Protein bars are not the healthy alternative to a sweet treat many people believe, research has revealed.
A report launched yesterday by safefood revealed chocolate is the main ingredient in 38% of products surveyed, while many are high in saturated fat and contain added sugar and salt.
Safefood’s Dr Catherine Conlon said: “We’ve witnessed a significant and consistent upsurge in the number and variety of foods and drinks for sale which claim to be high protein.
“When we asked people about protein bars, more than one in three [37%] thought they were healthy. However, many of these bars are in reality highly processed foods with a calorie content similar to that of a bar of chocolate.
“What’s also evident from dietary data is men and women are already consuming more than enough protein in their diets and simply don’t need this extra, highly processed protein.
“People would be better sticking to natural sources of protein in their diet, which tend to be much healthier.”
The report – A Survey Of High Protein Snack Foods – looked at the nutritional content of 83 such products and drinks sold in Irish supermarkets.
Of 39 protein bars surveyed, 38% listed chocolate as their main ingredient, while 77% were high in saturated fat with 79% being a source of salt.
The average bar size was 55g with an average price of €2.27, though some products cost up to €3.
