food industry has jumped on to this bandwagon.\u2019<\/p>\n
And consumers are taking the bait: sales of protein products in the UK were 47 per cent higher in 2025 compared to the year before, according to market-research company Kantar.<\/p>\n
Consumers are being seduced by the idea that protein keeps you fuller for longer, boosts energy levels and increases muscle mass.<\/p>\n
\u2018Protein is more satiating, so people associate it with better appetite control and weight management, which fuels the trend,\u2019 explains Nichola Ludlam-Raine, of the British Dietetic Association.<\/p>\n
Part of the appeal is the fact \u2018protein feels like the \u201copposite\u201d of the high-carb, ultra-processed diets that have been linked with obesity and type 2 diabetes\u2019, she adds.<\/p>\n
But experts fear the \u2018high protein\u2019 tag is actually being used on ultra-processed foods, which aren\u2019t that beneficial to health. Furthermore, while some could benefit from having additional protein, for others eating large amounts could actually be harmful.<\/p>\n
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It is recommended that adults eat at least 0.8g of protein per kg of their body weight daily<\/p>\n
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Nichola Ludlam-Raine, of the British Dietetic Association<\/p>\n
It is true that protein\u00a0is\u00a0essential for health, vital for the formation of our bones, skin, hair and nails and internal organs. It also plays a vital role in repairing damage in the body, especially in muscle.<\/p>\n
As well as being more satiating than fats and carbohydrates, \u2018when we add protein to a meal containing carbohydrates, it delays the rate at which your stomach empties,\u2019 says Professor Berry. In this way it prevents the hunger-inducing dip in blood sugar that can follow a high carb meal.<\/p>\n
The current recommendation is for adults to have at least 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight a day. So someone weighing 11 stone (70kg) should eat around 56g of protein a day \u2013 the amount you would get from a large chicken breast.<\/p>\n
But most people hit this requirement \u2013 in fact the National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that in the UK most adults exceed their needs and eat around 1g of protein per kg of body weight.<\/p>\n
The marketing of high-protein products pushes a \u2018more is better\u2019 narrative, which isn\u2019t supported by science, says Professor Berry. \u2018What\u2019s happening now is that \u201chigh protein\u201d has become a health halo term \u2013 a survey by the nutrition company ZOE showed that 55 per cent automatically assume something labelled \u201chigh protein\u201d is good for them. The food industry knows this, so they\u2019re plastering it on everything from yoghurts to breakfast cereals.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s surprisingly easy to exceed protein recommendations with today\u2019s protein-enriched food environment,\u2019 says Professor Berry. \u2018If you\u2019re having a protein shake, a protein bar, protein-enriched yoghurt and regular meals with meat, fish or legumes, you can quickly reach very high intakes without realising it.\u2019<\/p>\n
And filling up on too many \u2018high protein\u2019 foods is not necessarily good for you.<\/p>\n
\u2018These high-protein processed foods often come at the expense of other nutrients such as fibre and can sometimes be bad for our health thanks to a cocktail of emulsifiers and harmful additives,\u2019 adds Professor Berry.<\/p>\n
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Professor Sarah Berry, of King\u2019s College London<\/p>\n
\u2018And cakes with added protein are still cakes \u2013 you\u2019re just adding a bit more calories and protein so it\u2019s really just cheeky marketing,\u2019 adds Ms Ludlam-Raine. (But more on the potential harms later.)<\/p>\n
There are, however, certain groups who do need more protein \u2013 \u2018for example, older adults, women going through peri- or post-menopause, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people doing a lot of strength or endurance training, or those losing weight rapidly [including those on GLP-1 jabs],\u2019 says Professor Berry.<\/p>\n
In the case of older people, that\u2019s because we become less efficient at processing protein over the age of 50.<\/p>\n
Menopausal women need more protein as the decline in oestrogen levels can lead to a loss of muscle and reduced bone density \u2013 adding protein can help mediate that decline.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re trying to lose weight it may be helpful to eat more protein, because it keeps you fuller for longer.<\/p>\n
\u2018In those cases, I suggest people aim to eat 1.6g of protein per kg of their ideal body weight a day, rather than what their body weight is before starting their weight-loss journey,\u2019 says Professor Berry. \u2018This works out as roughly 25 to 30g of protein per meal for most people [some protein will come from snacks and drinks, too]. That\u2019s the equivalent of a large chicken breast, a tin of tuna, or two eggs with Greek yoghurt and nuts on the side.\u2019<\/p>\n
Similarly, people using GLP-1 weight-loss jabs or with reduced appetite due to illness, such as cancer, need to make sure they are eating enough protein \u2018to help protect against muscle loss\u2019, says Professor Berry.<\/p>\n
\u2018Cancer and its treatments can increase protein breakdown and suppress appetite,\u2019 she explains, adding that keeping up protein intake can both improve how well someone tolerates their treatment \u2018and overall outcomes\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding also have increased protein demands, to support foetal development and milk production,\u2019 adds Dr Maria Chondronikola, a research scientist in human nutritional physiology at the University of Cambridge.<\/p>\n
Heavy exercisers can benefit from more, too.<\/p>\n
\u2018For example, if you lift weights at the gym regularly it causes microtears in your muscles, and amino acids help to rebuild your muscles and make them bigger,\u2019 explains Ms Ludlam-Raine.<\/p>\n
\u2018Then you have more muscle mass the next time you train, enabling you to lift heavier weights, meaning that increasing your protein intake can support strength and endurance goals.\u2019<\/p>\n
Temporarily increasing your protein intake following surgery may aid recovery. A study on skin-wound healing published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Open in 2024 found that protein needs can increase by 250 per cent when someone has a wound after an operation.<\/p>\n
But even these groups don\u2019t need a lot more protein \u2013 boosting consumption to around 1.2g to 1.4g of protein per kg of bodyweight could be ample, says Professor Berry.<\/p>\n
\u2018There\u2019s a big difference between saying \u201csome groups benefit from a bit more protein\u201d and the full-blown protein obsession we\u2019re seeing now,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n
And in the first instance, it\u2019s best to seek out the additional protein from food, \u2018because whole foods such as fish, meat, nuts and dairy give us so much more minerals and vitamins with the protein that you\u2019re not going to get from a protein powder, for instance\u2019, says Ms Ludlam-Raine.<\/p>\n
She advises people to keep a food diary for a week to check they\u2019re having enough protein.<\/p>\n
\u2018If there\u2019s a deficiency and you can\u2019t increase it from whole foods, or without consuming too many calories, then I think protein drinks, or adding protein powder to a drink, has a place \u2013 but they shouldn\u2019t be relied upon as a sole source of protein.\u2019<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not least she adds as \u2018many protein drinks are ultra-processed because of sweeteners, gums, emulsifiers, and flavourings\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018And If you\u2019re having two or three a day, then it\u2019s probably at the expense of more nutritious whole foods, which could be detrimental to your health.\u2019<\/p>\n
In fact, there are big differences between protein from powders and supplements compared with protein from food, Professor Berry warns.<\/p>\n
While whey protein powder and vegan protein powder alternatives can be useful tools for those who struggle to meet their protein needs through whole foods alone, \u2018they can vary hugely in their quality, digestibility and amino acid composition [the building blocks of protein in the body]\u2019, she says.<\/p>\n
For instance, whey protein is very efficiently absorbed but it lacks the structure and combination of nutrients you get when eating whole foods. This is absolutely fundamental to how our bodies process what we eat, she explains: \u2018When you consume a whole food like a yoghurt, or lentils, you\u2019re not just getting isolated nutrients, you\u2019re getting a complex, structured package where the nutrients are physically arranged in a specific way that affects digestion, absorption, and metabolic responses\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018With protein powders, you\u2019re getting isolated protein that\u2019s been extracted and processed away from its natural food matrix. This changes how quickly it\u2019s digested and affects your blood glucose and insulin levels. You\u2019re also missing out on all the fibre, plant and other beneficial compounds in whole foods.\u2019<\/p>\n
And protein powders are not all equal, warns Ms Ludlam-Raine.<\/p>\n
Look for products with just protein (ie, no additives such as artificial sweeteners and colourings) and that specify their protein content per serving because these products can vary widely in the amount they contain \u2013 and if it\u2019s a vegan product, check that it includes vitamin B12 (found almost exclusively in animal products such as meat, fish and dairy) which is essential for red blood cell production, nervous system function and metabolism. \u2018I wouldn\u2019t advocate the single ingredient vegan ones, such as pea or hemp protein powders because they don\u2019t contain all the amino acids as the whey protein products do.\u2019<\/p>\n
Take extra care with protein bars. \u2018They\u2019re typically made with protein that\u2019s been extracted and heavily modified from their original food source,\u2019 explains Professor Berry. \u2018They\u2019re loaded with ingredients such as emulsifiers and thickeners you\u2019d never find in your kitchen. The processing completely disrupts the natural food matrix, and they\u2019re often packed with flavours, colours, sweeteners and texturisers to turn them into a \u201cfood\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n
Why does eating too much protein matter? First, it can put a strain on the kidneys as they have to filter and remove the byproducts created by the breakdown of protein \u2018which can put strain on the system, especially for people who already have reduced kidney function or kidney disease\u2019, says Professor Berry.<\/p>\n
At what level this occurs varies depending on age, activity level and kidney function, but most studies suggest consistently consuming more than 2g of protein per kg of body weight daily over long periods may have health implications, she explains.<\/p>\n
A review published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 2020 suggested high-protein diets (classed as consuming more than 1.5g of protein per kg per day, roughly 105g of protein for someone who weighs 70kg) can lead to worsening kidney function in people with impaired kidney function, and possibly in those with healthy kidneys. The risk was greatest from animal protein as opposed to plant protein sources.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, consuming more than 22 per cent of daily calorie intake from protein could affect blood vessels, the journal Nature Metabolism reported in 2024. A US study found high levels of the amino acid leucine \u2013 found in animal protein sources such as meat, eggs and milk \u2013 lead to a build-up of macrophage cells which causes plaque to develop in the arteries, in turn increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.<\/p>\n
And focusing heavily on protein means you tend to crowd out other foods that nourish your gut microbes, particularly those containing fibre that \u2018good\u2019 gut bacteria thrive on, as you have less appetite for fibre-rich foods, Professor Berry says.<\/p>\n
\u2018Over time, this can lead to a less diverse microbiome, which we know is linked to inflammation and poorer metabolic health.\u2019<\/p>\n
She adds: \u2018The biggest concern with this protein craze is that it\u2019s distracting from the biggest problem we have in the UK, which is that 95 per cent of people don\u2019t eat enough fibre, increasing the risk of many cancers, cardiovascular disease and a poor gut microbiome. If we shifted our focus from protein to fibre, we would see a massive health benefit in the population.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are you eating enough protein? Food manufacturers certainly don\u2019t seem to think so \u2013 as supermarket shelves groan…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":213609,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[2039,163,85,46,543],"class_list":{"0":"post-213608","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-israel","12":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}