Protein bars are a snack that well being and health lovers in Egypt resort to to curb their urge for food, gasoline exercises or assist muscle restoration after train. They’re additionally a handy approach to devour carbohydrates, protein, nutritional vitamins, and minerals.
“Many individuals depend on protein bars as a result of they’re available and regarded a wholesome snack and good supply of protein,” Rana Shams, a medical nutritionist instructed Egyptian Streets, noting that also they are used to fulfill sugar cravings for individuals following weight reduction diets.
Protein bars are present in supermarkets, gasoline stations, and a few pharmacies throughout Egypt, packed in colourful wrappers with the variety of protein grams per pack highlighted on their cowl.
Manufacturers resembling Zero, Increase, Lite Chew, Scrunch, Isolate, and OWN, are often called protein bar producers. Nevertheless, some manufacturers identified for various merchandise have began promoting protein bars, resembling Breadfast’s “Byld” and Abu Auf’s protein bar vary.
“I eat protein bars three to 4 occasions every week,” Nadeen Emad, a 29-year-old pharmacist who prefers maintaining a healthy diet meals and works out usually, instructed Egyptian Streets. “They’re straightforward to seek out, wholesome, full of protein, preserve me feeling full, and style nice.”
Emad talked about that she typically has them for breakfast with a cup of espresso, different occasions as a pre-workout increase or post-workout deal with, and sometimes for dinner when she has not met her protein consumption purpose through the day.
“I select a protein bar based mostly on its protein-to-carbohydrate ratio,” Emad defined. “I purpose for greater than 20 grams of protein and the bottom quantity of carbohydrates doable.”
Salma Mahmoud, a 34-year-old software program engineer who works out usually and follows a nutritious diet, instructed Egyptian Streets that she seems to be for top protein and low energy in a protein bar, ideally within the taste of chocolate or coconut.
Shams agreed with Emad and Mahmoud’s rationale, stating, “Not all protein bars are equal by way of dietary worth, so it’s essential for customers to decide on ones which might be low in energy and carbohydrates, and excessive in protein content material.”
She emphasised the significance of additionally taking note of macronutrients—carbohydrates, fat, and proteins, which offer vitality and are important for development, noting that relying on the model of the protein bar, the quantity of protein, carbohydrates, and energy differ considerably.
Moreover, some protein bars include added sugars and preservatives, which isn’t preferrred for a product marketed as wholesome and appropriate for these following a weight loss program.
Mislabeling on Protein Bars
A 2023 research completed by the College of Alexandria that goals to authenticate labeling knowledge per serving in commercialized high-protein sports activities meals, within the Egyptian market, revealed a discrepancy between the labeling knowledge for these meals and their precise dietary content material.
The research analyzed a complete of 45 samples throughout 9 merchandise together with, protein bars, cookies, vegan bars, puffs, whey protein, protein drinks, peanut butter, pancake combine, and Greek yogurt.
The common protein bars, in accordance with labeling knowledge, had 220.93 calculated vitality (kcal), and 265.11 kcal in accordance with measured knowledge within the laboratory, the research reveals.
In the case of macronutrients, protein bars include considerably much less protein than what’s claimed on their labels by 46.4 %. In distinction, protein drinks truly include 5.83 % extra protein than said on their labels.
The carbohydrate content material of protein bars is 231.15 % larger than what’s said on the label, whereas the fats content material exceeds the labeled quantity by 68.25 %.
This discrepancy raises considerations that buyers who monitor their vitamin for well being or dietary functions will not be receiving the anticipated protein, carbohydrates, fats, or calorie content material from these bars, probably hindering their dietary targets.
Many meals manufacturers, not simply protein bars, have mislabeled dietary information as a result of there may be not sufficient monitoring of the meals business, Shams clarified.
Mislabeling, a type of meals fraud, poses a menace to public well being, will increase shopper mistrust, and supplies financial advantages for meals corporations, in accordance to a 2021 research completed in Portugal.
“When sure meals are examined, the outcomes sometimes match the label, however usually the dietary information don’t replicate actuality in any respect,” Shams said, advocating for stricter manufacturing laws for meals.
Egyptian Regulating for Meals Security
In Egypt, numerous ministries, together with Well being and Inhabitants (MOPH), Agriculture (MALR), Commerce and Business (MTI), and Provide and Dwelling Commerce, challenge legal guidelines and laws regarding meals security. Nevertheless, there may be presently no particular laws addressing the problem of product mislabeling.
A shopper safety legislation launched in 2018, aimed at upholding shopper rights and making certain sincere promoting, prohibits market monopolization and deceptive advertisements. It imposes fines of as much as EGP 2 million (USD 41,099) for violations, together with strict penalties for non-compliant companies.
“The necessities of bringing a product to the market don’t embody testing the accuracy of the labels on the product,” the director of the Nationwide Institute of Vitamin, Gehan Fouad mentioned in Egypt Unbiased, noting that Egypt lacks a legislation that ensures meals security by means of correct product labeling.
Emad and Mahmoud each know protein bars in all probability don’t present the promised dietary worth, however, as Mahmoud mentioned, “they’re the most effective of the dangerous choices at a grocery store.”
Nevertheless, Mahmoud acknowledges that no snack or product can change unprocessed, whole-food sources of protein and vitamin—a press release that Shams extremely agreed with.
“We cannot evaluate protein bars to entire meals sources of protein like hen or eggs, as a result of they cannot match the dietary worth of entire meals,” Shams mentioned, noting that protein bars usually lack all of the important amino acids, the constructing blocks of proteins {that a} physique wants, that are available in entire meals.
Whereas Shams sees the attraction of protein bars, as they stave off starvation and supply an vitality increase, she advises towards consuming them each day if sustaining a wholesome way of life is the purpose.
Shoppers are thus urged to look past the packaging and prioritize entire, unprocessed meals over handy, but mislabeled, alternate options resembling protein bars.
