You would have to be blinkered to not have noticed the current trend for high protein foods. By that I don’t mean the naturally occurring, bioavailable protein in meat. I’m talking about products that have labels shouting “high protein” in bold lettering.

If you look through the supermarket shelves, you will find highly processed foods extolling their “high protein” status. These include cookies, granola, and even pasta!

The latest dumbfounding addition to the “high protein” family, is beef mince which has added pea protein. Yes, pea protein added to already high protein, nutrient dense beef mince.

The nutritional info tells us that the protein level is higher than the standard beef, but it also tells you that carbs are now present too. The ingredients listed shows that this product only contains 60% beef, which in my mind, is not ideal, as this is minced beef, which should be made from 100% beef. Also, one of the ingredients listed is maltodextrin, which is a filler derived from glucose molecules. I personally don’t want sugar added to my meat, and the knock effects it causes.

In my opinion, this serves as a great reminder to always check the ingredients list on the back of the pack. Just to make sure you are actually buying, what you were hoping to buy. Or, if you can afford it, buy from your local butcher. They will be happy to talk you about their product, and will probably be able to tell you where it was reared, and reassure you that there is nothing random added to your food.