Latest news with #healthysnacks
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
8 of the healthiest protein bars, according to nutrition experts
Are protein bars actually healthy? They're marketed as nutritious snacks that can give you a boost of protein, vitamins and fiber when you're on the go. But there are many protein bars on the market, and they're not all the same. Some protein bars are made from whole-food ingredients such as nuts, fruits, oats and seeds. Others contain so much sugar, fat and artificial additives that they can seem like glorified candy bars, said Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition.
Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Weight-loss drugs boost health food sales at Holland & Barrett
The use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro is fuelling stronger sales at Holland & Barrett, according to its boss. Alex Gourlay, executive chairman, said the health foods chain was 'reformulating' its range to cater to customers using the new generation of appetite-suppressing treatments after a surge in demand for healthier snacks and drinks. The retailer is incorporating more high-protein and functional ingredients such as collagen and ashwagandha after a 34 per cent increase in food sales year-on-year. People on weight-loss drugs often express a preference for healthier foods as they may feel less hungry and have reduced cravings for unhealthy foods. 'GLP1 is a real trend breaker,' Gourlay said. GLP1 is a class of weight-loss medication and stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. He added that because of an 'insufficient public health care provision due to constraints on national health systems, there is an increasing unmet need which Holland & Barrett was well positioned to serve'. Holland & Barrett was founded in 1870 by Major William Holland and Alfred Barrett and has more than 1,000 shops, including over 790 in the UK and Ireland. The business has been owned by Letter One, an investment vehicle, since 2017. Total sales rose 10 per cent year-on-year to £884.5 million in the year to September 30 as customer numbers rose by a record 9 per cent, reaching a record high. Sales volumes across the group grew by 5 per cent. Gross profit rose 10 per cent to £524.2 million, which it said was a result of investment in the business's digital transformation strategy. Pre-tax losses narrowed to £61.8 million from £73 million the year before as its turnaround plan started to pay off. The plan included investing in employee training, renovating shop locations, product innovation and upgrading its IT systems. The chain, whose headquarters are in Nuneaton, ended the year with £72 million in cash and net assets of £644 million, compared with £32 million in cash and net assets of £526 million in the prior year. 'Strong growth' carried into the first half of this financial year, with sales and gross profit both up 8 per cent year-on-year and customer numbers and satisfaction continuing to rise. Gourlay said the company planned to open a further 36 stores this year after opening about the same number in the latest financial year. • Should we all be eating our food raw? Asked if Letter One was considering a sale of the Holland & Barrett chain, he said the owners 'see this business as a business that they want to hold for a while. They want to invest in it.' He added that a flotation had also not been discussed. 'I don't think it is on the plan at the moment for obvious reasons because it's not easy to list a business at the moment.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
From Kardashian popcorn to pancakes - is the protein health craze worth it?
"High-protein" versions of snacks and food staples are all over our supermarket shelves - from pancakes and pasta, to rice pudding and oven pizza. Celebrities are getting in on the act too. Khloe Kardashian unveiled Khloud Protein Popcorn a fortnight ago, which she described as "the perfect combination of a tasty snack and a boost of protein to fuel your day", while Zac Efron promoted a protein-rich porridge in January. But is this increased advertising of protein just a marketing gimmick or are these products actually useful if you're trying to build muscle or live a healthy life? And is it worth the extra cost? Sales of them are rising; figures shared with BBC News by the research agency Mintel show that, excluding sports nutrition items, 8.3% of food product launches made claims about being a source of protein, or having high levels of it, in the first three months of 2025. That was up from 6.1% in 2024 and 4.6% the year before. Kiti Soininen, a research director at Mintel, says protein claims are being added to food with naturally high levels of the nutrient, like chicken breasts and pulses, but also on products you wouldn't expect. "Mousses, desserts, granola, pancakes, even the odd pizza, are coming through with a high-protein claim," she says. "Protein is enjoying a bit of a 'health halo' at the moment." Ethan Smith, a personal trainer in Liverpool, says high-protein diets are necessary for building muscle but that it ought to be done without the high protein snacks and drinks you see in shops. "I'm a huge believer that there is nothing better than whole foods," he says. "You can get the protein that you need from vegetables and lean meats." He believes the convenience of high-protein snacks, combined with the positive perception of the nutrient among customers, has led to manufacturers using protein as a marketing tool. For manufacturers to claim their product is a source of protein, they must show regulators at least 12% of its energy value is provided by protein. To make a claim that a product is high in protein, the figure is 20%. To help reach these scores they can add protein-rich ingredients to their products, like nuts and pulses, or make them more dense by removing water. "When someone in a rush is getting a meal deal for lunch, you can see why they would reach for a protein bar or drink instead of two boiled eggs," he says. "In my 12 years as a personal trainer, I've never seen as much hype around the benefits of protein as I am now." The benefits of protein range from muscle building and sports performance to helping with weight loss by suppressing appetite and helping women during pregnancy. If you're trying to build muscle you need to consume around 1.6g of protein per kilogram of your body weight each day, says Dr Paul Morgan, a university lecturer in human nutrition. He says for the average person trying to ensure their general health, this figure should be around 1.2g. He thinks many of the supermarket products advertising their protein content are "gimmicky" and warns they might not be as good for you as advertised. "I think they do have a benefit but we are wary that a lot of them are ultra processed foods and that's a really topical area [in our field] that we don't know enough about," he says. 75 Hard: Is the TikTok fitness challenge really worth it? Can green 'super powders' really make you healthy? How much protein do you really need to get strong? Ultra-processed foods have come under scrutiny recently with one study published last month linking them to early death. He explains that researchers in his field are trying to understand the differing impact on muscles that two similar protein sources might have when one of them is ultra-processed. Another issue is calories because putting on weight is the most common problem people have when they are trying to consume more protein, Dr Morgan explains, as any excess is stored in the body as fat. Some protein advertised snacks and drinks can have as many calories as regular products using similar ingredients. Nature Valley's protein peanut and chocolate bars have 489kcal per 100g, while Cadbury's peanut brunch bars, which also contain chocolate, have 485kcal at the same weight. Dr Morgan dismisses theories that eating too much protein can damage your bones or harm your kidneys, though there are exceptions if you have a pre-existing health condition. Despite his concerns over ultra-processed protein products, Dr Morgan sees the benefit of increased protein in staple foods. These might be particularly useful to elderly people who need more protein than the average person to maintain strength in their muscles and bones. Tesco's high-protein penne pasta contains 8.8g of protein per 100g, while their normal penne contains 5.8g of protein for the same weight. However, customers pay more for this as the high protein-penne costs £4.80 per kg. The normal penne costs £1.29 per kg. So is it worth buying these protein advertised products? It might be if you're someone who needs more protein to maintain your health or if you're trying to build muscle and need just a little bit extra to meet your daily protein goal, says Ethan. "If the majority of your diet is whole foods and you need that extra 20g of protein to hit your goal and want something sweet - then go for that pudding or snack," he tells us. "Having balance is important - but you shouldn't be relying on them." He adds: "When I started my career, people used to talk about whey protein just as a supplement to your diet. Now the number of companies putting protein on anything and everything is insane." The appetite for protein bars gives much to chew on How the power of protein is being uncovered Protein drinks should carry health warning - coroner
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I'm a longevity researcher — this cheap, tasty snack can help you live to 100
Pop quiz: What's an affordable, popular and delicious snack that could help you live to be 100? Hint — it's not kale chips. In a recent Instagram video, longevity expert Dan Buettner shared a 'centenarian-approved' treat that you probably already have in your pantry. 'Air-popped popcorn,' he reveals. 'It's very high in fiber, it's very high in complex carbohydrates, it even has more polyphenols than a lot of vegetables.' According to the Mayo Clinic, eating whole grains — such as brown rice, oatmeal and, yes, popcorn — can lower your blood pressure and LDL 'bad cholesterol' levels, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and colon cancer. Research has also shown that incorporating more whole grains — like popcorn — into your diet can reduce your risk of dementia. Meanwhile, the high polyphenol content of this movie-theater favorite can help protect the body from inflammation and oxidative stress, shielding you from chronic diseases. Since it's low calorie and high in fiber, popcorn can also aid in weight management by promoting a feeling of fullness. However, to maximize its health benefits, it's important to enjoy popcorn air-popped instead of laden with butter, so as to avoid excessive calories and fat. Contrary to what most people think — you don't need an air fryer to make air-popped popcorn. In fact, some experts advise against this option as it can burn the popcorn and create a fire hazard. The most common method of making air-popped popcorn involves placing the kernels in a brown paper bag and putting it into the microwave on high heat for a couple of minutes. You can also drop the kernels into a pot, add a little oil and cover it with a lid to trap the steam while the kernels pop.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Khloe Kardashian popcorn: Are protein snacks useful and worth it?
"High-protein" versions of snacks and food staples are all over our supermarket shelves - from pancakes and pasta, to rice pudding and oven are getting in on the act too. Khloe Kardashian unveiled Khloud Protein Popcorn a fortnight ago, which she described as "the perfect combination of a tasty snack and a boost of protein to fuel your day", while Zac Efron promoted a protein-rich porridge in is this increased advertising of protein just a marketing gimmick or are these products actually useful if you're trying to build muscle or live a healthy life? And is it worth the extra cost? Sales of them are rising; figures shared with BBC News by the research agency Mintel show that, excluding sports nutrition items, 8.3% of food product launches made claims about being a source of protein, or having high levels of it, in the first three months of was up from 6.1% in 2024 and 4.6% the year Soininen, a research director at Mintel, says protein claims are being added to food with naturally high levels of the nutrient, like chicken breasts and pulses, but also on products you wouldn't expect. "Mousses, desserts, granola, pancakes, even the odd pizza, are coming through with a high-protein claim," she says. "Protein is enjoying a bit of a 'health halo' at the moment."Ethan Smith, a personal trainer in Liverpool, says high-protein diets are necessary for building muscle but that it ought to be done without the high protein snacks and drinks you see in shops."I'm a huge believer that there is nothing better than whole foods," he says. "You can get the protein that you need from vegetables and lean meats."He believes the convenience of high-protein snacks, combined with the positive perception of the nutrient among customers, has led to manufacturers using protein as a marketing manufacturers to claim their product is a source of protein, they must show regulators at least 12% of its energy value is provided by protein. To make a claim that a product is high in protein, the figure is 20%.To help reach these scores they can add protein-rich ingredients to their products, like nuts and pulses, or make them more dense by removing water. "When someone in a rush is getting a meal deal for lunch, you can see why they would reach for a protein bar or drink instead of two boiled eggs," he says. "In my 12 years as a personal trainer, I've never seen as much hype around the benefits of protein as I am now."The benefits of protein range from muscle building and sports performance to helping with weight loss by suppressing appetite and helping women during you're trying to build muscle you need to consume around 1.6g of protein per kilogram of your body weight each day, says Dr Paul Morgan, a university lecturer in human says for the average person trying to ensure their general health, this figure should be around thinks many of the supermarket products advertising their protein content are "gimmicky" and warns they might not be as good for you as advertised."I think they do have a benefit but we are wary that a lot of them are ultra processed foods and that's a really topical area [in our field] that we don't know enough about," he says. The risk of consuming too much protein Ultra-processed foods have come under scrutiny recently with one study published last month linking them to early explains that researchers in his field are trying to understand the differing impact on muscles that two similar protein sources might have when one of them is issue is calories because putting on weight is the most common problem people have when they are trying to consume more protein, Dr Morgan explains, as any excess is stored in the body as protein advertised snacks and drinks can have as many calories as regular products using similar Valley's protein peanut and chocolate bars have 489kcal per 100g, while Cadbury's peanut brunch bars, which also contain chocolate, have 485kcal at the same Morgan dismisses theories that eating too much protein can damage your bones or harm your kidneys, though there are exceptions if you have a pre-existing health condition. Despite his concerns over ultra-processed protein products, Dr Morgan sees the benefit of increased protein in staple might be particularly useful to elderly people who need more protein than the average person to maintain strength in their muscles and high-protein penne pasta contains 8.8g of protein per 100g, while their normal penne contains 5.8g of protein for the same weight. However, customers pay more for this as the high protein-penne costs £4.80 per kg. The normal penne costs £1.29 per is it worth buying these protein advertised products?It might be if you're someone who needs more protein to maintain your health or if you're trying to build muscle and need just a little bit extra to meet your daily protein goal, says Ethan."If the majority of your diet is whole foods and you need that extra 20g of protein to hit your goal and want something sweet - then go for that pudding or snack," he tells us. "Having balance is important - but you shouldn't be relying on them."He adds: "When I started my career, people used to talk about whey protein just as a supplement to your diet. Now the number of companies putting protein on anything and everything is insane."
