Protein products: A healthy trend?

It's practically impossible to go to the supermarket these days without coming across a huge number of products claiming to have a high protein content. And indeed, these claims make sense - at least from a marketing point of view. After all, 42 per cent of consumers consider protein to be the most important ingredient in their food choices (Top Food Trends. Global Food and Beverage Industry Trends, 2024).

It's undeniable that an adequate intake of protein is essential for the growth of muscle mass and for promoting a feeling of satiety. However, the idea that ‘more is better’ is a myth. Our bodies use the protein we eat for various essential functions, such as the production of enzymes, hormones and tissue maintenance. Only a small portion of the protein we consume is actually used for muscle synthesis (Stokes et al., 2018).

In fact, protein intakes above 2.2 g/kg/day tend to be unnecessary for most people and can even be wasteful, especially when it comes to animal protein, whose environmental impact is considerable. Even for experienced bodybuilders with a lot of muscle mass, protein intakes above this value are unlikely to optimise gains (Nunes et al., 2022).

As far as satiety is concerned, there is no linear cumulative effect either. Intakes of more than 1.6 g/kg/day do not appear to offer additional benefits in terms of satiety when considered over the long term, although the balanced distribution of protein throughout the day appears to have positive effects on appetite management (Paddon-Jones et al., 2008; Veldhorst et al., 2008).

Naturally, protein needs vary from person to person, depending on multiple factors such as physical demands, body composition and physical or health goals. However, when we're talking about healthy longevity, a more moderate intake is generally recommended: around 0.8 g/kg/day for healthy adults, which can reach 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day, especially in the case of the older population, due to greater resistance to growth factors, which reduces the body's efficiency in using ingested protein for muscle synthesis (Chen et al., 2020; Levine et al., 2014).

However, we don't eat nutrients in isolation - we eat whole foods. And the source of the protein matters a lot. Proteins can be divided into two main groups: animal and plant-based. In Portugal, and the rest of the world, we continue to consume too much protein of animal origin. With the exception of fish (the ideal consumption of which is 2-3 times a week), excessive consumption of animal protein is associated with negative impacts on health and longevity, as well as having a significant environmental footprint, especially when it comes to red meat and processed meat (Song et al., 2016).

On the other hand, plant-based proteins have numerous advantages, probably due to their higher fibre content and antioxidant compounds - key nutrients for promoting healthy longevity. The good news is that pulses, wholegrains, nuts and seeds are food groups with a much smaller ecological footprint and can contribute to a more sustainable food system. However, it is important to ensure that agricultural production methods are also sustainable, something that is not always the case with intensive monocultures (Poore & Nemecek, 2018).

Another essential point is the timing of protein intake. Looking at Portuguese eating habits, it's clear that animal protein consumption is excessive, especially at lunch and dinner. Redistributing this intake over intermediate meals may be a good start, but if this change involves using ultra-processed protein products, the desired effect may be lost (Wirth et al., 2020). Many of these products have added saturated fat and other nutrients that give them poorer nutritional quality, so they don't offer the same benefits as protein sources in their less processed state.

That's why it's ideal to rethink protein intake in a more balanced and sustainable way, both for our bodies and for the planet.

Gonçalo Matias Santos

Nutritionist (6007N)

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Song, M., Fung, T. T., Hu, F. B., Willett, W. C., Longo, V. D., Chan, A. T., & Giovannucci, E. L. (2016). Animal and plant protein intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: results from two prospective US cohort studies. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(10), 1453. https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMAINTERNMED.2016.4182

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