Recently, there has been a new wave of protein companies emerging. These new brands are transforming the business. For example, a newer brand, David Protein has created a protein bar that has 28 grams of protein with only 150 calories. In context, for a food to be considered high in protein for every ten calories there has to be at least one gram of protein. This has almost double the necessary amount of protein to be considered high in protein.
The David Bar is a perfect example of the enormous strides in the protein industry and how there are new kinds of products emerging to make hitting one’s protein goal very easy. Products like this, though, may sound too good to be true. Are they? How do these, processed, sources of protein differ from unprocessed proteins? Are they just as good?
First, let me define protein. Protein is an essential nutrient found in certain types of foods. Protein is made up of amino acids. There are 20 kinds of amino acids that are essential to the body. However, the body can only make 11 of these amino acids on its own. It needs to get the other 9 kinds of amino acids through protein rich foods: histidine, tryptophan, valine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, and phenylalanine. Certain protein rich foods, called complete proteins, have all 9 amino acids in them naturally.
Examples of this are eggs, milk, quinoa, and soy. Other protein rich foods, have some amino acids but not all 9, and are called incomplete. Examples of this are tofu, beans, and nuts. You can combine certain incomplete proteins, depending on the amino acids it lacks, to create a complete protein. I like to think of why you need all 20 amino acids this way; you have a friend who is throwing a party. She ordered 20 kinds of desserts so she can impress all of her friends. She already picked up 11 but ran out of time to get the other 9 and needs to start setting up for the party. You offer to help so you need to get the other 9 for her. She needs all 20 desserts or she’ll be mad at you.
Now, let me explain what I mean when I say processed versus unprocessed. Some form of processed food has arguably existed since the beginning of time; fermentation of foods, the production of wine and olive oil, creating cheese and butter out of milk, and so on. While these could be considered processed, when I say processed I refer to food that is produced in a factory and is significantly altered. This form of processing protein, and food in general, began in the Industrial Revolution, particularly during the 19th century.
At this time there was an emergence of working women; leaving lower classed families with nobody to cook. Companies realized they could capitalize on this new need for convenient and accessible food by producing foods at their factories in mass amounts. Prior to the Industrial Revolution people got their food by growing it themselves or by going to butcher shops, bakeries, public markets, or a grocer where they would have to ask for a specific item and then the grocer would receive it from their inventory. In the early 1900s this evolved–with the new methods of producing food items– into grocery stores where individuals could self-pick out what they needed/wanted. With this, companies were now competing with each other side by side in stores to be selected by consumers. Thus, they needed to find new ways to appeal to consumers.
They realized they could do this through the taste of their product, its packaging appeal, and by promising a longer shelf life. For a longer shelf life; companies started to refine their foods by taking out some of the essential nutrients, like fiber or essential fats, to repel pests, like mold. For the taste appeal companies started to add more unhealthy ingredients like sugar and salt. Finally, for packaging appeal, companies tried to intrigue consumers by adding in things like food dye or unique flavors. This all leads to an unhealthier product. Then, in the 1950s getting in better shape and building more muscles became popular.
With food now being processed in factories, companies harped on this new trend. Soon, there was an emergence of “diet foods”, like fat-free cheeses and no carb bread. There was also an emergence in “protein foods” which became popular for their muscle-building properties. Companies soon realized that they could create marketable items like bars or cookies that were high in protein by extracting protein from protein-rich foods. There are forms of processing protein where it can still be considered minimally processed like with raw meats, dairies, and cuts of red meat. When I refer to processed protein I will be referring to ultra processed protein but will just be calling it processed protein.
There are many kinds of processed protein from deli meats to protein bars, but each kind of processed protein undergoes a different kind of processing. There are three main categories of ways of processed proteins that I will be focusing on; protein substances, processed meats, and blended/functional protein products. The process for protein substances, like protein powder, begins with choosing a high source of protein (milk, nuts, eggs, beans, etc).
Filters, heat, or enzymes are then used to separate the protein from the other nutrients like fat, fiber, water, etc. Then, using heat or a drying machine the protein is dried. This is the most bare kind of protein powder. However, some companies then add enzymes which allows for faster and easier digestion, some add flavoring and sweeteners for enhancing taste; and most add stabilizers to avoid separation when the powder is added to products and for a longer shelf life. Processed meats undergo a different kind of processing; of course depending on the kind of meat the exact process differs.
Processed meats are first either grinded (for something like a sausage or hot dog) or are trimmed (for something like deli meats). They can also be broken down into pastes for something like pâte or anchovy paste. Then, seasonings like salt are added along with, in most cases, sugar and chemicals (like preservatives). This enhances the flavor, increases the shelf life, helps texture, and keeps a consistent color. Then, depending on the end goal, the product is either smoked (for something like smoked turkey or bacon) or cooked (for something like deli meats). Sometimes it is then cured for added flavor. For something like beef jerky it is then dried.
For certain products, like chicken nuggets, deli meats, hamburgers, etc, the meat is reshaped and binders are added so it can keep its shape. Finally, blended/functional products start with some kind of base protein. This is typically a processed protein powder, the process of which is discussed above. Then, other ingredients, depending on the kind of product, are added. For something like a protein bar; carbs, salts, fats, sweeteners, stabilizers, and other nutritional values are added (vitamins, fiber, collagen, etc). The product is then blended and shaped, bottled, or ejected. For certain products like protein bagels or cookies, the product is baked. Finally, the product is then packaged, and ready to go. This kind of product is much more heavily processed than processed protein powder or processed meats because it is made of already processed ingredients and combined with more processed ingredients. It is also designed to have the longest shelf life and thus needs the most stabilizers and preservatives.
Unprocessed proteins and processed proteins have very different chemical reactions in the body. When eating any protein food, or any food, it first goes down the esophagus which brings that food into your stomach. Once it reaches the stomach, however, there are different ways it can be processed differently if it is processed or not. For unprocessed or minimally processed proteins, like chicken, eggs, and beans, stomach acid first disentangles the protein’s structure. This allows peptide bonds, which form the primary structure of protein, to be bare so that enzymes can work and activate pepsin.
Pepsin breaks it down into smaller molecules that can be more easily absorbed into short polypeptides. Digestion takes longer in this process because it gradually releases amino acids into the small intestine rather than all at once. On the other hand, with processed proteins, the digestion process occurs slightly differently. Processed proteins like protein powders or bars are made in a way so that they come partly pre-broken down. This makes your body have to do less work and skip over some of the digesting steps, leading to quicker absorption into the small intestine than it should be and creates less satiety. This is why a chicken breast can be much more filling and give a longer feeling of fullness in comparison to a Quest bar.
With processed meats, like deli meats or hot dogs, the meat comes somewhat pre-heated/cooked so that it can be instantly eaten or easily prepared. When protein is cooked with sugar it creates a chemical reaction. This makes meat taste better, but it can create a new compound, which can lead to bloating and other health issues if you have too much of it. Many processed meats also have added chemicals so that it has a longer fridge life or to enhance taste. The added chemicals are harder for the body to digest because certain chemicals don’t mix well with the stomach’s acid. When they do mix, it can create unhealthy byproducts that can be harmful and it can also lead to bloating and constipation. Most meats that come somewhat pre-cooked have added sugar. Thus overall, having unprocessed protein is better if you want to be satiated for longer and don’t want bloating, long term health problems, or other stomach issues. Not to say processed protein is immediately and directly harmful, but it is best in smaller amounts and less often.
By: Skyler Sheresky
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