1 hr ago
High-Protein Snacks May Hide Sugar, Fat and Calories
Protein is an important nutrient that helps the body grow, repair muscles and stay full.
Food companies know that many people now want more protein.
They may put a large “High Protein” message on snacks to make them seem healthier.
But a protein cookie or bar can still have lots of sugar, fat, calories or salt.
This is called the health halo effect, because one healthy-sounding feature changes how we see the whole food.
The protein itself is not the problem.
The important thing is to look at everything in the package.
Before buying a snack, check its nutrition panel and ingredient list.
Experts also advise not following health trends or social-media claims without checking reliable information.
Nutrition experts warn that a “High Protein” label does not guarantee a healthy product.
Protein supports muscle repair, fullness, immune function and other bodily processes.
Protein cookies, bars and snacks may also contain substantial sugar, fat, calories, sodium or artificial sweeteners.
Experts say the health halo effect can make shoppers overlook the rest of a nutrition label.
Consumers are advised to check protein sources, calories, sugar, saturated fat, sodium, fibre and ingredients.
- Who
- Nutrition experts Varushi Lunawat, Ginni Kalra, Richa Sharma and Lovely Singh offered guidance to consumers.
- What
- Experts explained that high-protein packaged snacks are not automatically healthy and that shoppers should assess the complete nutritional profile.
- Where
- The issue concerns packaged foods sold in supermarkets and promoted through food packaging and social media.
- When
- The advice addresses the current popularity of high-protein diets and products.
- Why
- A prominent protein claim can create a health halo that causes consumers to overlook sugar, fat, calories, sodium, sweeteners and other ingredients.
Key facts
- Health halo effect
- A positive claim such as “20g Protein” can make consumers perceive the entire product as healthy.
- Protein’s role
- Experts say protein helps support muscle growth and repair, fullness, immune function and metabolism.
- Potential concerns
- Packaged protein snacks may contain significant sugar, saturated fat, calories, sodium or artificial sweeteners.
- Example cited
- Ginni Kalra said a cookie with 20g of protein could still contain 15g of added sugar and 300 calories.
- What to check
- Consumers should review protein sources, sugar, calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, fibre and the ingredient list.
- Expert advice
- Treat front-of-pack claims as an introduction rather than a guarantee of healthiness.
Quotes
Richa Sharma
Chief Dietician at Yatharth Hospital
“Protein has become the nutrition world's golden child, and brands know it. The moment we see '20g protein' on a label, our brain files that product under 'healthy' even before we have looked at anything else. This is what nutrition psychology calls the 'health halo effect'.”
NDTV
“You should never judge a product by its protein content alone. The real question should be, what else am I eating that protein with?”
NDTV
Sources
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