Protein, Satiety and Weight Management

By all accounts, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity reported in the United States over the past decade. A case in point, in 2007 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that only one state (Colorado) accounted for having incidences of obesity of less than 20%. Thirty states reported equal to or greater than 25%; three of which (Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee) had an increase of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

This frightening rate of obesity raises grave concerns among many health officials. They are quick to point out that obesity increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and even some forms of cancers.

As the media continues to focus on this growing problem, more and more consumers are becoming aware of how their diet impacts not only their overall appearance, but, more importantly, their health. Consumers are showing greater interest in eating a more balanced diet and controlling their total daily caloric intake to fight obesity and maintain a healthier weight.

Easier said than done, as grabbing a “meal on the go” has become commonplace in our society’s fast-paced lifestyle. And, as a result, more often than not we find ourselves snacking between meals to relieve the stress in our everyday lives. Unfortunately, the snacks we commonly consume are often high in fat, sugar and salt, and can still leave us hungry soon after eating. Consequently, snacking most often leads to excessive weight gain.

The response from the food and beverage industry to this situation has been the introduction of alternative snack food products designed to control “satiation,” one of the industry’s hottest buzzwords.

Satiation is the process that promotes meal termination. It is the physical process that prevents the overconsumption of food. Satiety results from the signals that emanate from the stomach in response to gastric dissention and peptides released by the endocrine intestinal cells after ingestion of food.

The following graph, derived from data compiled by the research firm Mintel, Chicago, gives just a brief indication of the importance of this new trend. It indicates worldwide product launches designed to promote satiety.

Satiety is related to the release of gastrointestinal peptides which stimulates the central nervous system, causing the cessation of food intake. It is the process that affects hunger from one meal to the next. In effect, satiety helps control meal frequency in concert with learned social and behavioural habits.

There are many ways to stimulate satiety. Among the most popular are fiber and protein. This approach is finding its way into many new products on the market.

Mintel GNPD estimates that over one-third of all new products launched since 2005 claiming to assist in satiety are based on a combination of fiber and protein. Another 20% claim a high protein or high fiber content. Mintel notes that over 50% of the satiety-enhancing food products are formulated with fibers and/or proteins.

In the United States, any claims related to satiety and proteins would fall under the category of structure/function claims. Structure/function claims are statements that describe the effect a nutrient or a dietary ingredient may have on the structure or function of the body without prior review by FDA. Minimum condition of use for that claim would be that the food is at least a good source of protein (minimum 10% DRV per serving), and possible wording would be as follows: “Some studies show that foods rich in protein, such as pea protein, may help to keep you feeling full for longer.”

Protein and satiety claims are also substantiated by the European Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries (FCP/221/07E Annex1) with the following condition of use:

“High protein food promotes satiety’’: Conditions of ‘’high protein’’―from HC regulation 1924/2006―at least 20% of energy comes from protein

Proteins are well-known for their ability to control food intake. They have been used for years within the dietetic food sector in weight control snacks and meal substitutes. Many clinical studies have shown that high-protein foods have a positive impact on satiety by enhancing the feeling of fullness and increasing the delay of the next food intake.

High-protein foods

Proteins contain 4 kcal per gram and are nutrients that are not metabolised as fat in the body. The added benefit to consumers is that high-protein foods are more nutritious than common food while having lower calorie content.

In any weight loss program, the role of diet in exercise and physical performance is essential. We know that carbohydrates are a major energy source, while proteins are critical nutrients for muscle protein synthesis. And, overall protein needs are greater for people who exercise regularly. The level of branched-chain amino acids in pea protein is higher than other vegetable proteins and is comparable to those found in milk and egg protein. This is particularly important in sport foods, because they allow the maintenance of muscle tissue during intense exercise. The arginine content of pea protein isolate is the highest of all commercially available proteins and contributes to enhanced immune responses. The lysine content of pea protein helps with the building of muscle protein.

With consumers being inundated with information about dietary food products, clean labeling and health scares, the time is right for satiety to become the new food trend. It is a less radical, easy to understand concept that has appeal for the masses.

Gil Bakal is Managing Director, A&B Ingredients, Fairfield, NJ. A&B provides technical sales and marketing, importing, distribution and applications development/technical services to the food and fine chemical industries, with a full applications lab, pilot plant facilities and consumer testing capabilities on premises.

Related Article:

Food Product Design: Pea Protein

Web resources

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations

Natural Products INSIDER: High-Protein Meal’s Effect on Satiety

Food Product Design: The Principles of Protein

Other resources

Protein

Pea Protein