High protein… or just loud packaging?

Written By NATASHA HARTWELL

A common theme in clinic at the moment: almost everyone says, “I know I should be eating more protein.” And yes, with many clients I probably agree!

But then we dive into a food diary… and I wince a little. High protein bagels? Check. High protein cereal bars? Check. I’ve even seen high protein water!

This is why I want you to pause and ask yourself: if something is loudly advertising high protein, what else is it delivering? Many packaged foods reach “high protein” claims with the amount pf protein you can simply get from a couple of boiled eggs. PLUS often come with added sugars and fats that aren’t giving any nutrition beyond the protein.

Natural high-protein foods 

Chicken
Salmon
Egg
Greek yogurt
Beans
Nuts, and seeds 

These foods don’t need to shout about it. They deliver protein, and a lot more besides.


Let’s look at an example: a protein bar. One popular bar weighs 40g and contains 10.2g of protein. Sounds good, right? But then you check the rest of the ingredients: sugar, palm fat, sunflower oil, fructose, glucose syrup… do we really need all that? 

Compare that to whole foods:

  • 2 boiled eggs → 12g protein

  • 100g Greek yogurt → 10g protein

  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter → 8g protein

  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds → 7g protein

Not only are you hitting similar protein, but you’re also getting essential nutrients, healthy fats, fibre, and everything else that whole foods offer, without loads of extra sugar.

So next time something is loudly advertising high protein, take a moment to stop and think. Sometimes the quiet options are the winners.

NATASHA HARTWELL
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