Protein-Enriched Foods Surge in Swiss Supermarkets – But Are They Necessary?
Geneva, Switzerland – Swiss supermarkets are seeingโ a boom in protein-enriched products, โฃfrom yogurts andโข pasta to muesli and drinks, prompting questions about weather teh average consumer actually needs the added boost. โAโ recent podcast from RTS.ch’s “Point โJ” investigates the trend, finding that for โmost, the answer is likely no.
According to Sidonie โคFabbi, aโ teaching master in nutritionโ and dietetics at theโ Haute รcole โขde Santรฉโ in Geneva, “The general population is notโค lacking in โคprotein intake.” Official Swiss recommendations currently standโค at 0.8 grams of proteinโค per kilogramโข of body weight daily for adults.
Fabbi explains โฃthat protein is โฃreadily available inโข a variety of foods, both animal-based (meat, fish, eggs, dairy)โ and plant-based (legumes,โข nuts, cereals). “A healthy person who eats inโ a balanced way โshould not need โฃthese protein-enrichedโ products,” she โฃstated.
Despite this,โค retailers Migros andโ Coopโ reportโค “continuous โgrowth” in the protein-enhanced food segment.Thisโค riseโ is attributed to โthe growing fitness culture and the perception of protein as a beneficial nutrient, frequently โenough contrasted with โคthe negative portrayal of carbohydrates โฃand lipids.
However, Fabbi emphasizesโข that source โis more critical than quantity. “The problem is not so much the amount of protein as sources. We eat too โฃmuch meat and not enough proteins that come from โฃthe โplant kingdom,” โshe โnoted.
The “Point J” podcast delves deeper into whether these products offer benefits โขfor specific โคpopulations โand provides guidance on how consumers can evaluate them.
Listen to the full 14-minute episode, “How โคmuch should โwe eat protein?”โ on โขRTS.ch, originally aired yesterday at 5:00 p.m.
The report was compiled by Jessica Vial and the Point J team.
