The growing popularity of protein as an ingredient in recent years has been well documented. According to Euromonitor, protein supplements represent the fastest growing category in consumer health, with global sales rising by 59% to $5.4bn between 2006 and 2011.
However, Arla Foods Ingredients is warning that the industry shouldn’t be complacent by assuming this means common misconceptions about protein have disappeared altogether.
Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, some consumers – predominantly female – still avoid high protein products because they perceive them to be high in calories, and therefore fattening, or associate them with bodybuilders and fear they will develop a muscular and unfeminine body shape.
Troels Laursen, head of health & performance nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “We’re seeing huge numbers of new consumers buying into the whey protein space for the first time. But there remains large untapped potential because many women still believe – wrongly – that consuming higher levels of protein could have a negative impact on their physiology.
“It’s important manufacturers work with their ingredients suppliers to develop concepts that will shatter these myths by educating female consumers about the true benefits of whey protein.”
There is compelling evidence to counter the most common misconceptions people have about protein. Although some believe protein is fattening, gram for gram it actually contains fewer than half the calories in fat and the same amount as in carbohydrate.
In addition, a recent study revealed that whey protein keeps people feeling full, helping them to lose weight. The researchers found that, over a period of five months, consuming whey protein daily led to a significant reduction in total bodyweight, waist size and fat mass.
Another myth about protein is that it will cause women to become bulked out with unwanted muscle. In fact, as part of a regular diet, whey protein will help to improve a person’s overall body composition by keeping them more toned, because it encourages the body to produce lean muscle while discouraging fat storage. One study even found that a diet rich in whey protein increases a person’s basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy needed to keep the body going while it’s at rest, thereby helping to maintain a healthy weight.
“Clearly, if women still have misconceptions about the impact whey protein will have on their weight and body shape, we need to do more to address these,” said Laursen. “At Arla Foods Ingredients, we believe the most effective way to do this is to use tailored whey protein ingredients to create products that really resonate with women, so that they come to understand the real and tangible benefits offered by a diet rich in high quality whey protein.”
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