Protein bars, cookies, shavings and more. Are these improved snacks good for you? : NPR

Proteins are never old -fashioned. While fats were demonized such as nutrient causing weight gain in the 1990s, followed by carbohydrates in the 2000s, proteins sat next to the official world of the world of macro-nutrition.

“You need essential amino acids in the diet to support life,” said Stefan Pasiakos, director of the Center for Human Performance Optimization at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Proteins are necessary to build and repair muscles and tissues and help support your immune system.

Proteins have entered the spotlight in recent years while Keto and other protein -rich diets have taken off. Health and fitness influencers have started to push everyone to eat more muscle strengthening foods with each meal (fries Doritos Cottage cheese Someone?) The nutrient is so omnipresent online that an influencer asks if Proteins can leave it alone for five minutes.

And he has now taken control of the aisles of snacks, with “protein -rich” or “full of protein” labels on the front of products as diverse as rollers, fries and Bretzels. There is even one high protein version of an Snickers bar.

Lean on protein claims on the packaging

Of course, these statements do not always mean that food is good for you or even a good source of protein.

“You will see chips -rich in protein,” explains Pasiakos, who is a former director of the office of food supplements of the National Institutes of Health. “In reality, this is probably not the case, but people are now trying to jump everywhere.”

According to 2032, the global market for protein-snacks snacks range from $ 50 billion Business Insights Fortune.

Snack-fabricants often market proteins in front and focus on their packaging without mentioning the sugar content of food, explains Pasiakos.

For example, a candy with 1 gram of protein can have a high protein marketing complaint on the front of the packaging and for the manufacturer: “It may not be a false assertion because they think:” If you have looked at another candy, it will not have a gram of protein “,” he said.

Among many examples, Smash Foods Casy Butter and Blueberry Jam Bites, sold at Whole Foods, announce 5 g of protein, but it has 16 g of sugar, more than 300% of its amount of protein. 365 Soft protein stings are not much better, with 19 g of sugar and 8 g of protein.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates marketing allegations on packaged foods, which prevents manufacturers from making major primordial health complaints without proof. For example, companies cannot claim that their food prevents heart attacks or heals cancer, says Pasiakos. Nor can they use the word “healthy” or derivatives of the word without respecting the healthy standards of the FDA to provide a specific quantity of nutrients within a food group.

So say that something is “rich in protein” can be a way to get around regulations while signaling to consumers that a food could be good for them.

How to judge? Try a little mathematics

So, how do you determine if a snack doing protein claims is worth ahead? Pasiakos offers this simple calculation to have an idea from the total calories of food derived from proteins.

Take the number of grams of protein in the product and multiply it by 4 – This is the number of calories by gram of protein. You now know protein calories in food. Then take the calories from the protein and divide by total calories in food. This gives you the share of calories in foods that come from proteins.

For example, let’s say that a protein bar has 20 grams of protein and 200 calories. You multiply 20 × 4 to get 80. Then you would divide 80 by 200 and get 40%. “Everything that was rich in protein would have 30% or more protein by the number of calories,” explains Pasiakos.

Another option would be to check the percentage of the daily value (listed as DV) of the proteins listed on the label of nutritional facts on the package. Every 20% or more can be considered high protein, according to the Fda.

But even if a snack is rich in protein, is it automatically healthy? Not necessarily.

“Proteins are important, but this is not the only nutrient that we should watch,” explains Clare Parme Miller, recorded dietician based in New York for Nutrition. It is just as important to obtain enough other nutrients such as fibers and to avoid foods rich in added sugars or highly processed ingredients.

“Look for snacks with added sugars of less than 10 grams which are less treated than most protein bars,” she suggests.

And, you may not need your snacks to be rich in protein, she notes.

The federal government suggests that adults obtain at least 0.8 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 per book), 51 grams for a woman of 140 pounds which is not pregnant or breastfeeding. Some nutrition and fitness experts recommend more, especially for those looking to develop muscles and for the elderly.

Thus, with regard to snacks, says Parma Miller, “especially if you get 20 to 30 grams of protein at mealtime, snacks must only provide 10 to 15 grams.”

(THE They Department of Agriculture has a practical nutrient calculator This takes into account your age and your activity level.)

Enthiles of whole foods can also pack in protein

It is not difficult to meet minimum proteins with whole foods, explains Parma Miller, instead of looking for packaged snacks with allegations of protein.

“Greek yogurt or small cups of cottage cheese will meet your protein needs and also provide calcium,” explains Parme Miller. Add the berries for a boost of fibers and antioxidants.

Nuts without other added ingredients and roasted chickpeas, in monomous sizes, provide less protein than Greek yogurt, but can be associated with other items to reach 10 grams. For example, you can add whole grain crackers to increase protein a little and get another food group. An ounce of cheese plus a few whole grain crackers also gives you whole proteins and grains, which are rich in fiber and contain calcium and several vitamins B.

Other protein snacks with whole grains include the smear of nuts on whole grain crackers or do the same with houmous, explains Parme Miller. The addition of broccoli or another vegetable to soak slightly increases the value of the proteins and adds fibers and calcium.

“Whatever you do, don’t eat protein swalls and swallows, even if she says wealthy in protein on the label,” explains Parme Miller. “Protein foods, especially those that also contain fats, are not calories without calories.”

Reyna Gobel, MPH, MBA, is a health writer, author and nutrition educator who created the 30 -day precision nutritional challenge.