Protein-enhanced everything

An ongoing nutrition discussion/argument I have with my boys is about protein, especially if they need to supplement their diet with more and more protein.  They want bigger muscles and to be more fit, they say, so of course they need protein-supplemented everything.  I argue that if they eat a varied diet -- which they do -- there is no need for extra protein. It's not worth the cost, not worth the calories, and certainly not worth the overly-processed food intake.  I can't blame them; with the plethora of protein enhanced foods on every shelf in the grocery store, it is hard to know what to think.  

First, remember that a food manufacturer's job is to sell more items.  They use the label on the product to do that.  They will lure you in with attractive colors and flashy words, and do their very best to convince you that you definitely need to purchase their product.  They do not actually care about your nutritional profile; they want to sell more items.  Remember that.  And more is not always better.  More is just more.  And more being sold to you as a solution to a problem is not necessarily an appropriate solution because you probably don't have a problem with protein intake.  (More about nutrition labels here and here.)

Second, "protein-enhanced" is not the same thing as "healthy".  Somehow, through marketing, through influencers, through general lack of nutrition knowledge, consumers have latched onto the idea that protein is healthy, so therefore a product that offers a protein-fortified version is automatically the better choice.  Extra protein is beneficial if it is solving a problem for you.  

Third, unless one is a hard-core vegan, average American intake is generally adequate for protein intake, even for those hellbent on building muscle.  General recommendations for active individuals is 1.2 - 2.0 g protein/kg body weight with those who are strength training to gain muscle at the higher end of that.  If you're eating a veggie-lovers sandwich, and you opt out of the cheese, perhaps you might need to consider adding additional protein from a different source.  Should it be your bread?  

On the mention of calories above, please don't think I am going to suggest you start counting calories.  Luckily, the world has moved beyond that unnecessary phase, and we look to food conversations to consider food quality, nutrient density and dietary patterns, all of which are much more important than calories.   Here's the thing to remember: when you add protein to something, protein comes along with additional calories.  So what used to be a glass of water, now has protein in it AND has a bigger caloric bang.  Is it a lot?  No.  But if your aim is to have a healthier body, then what you eat -- and how much you eat -- makes a difference.  

Perhaps the question really isn't that there is an (over)abundance of protein available out there.  Perhaps the real question is "Is this protein product solving a problem that I actually have?"  

Listen, protein is important.  A diet that provides adequate protein is excellent.  But more protein is not necessarily better.  And I'm definitely not saying it is necessary to avoid these protein foods (though, you might consider if your coffee or water really should have protein added).  If you are trying to gain weight, if you have higher protein needs or genuinely struggle to get enough protein in your daily intake, these products can be great tools.  But if you are already meeting your protein needs, adding more protein isn't automatically an upgrade.  As we look at these reformulated foods, I can't help but wonder about how much processing we're adding.  I can't help but think about refined carbohydrates, and high-fructose corn syrup and trans fatty acids and wonder if we're going to see that same circle with protein?  Perhaps foods created in laboratories shouldn't occupy a large portion of our plates.

Eat, be happy, be well.  One of my favorite quotes is by Michael Pollan: "Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants."  That's pretty good advice.