The Facts About Protein Nutrition
For years, consumer interest in protein has remained strong, driven mainly by a desire to eat healthfully, and fueled by the popularity of high-protein and plant-based diets. To inform your protein promotions, here are some facts about protein nutrition and a look at shoppers’ protein views and eating patterns.
A Quick Protein Primer
Protein is found in a wide array of foods, with the richest sources being animal foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products, and plant foods such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy products (e.g., tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk). Smaller amounts are found in grains and vegetables. The body needs protein to build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood; repair cells; and manufacture enzymes, hormones and vitamins. Protein also helps promote a feeling of satiety when we eat.
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Animal foods, as well as soy and quinoa, supply all of the essential amino acids the body needs to build proteins, but most plant foods are missing one or more essential amino acids. However, eating a wide variety of plant foods throughout the day should supply the essential amino acids that the body needs.
Generally, Americans eat enough protein, but are advised to choose less meat, leaner cuts of meat and poultry, and more seafood and plant-based proteins, according to the 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The goal is to reduce saturated fat and increase the variety of nutrients consumed from protein foods.
Shoppers’ Protein Preferences
Shoppers view protein as a healthful nutrient and seek it out in their diets, according to findings from the 2023 Food and Health Survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC). One-third (33%) of consumers said that the attribute “good source of protein” defines a healthy food, just behind “fresh” (40%) and “low in sugar” (37%).
Among the 52% of respondents who follow a diet or specific eating plan, “high-protein” (18%) was the type of diet mentioned most frequently. In addition, two-thirds of all respondents (67%) are trying to consume protein, which received more mentions than any other nutrient. The vast majority of those respondents (92%) are trying to consume protein through foods, as opposed to beverages (25%) or supplements (22%).
Interest in consuming more plant-based protein continues to trend upward. In the 2023 IFIC survey, more than one-quarter (28%) of respondents said that they consumed more protein from whole-plant sources in the past year. This follows a 31% increase in the number who said the same in the 2022 survey.
Among animal proteins, poultry topped the list, with 26% of respondents saying that they consumed more in the past year, followed by seafood (23%), eggs (22%), dairy (19%), red meat (16%) and blended meat products, a combination of meat and plant-based ingredients (14%). In 2023, significantly fewer respondents reported consuming more dairy and blended meat products, compared with respondents in 2022.
Plan Healthful Protein Promotions with Retail Dietitians
Retail dietitians can guide shoppers toward nutritious protein choices throughout the aisles, educate them on protein requirements and healthful eating patterns, and introduce them to new protein foods. Dietitians also can provide special advice to shoppers with protein allergies, vegetarians and vegans, athletes, the elderly, and more.
