MH investigates the truth about our fixation on fortified foods
The UK protein market is experiencing a growth spurt, with everything from bread and crisps to ice-cream boasting high levels of the nutrient. Fortified powders that were once the preserve of athletes and bodybuilders are now increasingly found in our supermarket staples – the stuff your parents buy. Protein, it seems, has been 'lifestylised'.
Now, we at Men's Health have long championed the benefit of a healthy, protein-rich diet. But at what point does an obsession with hitting our macros come at the expense of balanced nutrition? And is a slice of whey-infused cake really that much better for you than the real thing?
Dr Mayur Ranchordas, a senior lecturer and sports nutrition consultant at Sheffield Hallam University, has a theory about our recent protein fixation, positing that it could simply be due to a process of elimination: “The key message nowadays is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate we eat, and for a long time we were told not to eat fat, either,” he says. “So protein is the only macronutrient left to fill the gap.”
