NutraSolutions' New Products Annual - Proteins & Peptides - March 2007
An increase in new healthful product introductions realistically promoting protein for weight loss would be predicted to follow suit. Beyond the diet category, new developments in how proteins affect sports performance and heart health are opening new product opportunities for functional foods. According to NMI’s 2005 Health & Wellness Database, the top three health benefits that consumers associate with protein, however, are weight management, bone health and skin health. Despite the low-carb sales, nutritional products with proteins have held fairly steady. (See chart “Sales in Protein Consumer Products.”)
One of the latest theories of how high-protein diets may help combat obesity and promote weight loss comes from new understanding of the role of the gut hormone called peptide YY (PYY). PYY is an important appetite suppressor that apparently leads to a reduction in body weight.
In 2002, the journal Nature published a paper (Batterham RL, et al. 2002. Nature, 418:650) that explained how PYY physiologically inhibits food intake. Since this date, the research on PYY has been steadily increasing. In 2006, another paper (Batterham RL, et al. 2006. Cell Metab., 4:223) was again published on PYY reporting that dietary protein enhances satiety and promotes weight loss, “but (that) the mechanisms by which appetite is affected remain unclear.”
One clinical study that showed high-protein diets increase levels of PYY involved 20 participants. In the trial, 10 men of normal weight and 10 obese males were given isocaloric meals that were high in either protein, fat or carbohydrates, and their blood samples were analyzed. The high-protein diet resulted in the highest reduction in appetite in both the normal weight and obese participants (and the highest PYY levels). To determine if PYY was involved in mediating appetite, a mouse model was created that lacked the PYY protein. The mice fed any of the diets lacked control of appetite and became obese. When PYY was supplemented to the mice, their appetite and weight both became reduced to normal levels, and when PYY was taken out of their diets, they gained weight again.
Could this lead to the development of functional foods or dietary supplements that could supplement PYY? The answer appears to be no, as PYY is a protein which will be broken down by the body if delivered orally; therefore, it would need to be delivered by intravenous, subcutaneous, transdermal or nasally in order to get the benefits of supplementation of exogenous PYY. However, it appears that endogenous PYY can be altered in humans through the alteration of dietary constituents, such as a high-protein diet, lending credence once again to eating higher levels of protein. Batterham has not advocated the Atkins diet. She says that the low-carb approach does not necessarily mean high protein, but that many people increase fat when they cut out carbs.
What kind of products can take advantage of this research? There are a large number of new product introductions that focus on protein. Protein powders are coming from many different sources, such as hemp and goat milk. For example, Manitoba Harvest’s Organic Hemp Protein Powder notes that it is made of 100% raw, cold-milled hemp protein powder and is said to be rich in complete protein (38%), branched-chain amino acids, omega-6 and 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and has “healthy dietary fiber, 46%.” Goat protein powder from Garden of Life is claimed to contain all the essential amino acids and be easier to digest and less likely to be allergenic (because it is from goat’s milk) than cow’s milk. Its Goatein Ig claims to be the only protein supplement on the market containing fermented protein with immunoglobulin G. It notes that IgG is a class of naturally occurring immune proteins, commonly called gamma globulins, that act as antibodies and play a role in immunity.
Protica claims to have introduced the world’s first capsulized ready-to-drink protein beverage. Each vial-shaped container has 2.7oz of drink that delivers 25g of protein with no carbs and no fat and 50% of the recommended daily allowance of B vitamins, as well as aspartame.
Even noni producers are tapping in on the protein drink market, as Tahitian Noni International has introduced four high-protein drinks. These drinks contain a protein complex consisting of soy protein, total milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, egg white protein and noni fruit protein concentrate.
However, many of the most popular uses for protein-based ingredients remain a bit more pedestrian. (See chart “Protein Utilization.”) The categories of “snack bars” and “meals and entrées” remain the most popular application for proteins such as those from whey, soy and egg.