In recent years, more and more products labeled “high protein” have appeared on store shelves. Protein yogurts, protein puddings, and protein bars can be found in almost every store. Now, even products not previously associated with protein—such as chips, cookies, and ice cream—have become protein-rich. This raises the question of whether a higher protein content automatically means that a product is a healthier choice.
The interest in such products hasn’t arisen without reason. Protein is an essential macronutrient for the body, and adequate protein intake helps maintain and build muscle mass, so monitoring protein intake is important for both athletes and those watching their weight. It also supports recovery and increases feelings of fullness.
Protein-rich products can be a convenient way to increase daily protein intake, especially for people with active lifestyles or those whose daily protein intake is often too low. However, before assuming that every high-protein product is a better choice, it’s worth understanding what this label actually means.
What does the “high protein” label mean?
The label is not a marketing slogan invented by manufacturers. It was introduced by the European Union’s Regulation on Nutrition Claims, adopted in 2006, which aimed to standardize the use of such labels and provide consumers with reliable information about food composition . Although the label was intended to inform people, it is now often used as a marketing tool as well.
This does not mean that the product must contain a specific number of grams of protein or that the product is healthier, but rather that at least 20% of the food’s energy value must come from carbohydrates.
For example, if 100 g of a product contains 400 kcal of energy, 20% of that— or 80 kcal—must come from protein. Since 1 gram of protein provides approximately 4 kcal of energy, this means that a 100-gram product must contain at least 20 grams of protein in order to be labeled as “high in protein.”
The use of this label is strictly regulated, and to qualify, the product must meet the specified criteria. However, this label says nothing about how much added sugar, fiber, or saturated fat the product contains, or how energy-dense it is. In practice, this means that the label describes only one characteristic of the product.
Protein-enriched quark or regular quark—which would you choose?
At first glance, the answer seems simple: one product’s packaging prominently features the phrase “high protein content,” which might give the impression that it is a product richer in protein than regular quark.
For comparison, I chose Valio PROfeel protein quark and Tere fat-free quark. Although they aren’t exactly the same product, both are often consumed for similar purposes—to get a quick, protein-rich snack.
The first thing that stands out is that the protein content is higher in regular cottage cheese. The protein cottage cheese spread contains 10.7 g of protein per 100 grams, while Tere cottage cheese has 13 g. Thus, Tere cottage cheese actually contains more protein than a product specifically marketed as a protein product.
Looking further, we see that there is no significant difference in energy content. Protein quark cream has 68 kcal and Tere quark has 69 kcal per 100 grams. The fat content is also low in both, so it cannot be said that one is better than the other in terms of calories or fat content.
Since the protein quark cream is a raspberry-flavored product, the biggest difference is found in the list of ingredients. Although the sugar content of the products is quite similar, the sweet taste is achieved differently. Tere quark contains no added sugars, whereas the protein quark cream also contains sweeteners (acesulfame K and sucralose).
Does this mean that protein quark cream is a bad choice? Definitely not.
It’s worth keeping in mind that we’re comparing plain cottage cheese and raspberry-flavored protein cottage cheese spread. It’s natural that a flavored product contains ingredients that give it the desired flavor and texture, so the ingredient lists aren’t entirely comparable.
The purpose of this comparison is not to assess which product is better, but to show that an alternative marketed as a protein product may not necessarily contain more protein than a regular high-protein dairy product.
But what about protein snacks?
In the case of cottage cheese, it turned out that the label did not indicate a higher protein content. However, this is not the case for all protein products.
Protein chips are a good example of a product where the marketing is accurate and the product does contain a higher amount of protein; however, this does not automatically mean that it is a healthy food.
For example, AllNutrition protein chips do contain 31 g of protein per 100 grams, but at the same time, their calorie content is still high and their sodium content is also significant. It’s also worth looking at how that protein content is achieved.
In the case of protein snacks, a large portion of the protein comes from added protein concentrates or protein isolates, such as pea or milk protein. To give the product the desired characteristics, various flavorings, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and sweeteners are often used. For this reason, protein snacks are classified as highly processed foods.
This does not make the product a bad choice. If the goal is to get more protein than usual from snacks, protein chips can be a reasonable alternative. At the same time, they are primarily a highly processed snack, not a complete source of protein. Therefore, it’s important to remember that the product is not a substitute for a varied diet.
Summary
So are high-protein products just a marketing gimmick? No. Are they always the better choice? No, not always.
As the examples show, it all depends on the specific product. Some protein products do indeed contain more protein than their regular alternatives, while others do not. Therefore, you shouldn’t buy products based solely based on the large text on the front of the package. Likewise, the “high protein” label does not indicate the product’s overall quality. Often, the back of the package provides a much better overview of what you’re actually buying.
What should you keep in mind on your next trip to the store?
Compare the protein content per 100 g. Sometimes a completely ordinary product contains just as much protein.
Also check other nutritional values: energy, fat, sugar, fiber, and sodium content provide a comprehensive picture of the product’s quality.
Read the list of ingredients. This helps you understand what the product is made of and gives you an idea of how much the product has been processed.
Consider whether you really need a protein product. If your goal is simply to increase your protein intake, you don’t always have to choose a product specifically labeled as a protein product. Even plain cottage cheese, cottage cheese, or eggs are naturally high in protein and can be just as good—or even better— choices.
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