'It's just hype' - Professor Tim Spector warns shoppers over the latest protein supermarket trend

'It's just hype' - Professor Tim Spector warns shoppers over the latest protein supermarket trend Supermarket shelves are packed with products tagged as high protein but some carry a different risk An expert has warned "it's just hype" amid a current food obsession which has hit the UK. Supermarket shelves are packed with products labelled "protein" - from yoghurts and milk to meat and beans. Blamed on a mixture of social media fitness trends, weight loss medication and marketing from manufacturers, many people are seeking to increase their protein intake believing it will boost their health. However nutrition expert, Professor Tim Spector, says a lack of protein is not an issue for most people in the UK - while eating many of the "high protein" options is likely to mean consuming unhealthy ultra processed foods. Posting on Instagram, the Professor of Epidemiology at Kings College London, and scientific co-founder of ZOE explained: "People have been driven by the tsunami of information about telling them how protein is amazing, how it's going to give you big muscles, how it's going to make you age better, prevent all kinds of problems, reduce all diseases, and this is just hype - 90% of people are not protein deficient. "Nevertheless, manufacturers will carry on if it sells products, people will keep putting it in there. And in general, there's nothing too much wrong with protein itself. It's just what else it's replacing on your plate. "Most of these high-protein claims come in high-risk ultra-processed foods, and it's so easy for them to add it. You just add a bit of whey protein. It's a waste product from the dairy industry, costs nothing. Pour it in there, and suddenly they can double their sales." Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are products manufactured using either entirely or mostly from ingredients not usually found in a standard home kitchen such as extracted foods, additives, and chemical modifications rather than whole foods. These include everything from sweets and cakes to ham and sausages. These also include many cans of baked beans as they contain additives like modified starch and spice extracts. However nutritionists often still recommend them as they still offer significant health benefits. Speaking on the same instagram clip, Dr Sarah Berry, Professor of Nutrition at Kings College who is Chief Scientist at ZOE was asked what about a tin of beans which was labelled protein and if there were any issues with eating them. She was clear in her answer: "Assuming it's just a tin of beans, absolutely not. The protein that's in pulses and beans is an incredibly healthy protein. You're also getting fibre. You're getting other micronutrients with it. It's part of the original plant. "I think that's fabulous that they're now doing that because lots of whole foods that are high in fibre, high in protein, wouldn't typically put that on their label, and yet that's an incredibly healthy source of protein and fibre and micronutrients." Foods high in protein Protein is naturally found in a wide range of healthy foods. According to NHS North Bristol Trust these include: Meat, chicken, and fish Fresh, unprocessed meat, chicken, and fish are lowest in salt and phosphate Dairy - Milk - Yoghurt – look for higher protein options with more than 7g of protein per 100g such as Skyr or Liberté - Cheese - Milk puddings such as rice, semolina and tapioca puddings, and custard Vegetarian options - Eggs - Beans, lentils (including dahl) and chickpeas (including hummus) - Soya milk - Tofu and tempeh - Quorn - Nuts - Seitan How much protein should I eat? According to the British Heart Foundation for an adult with a healthy weight, the recommended daily amount of protein is 0.75g per kg of body weight per day. That’s about: - 45g a day for a 60kg woman - 55g a day for a 75kg man It adds: "Spreading protein evenly across meals helps your body use it effectively."