There is no doubt that protein is the trendy nutrient. You just have to take a look at supermarket refrigerators, where yogurts, desserts and protein shakes have gained a lot of ground, a trend that has also reached other products such as bread, cereal bars and cookies. In the latest edition of Alimentaria, the large exhibition dedicated to the food industry held in Barcelona last March, a beer enriched with this macronutrient was even presented. But does it make sense to consume these foods? In what cases is it justified?
The ANIBES scientific study, published in the journal Nutrients in 2016, concluded that protein intake in Spain is “well above” the recommended limits. A fact that the dietician-nutritionist Aitor Sánchez also highlights in his latest book What’s happening with nutrition (Paidós). “There was a time when it was believed that increasing the consumption of this macronutrient could be harmful to the kidneys and liver, and cause serious health problems. But this fear has been overcome over time and, today, it is known that proteins can have many advantages,” explains Sánchez.
Due to its satiating effect, this macronutrient can be useful for achieving a healthy weight. Also to gain muscle mass if there are very high demands caused by physical activity; or to help older people with certain diseases avoid loss of muscle mass. “But, in general, increasing protein consumption is neither necessary nor justified,” says the expert. Sánchez emphasizes that dietitians-nutritionists encounter many patients in consultation who take more protein when they really don’t need it.
For the Sevilla FC Femenino nutritionist, Fátima Japan, social networks have played a key role in the popularization of this macronutrient. This is corroborated by trends such as the carnivore diet, with many followers on TikTok, in which products of animal origin and rich in protein such as steaks, sausages, eggs and butter are the basis of the diet. But the expert agrees with Sánchez that, “many people reach or even exceed the daily recommendation, because it is a nutrient that is already present naturally in a wide range of foods, also of plant origin.”
Protein-enriched products are popular especially among young people who play sports. This is because there is a belief that they are necessary to achieve better results, an idea that supplement companies and their advertising have placed a lot of emphasis on to sell more. However, increasing protein intake depends a lot on the activity, frequency and intensity with which it is practiced. In his book, Sánchez recalls that people who do 3 or 4 hours of physical exercise weekly are not even considered athletes, but rather the general active population, and that in these cases the amount of protein needed should be around 1 and 1.4 g per kg weight.
Exceeding this figure may be justified in people who practice sports regularly and with goals of muscle gain, strength training and weight reduction. Or if there are difficulties incorporating enough protein through regular meals. “But even in these situations it is not necessary for the increase in protein to occur through fortified products,” Japan clarifies. Especially because some of these yogurts and protein shakes are loaded with sugar or sweeteners, as well as other ingredients that are not so healthy. Therefore, it is important to look at the labeling. “In fact, a common mistake is to think that these products are healthier because they contain protein,” adds the expert.
And let’s not talk about options such as ice cream or protein beers, which the nutritionists consulted do not recommend in any case because they are products with an unhealthy profile. Another drawback of fortified foods, defends Sánchez, is that they are usually quite expensive. Therefore, if we want to take extra protein, he recommends buying it in powder form and mixing it with yogurt.
But both experts insist that the first option should always be to obtain protein through foods that contain it naturally, such as legumes or fish, “which curiously have less and less presence in the diet,” explains Sánchez. “In each meal you can add a food rich in this macronutrient, such as turkey or tuna, which the fewer sweeteners and additives it contains, the better,” says Japan.
This column by the director of the Fundació Alícia, Toni Massanés, published a few weeks ago, dealt with this matter. In it, he invited us to take advantage of the protein we already have, such as that of wild animals hunted in our territory, which in some cases have proliferated significantly. “A meat extraordinarily rich in proteins that, 90 percent, is not consumed in our territory,” he explained.
In summary, before increasing your protein intake, it is key to ask yourself if it is really necessary. And it doesn’t hurt to consult with a nutritionist to evaluate our case. “We are willing to pay more for a yogurt with protein when we don’t even need it than for a professional to guide us in our food choices,” criticizes Sánchez.
And if we choose to increase its consumption, it is better to start by adding foods that contain it naturally to the menu and not enriched products.
