Is Protein King?

By Medically reviewed by Dr. Laura Buchanan, MD ·

Originally published

One of the problems is that protein can be engineered to be hyperpalatable. Think of how good protein bars, protein shakes, protein cookies & protein chips taste… And now think about how widely available they are…

Toward Health article cover: IS PROTEIN KING?. Salmon, chicken, eggs, tofu and yogurt arranged as examples of protein foods.

While there may be some unique hormonal signals w/high protein intake that may induce satiety, the flavor
& palatability of these products can induce hyperphagia

I often ask my patient how much plain/grilled shrimp they can eat. I then ask them to imagine (or even try) adding salty butter sauce or marinara sauce to that shrimp, and I will ask them if they could eat more or less? They tell me they could eat MUCH more… some have actually tried, as I have, and report back to me that, in fact, they can eat much more. In this example, protein can be OVEREATEN, just like any other macronutrient, with a little flavor, or a little sugar, or a little fat, or salt.

Bottom line: Palatability can override proteins efficacy to some extent.

Is Protein King? Yes, but the queen is palatability/hyperphagia.

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