Are the high protein foods all they’re cracked up to be for gym goers or people looking for healthy alternatives.

Since emerging from the shadows of what was Covid restrictions there has been a noticeable increase in people getting active and pursuing intense fitness plans. If I were to head towards the sea front near my home, I am certain it would be full of people walking, running, cycling, swimming or even all the above. If I were to walk into my gym, I would be lucky to get a set of dumbbells or onto a machine. Point is, Ireland is on a fitness buzz. There has never been an easier time to get into shape, or so you would think. Exercise is only one part of a healthy lifestyle; everybody forgets about the other, diet. And strangely it is the dietary habits of people trying to be healthier and the obsession with a particular nutrient that is causing concern with dieticians and public health bodies alike.

Let us state the facts first. Anyone taking part in regular moderate to intense exercise will need more protein to support and grow muscle, there is no avoiding that. However, what is causing concern amongst experts is the levels of protein people are consuming and the sources.

Bord Bia reported in 2019, just before the global shutdown, that there had been a 498% increase in ‘high protein’ products launched since the start of that decade. And Marketwatch.com report that by the end of 2026 the protein bar industry will be worth over $2 billion. Health stores like Holland & Barrett and Nourish are packed to the brim with different flavoured powders. Gym vending machines will gladly sell you protein bars (at double the usual price). Even supermarkets are getting in on the act, German grocery giant Lidl are now selling high protein biscuits, coffee and even tortilla chips.

These products have been raising the eyebrows of official agencies such as Safefood, the all-Ireland food safety and healthy eating board. Their Chief Specialist in Nutrition Joana Caldeira Fernandes da Silva is a registered dietician and has worked on several committees with the Department of Health to promote Safefood’s mission. She is not convinced by protein products at all. She said, “sometimes people are buying a protein bar instead of a bag of Maltesers, and it’s not that different. These products are not needed for health, they actually fall in the treat category of the food pyramid, high in sugars, fats, and salt.” “Milk, eggs and beans have that nutrient in abundance and Irish people already consume lots of those three items,” she added.

She also warned of the effects over consuming protein can have on your body. “Excessive amounts can impact things like liver and kidney function, particularly in individuals already suffering with disease or dysfunction in these areas. They can even increase the risk of conditions like fatty liver disease.”

A big reason people turn to sources like bars and powders for their protein is convenience. Why take an hour or more preparing and cooking a chicken breast or a steak when what you believe you need is in a ready-made supplement.

One of the few things keeping people away from these items is the cost. The average protein bar is around €3; the powder starts in and around €20. These are mega prices for what is effectively ‘junk’ food disguised as a health product. Even gym influencers themselves are turning on them, with former bodybuilder Eddie Abbew constantly advising his 4 million instagram followers to stay away from them usually by screaming “these are absolute s***, this isn’t f****** food,” into the camera at his local supermarket.

Unfortunately, it does not seem like the products are going away anytime soon, protein bars themselves are now being advertised everywhere with Fulfil and Grenade being the most prominent in advertising spaces. It is my hope that people might listen to someone like Joana. Of course, these products are not the healthy alternative we all look for at the start of a fitness or weight loss journey, but they can be a good gateway to limiting those type of foods out of your diet altogether.

So, it still is not the easiest time to get fitter, faster and stronger after all. But that does not mean that it is a challenge either. Like a lot of things in life it appears to be about how much knowledge you have about something and where you are getting your extra advice from. Joana finished with this line which encapsulates what people need to be doing, “it is very hard to make the right choices when there is so little options, we need to move towards a healthier food environment, starting with things like healthier options at service stations or convenience stores you know, for us at Safefood we always refer back to our food pyramid for every aspect of our lifestyle and diet choices.”

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