While a walk down the supermarket snack aisle might suggest otherwise, the reality is that our appetite for something tasty between meals isn’t what it once was. According to retail market analysts Kantar, at-home snacking occasions in 2024 were down 15% compared with 2020 – a stat analysts are attributing to our (reluctant) return to the office. And yet, there’s one sector that seems to be bucking the trend: protein bars. Our taste for them shows no sign of abating, with sales back in January a whopping 47% higher than last year.
It’s easy to see why. When it comes to macronutrients, there’s a whole host of evidence to suggest that protein should take pride of place in your diet. Multiple studies have shown that increasing protein intake post-exercise can have beneficial effects on body composition and recovery. Basically, it’s protein for the win. However, we should not forget to eat enough calories and carbohydrates, as they also work together to build muscles, too.
In fact, snack bars might be generally beneficial. A vast number of observational studies suggest that eating snack bars between meals can support individual health, nutrition and fitness goals by providing varying amounts of energy, vitamins, fibre, minerals and protein. But this, of course, comes with one major caveat – it depends on what’s actually in them. For context, some can be a major source of saturated fat and free sugar, containing even more than your average chocolate bar.
So it’s worth asking yourself whether you might be better served opting for a more nutritionally dense option. Because while there are benefits to increasing your protein, most of us already consume more of the macronutrient than we actually need. Some oat-, nut- and seed-based bars can offer a diverse nutritional profile, such as having extra fibre. Fibre impacts the release of hormones responsible for satiety, which may help you feel fuller for longer – making them handy between-meal snacks.
Another thing to be on guard against is brands using the health halo associated with claims such as ‘high-protein’, ‘added protein’ or ‘protein-rich’ to sell you products that don’t actually contain a significant amount of protein. It’s not uncommon to see products promoted under the guise of ‘protein filled’ that actually contain less protein than two Babybels – a far more affordable option that you can also eat on the go. So while a bar is convenient, aiming for whole foods, such as a small handful of unsalted nuts and seeds, a boiled egg or an apple with peanut butter can work just as well.
The rule of thumb? For a product (such as bars, bites or anything else promoted as ‘protein-rich’) to fit that bill in a meaningful way, at least 20% of the calories of the product should be provided by protein to make sure it’s actually worth parting with your hard- earned cash for.
If you do want a grab-and-go protein hit, rest assured that most protein bars can form part of a healthy, balanced diet. Reading the labels, wherever possible, can help discern the brands that will support your health and fitness goals from those that will scupper them. And don’t forget that regular foods in your cupboard make for perfectly good snacks, too, even if they don’t come in a snazzy wrapper.
Dr Tai Ibitoye is a registered dietitian, researcher and senior lecturer.
Source link
Everything Lizzo eats in a day to fuel her body transformation
Access Denied
RFK Jr. promoted a food company he says will make Americans healthy. Their meals are ultraprocessed