We’re all told, these days, that we don’t eat enough protein. Guidelines suggest the average man needs about 55 grams a day, 45 grams for women. Most of us do, in fact, get enough of it but that hasn’t stopped us turning to powders and bars to compensate.

Between 2018 and 2023 the protein bar market more than doubled to £122.6m. In 2022, the sales value of protein powder concentrates surpassed £463m. Three years prior, in 2019, one in five people reported consuming them once or more per week.

But are they good for us? We asked the experts if they eat them – and if not, what they replace them with.

‘I eat them three times a week but I’m careful of ingredients’

Nichola Ludlam-Raine, dietitian for 15 years and author of ‘How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed‘

Ludlam-Raine eats protein bars or powders two to three times a week in her breakfast or on the go. When using oat milk, instead of cows or soya milk, in her morning porridge or smoothie, she adds a scoop of Huel protein powder for a protein boost. On busy days, she takes protein bars from FulFil or Grenade in her bag to snack on.

“They can be convenient and effective for supplementing a diet low in protein, particularly for those with higher needs like athletes, older adults, or people recovering from illness. They’re convenient, have set portions and a variety of flavours,” she tells i.

Although Ludlam-Raine puts them in the bracket of a ‘healthier UPF‘ she says they are still processed and some contain additional sugars and additives. She opts for brands with a shorter ingredient list as many have “fillers” and added sugar. “Some brands may use lower-quality protein sources or additives which can cause digestive discomfort, especially if they contain sugar alcohols.

“Look for products with simple, minimal ingredients and go for brands that use whey isolate, pea protein or casein.”

When it’s possible, she always recommends prioritising whole food protein sources first – such as Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese with berries and seeds for breakfast, or eggs. For lunch, she might have lentil or chickpea salad with grilled chicken or salmon followed by boiled eggs, nuts or edamame for a snack. Dinner options include tofu stir fry with quinoa or baked cod with sweet potato and broccoli.

‘They can fill nutritional gaps’

Shelley Balls, registered dietitian and owner of ‘Fuelling Your Lifestyle’

Dietitian Shelley Balls sometimes uses protein powders or bars to tide her over before her next meal, or to add protein to her diet if her meals have been lacking it. “I’m all for adding protein powder to a smoothie, or taking a protein bar with you on the go. They can be handy in some scenarios,” she says.

Relying on them too much could mean you’re missing out on other key nutrients though, she warns. “It isn’t uncommon to overdo it when it comes to protein supplements. Some people may skip breakfast that contains dietary fibre, protein and antioxidants because they think grabbing a protein bar is better for their health when in reality it could lead to nutritional deficits.”

As an alternative, Balls will sometimes swap a protein bar for other snacks like a peanut butter and jam sandwich, yoghurt parfait with berries and granola, 85g tuna with avocado or around 30g almonds.

‘I avoid them due to added sugar’

Lesley Kumar, nutrition consultant at Ringside 24 and registered dietitian

“Protein powders have potential risks such as added sugars, calories and possible contaminants. It’s better to get protein from whole foods,” advises Kumar.

In their place, she prefers a handful of plant proteins like nuts, seeds, soy and beans as they’re bioavailable – that is, more easily absorbed by the body. Animal proteins contain additional fibre and healthy fats – opt for lean turkey or chicken, fish or dairy sources like cottage cheese and milk.

‘I use protein supplements daily’

Chris Mohr, fitness and nutrition adviser at Fortune Recommends Health

Mohr has whey protein powder in his morning drink. “Any time I’m in a pinch I love a quick, on-the-go smoothie as a way to get in quality protein, fruit and some veggies. It’s a convenient way to get high-quality nutrition into the diet.

“For the average person there’s not a big difference in protein powders – some are higher quality than others – but overall choose a flavour you like and enjoy it when you want a quick meal,” he advises.

Forget protein bars, however – they’re often loaded with added sugars.

‘We should get protein from food first’

Helen Bond, registered dietitian with 28 years’ experience

“As a dietician I always say that we should have a ‘food first’ approach because, in theory, we should be able to get all of the protein our body needs from eating a varied and balanced diet,” says Bond.

In basic terms proteins are made from a range of amino acids, none of which are essential, she says. Our bodies cannot these nine and they have to come from within our diet. Animal foods, such as chicken, fish and eggs and dairy are “complete proteins” as they have all the essential amino acids. “It’s easy to get all nine if we eat a variety of protein sources throughout the day.”

She recommends mixing them with plant-based protein foods like soya, oats, grains, nuts, seeds and lentils. They tend to be high in fibre which Bond says most of us lack, and they’re better for the environment.

She’s not against supplementing protein when it’s needed though. “If your diet is lacking and you’re not meeting your protein needs for whatever reason – your training, your older and appetite is poor of your diet isn’t balanced – they can be useful to fill nutritional gaps.”

‘The cons outweigh the pros’

Sue Baic, former NHS and private dietitian, now a freelance nutrition consultant

Like other experts, Baic says protein supplements can be convenient, especially for people who are active with a need for higher protein but getting protein in from food should come first as they often have the healthy fats and fibre we also need.

“They tend to be more expensive than getting protein from foods and some are just an expensive way of getting milk protein. Food sources of protein are relatively economical and tasty like yoghurt, tinned fish, beans, some nuts and lean turkey.”

Baic sometimes buys protein yoghurts but avoids bars and powders as her diet involved plenty of low fat dairy, lean meat and oily fish which gives her the protein she needs. She’s also found, when she has tasted them, that a high-protein meal is much more tasty than the same amount in a supplement or bar.