‘Healthy’ Protein Bars Don’t Fill You Up, So You’ll Get Fat, Study Finds
- Researchers at Arizona State University asked people to eat a protein bar every day.
- According to them, daily calorie consumption increased by up to 220 calories.
- A body scan revealed that she had gained 0.5 kg of fat in one week.
Protein bars are often considered a healthy snack, but protein bars can make you fat.
A study found that people who ate every day were more likely to gain weight within a week than those who didn’t.
Researchers believe that while protein bars are often nutritious, they aren’t filling enough to keep people from overeating later.
The most popular brands, such as Quest Bar, contain about 200 calories. This is about the same as 2 apples or 3 medium eggs.
The U.S. protein industry is booming, with sales reaching $6.5 billion this year, double what it was in 2014.
High-protein diets help induce weight loss by lowering levels of hunger hormones while increasing levels of hormones associated with satiety.
However, many protein bars are calorie dense, making it easy to add calories without eating a lot of extra food.
Protein bars can make you fat, study suggests (file photo)
The above shows the size and forecast size of the US protein supplement market from 2014 to 2025. This prediction was published in Statista in 2021.
Researchers at Arizona State University followed 21 people, mostly in their 20s.
During the first two weeks of the trial, participants were encouraged to eat a normal diet while tracking their daily calorie consumption.
They were then instructed to eat one protein bar daily within an hour of waking up each morning for an additional two weeks.
Total daily calorie consumption increased by up to 220 calories while taking the protein bar, while fat mass increased by 1.1 pounds (0.5 kilograms) in the first week.
Dr. Carol Johnston, a health expert at Arizona State University, said in the study:
“These bars may represent an efficient source of certain nutrients.
“However, consuming nutrition bars can increase your total daily energy intake, increasing your risk of gaining fat mass and final weight over time.”
Eating a high-protein diet reduces levels of ghrelin, the “hunger hormone” behind satiety, and increases levels of peptide YY, which can help curb appetite.
However, many protein bars today are considered little more than “candy bars in disguise”.
This is because it contains added sugar and high fructose corn syrup. the study It is associated with an increased risk of obesity and weight gain.
The research was presented at the Obesity Week 2022 conference in San Diego, California.
What does a balanced diet look like?
According to the NHS, the diet should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.
• Eat five or more servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• A staple of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the equivalent of eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain cereal biscuits, 2 whole grain breads, and a large baked potato with the skin on.
• Provide dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat and low-sugar options.
• Eat legumes, legumes, fish, eggs, meat, and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, 1 of which should be oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small portions.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day
• Adults should consume less than 20g of salt and 6g of saturated fat per day for women and 30g for men.
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
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