Protein-packed foods may not be as healthy as you think, study finds

A new study reveals that foods marketed with protein claims often mislead consumers, as most are high in sodium, fat, and sweeteners, posing hidden health risks.

Are Foods with Protein Claims Healthy? A Study of the Spanish Market. Image Credit: Erhan Inga / Shutterstock

Scientists at Miguel Hernández University in Spain have conducted a study to characterize nutrient content and evaluate the healthiness of foods with protein claims.

The study is published in the journal Nutrients.

Background

Protein-fortified foods and protein and amino acid supplements are becoming increasingly popular worldwide as people typically perceive these foods as healthy.

Recent survey findings indicate a 26% compound annual growth rate in the number of newly launched foods and beverages with protein claims in Europe from 2017 to 2022. In Australia, the growth rate is 12%.

A global survey conducted in 2022 reveals that approximately 17% of consumers ask for high-protein foods even though these products are highly priced. Regarding people’s perception, studies indicate that foods with protein claims are generally regarded as foods with high nutritional value that are good for building muscles, staying healthy, and increasing longevity.

However, the study emphasizes that this perception may be misleading. Several scientific reports claim that foods rich in protein can also contain other unhealthy ingredients, such as sugar, salt, and saturated fats, and can have a high-calorie content.

In this study, scientists have determined the prevalence and nutritional quality of foods with protein claims available in the Spanish market by analyzing data from the Spanish Food Database, BADALI.

Important Observations

The study analyzed 4325 processed foods of 12 different types. About 13% of these food items exhibited protein claims.

The prevalence of foods with protein claims varied across different food types. The highest proportion of protein claims was observed among plant-based meat analogs (68.2%), followed by bars (35.3%) and yogurt or dairy dessert substitutes (21.3%). No protein claim was observed in biscuits and fruit drinks.

Approximately 60.4% of the analyzed food items had fortified proteins. The highest rate of protein fortification was observed in bars and plant-based meat analogs, where nearly 90% were fortified. Conversely, milk substitutes and yogurt or dairy dessert substitutes showed the lowest fortification rates (7.9% and 3.3%, respectively).

Plant proteins were more frequently added to fortified items (41.7%) than animal proteins (25.9%). The most commonly added plant protein was gluten, followed by milk and soy proteins.

Protein Content

Foods with protein claims, notably fortified foods, had significantly higher protein content. Protein content in milk substitutes and bars with protein claims was four times higher than that in those without, whereas, in plant-based meat analogs with protein claims, protein content was more than twice as high as those without claims.

Nutrient Composition

In addition to protein content, significant differences in carbohydrates, sugar, and total and saturated fat content were observed between foods with and without protein claims.

Bars with protein claims had lower carbohydrate content and 82% less sugar than those without protein claims but contained 48% more saturated fat. Milk and dairy drinks contained a lower amount of total and saturated fat, and yogurts and fermented milk contained a lower amount of carbohydrates and sugar.

Milk substitutes with protein claims had lower sugar and carbohydrates but contained more total fat compared to those without protein claims.

Plant-based meat analogs with protein claims had lower carbohydrate content than those without.

Nutritional Quality

The study used a nutrient profile model developed by the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization to evaluate the nutritional quality of foods with protein claims.

The findings revealed that about 90.8% of foods with protein claims are classified as “less healthy,” and more than 50% have high fat and sodium content. This is concerning because excessive sodium intake is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

One out of four items had high free sugar and saturated fat content, and one out of five items had sweeteners.

Compared to foods without a protein claim, foods with a protein claim presented 17% more “less healthy” items. The proportions of foods with high amounts of fat, sodium, or sweeteners were also higher among food items with protein claims. However, the proportions of foods with high amounts of free sugar or saturated fat were lower among food items with protein claims.

Study Significance

The study finds that about one in seven foods in the Spanish market carries protein claims, and approximately 60% of these food items have fortified proteins primarily from plant sources.

The nutritional quality of foods with protein claims is significantly worse than those without such claims. This highlights the need for consumers to carefully evaluate the nutrition labels on these foods, particularly as protein claims can create a misleading health halo.

These findings suggest that foods with protein claims perceived as healthier by the general population are often high in critical nutrients such as sodium, fat, and sweeteners, making them less nutritious than foods without protein claims. Regular consumption of such foods can contribute to adverse health outcomes, including obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

The study findings are particularly crucial because consumers are often unaware of the health risks and instead perceive foods with protein claims as healthy. Therefore, the authors advise that the presence of protein claims on packaging should prompt consumers to carefully check the nutrition declaration and ingredient list to make truly healthy choices.