As a greater variety of protein sources are used in foods and beverages, there are more questions coming up around protein quality from consumers, product developers, and regulatory bodies. Our experts discuss how protein quality is calculated, methods to improve it, and what it all means for product development.
Protein, Exercise, and Performance
This category focuses on the intricate relationship between protein consumption and athletic performance. Articles explore how protein quantity, quality, and timing influence muscle health, recovery, and overall physical performance. Readers will gain insights into the latest scientific research guiding optimal protein intake for athletes, ranging from recreational to elite levels. We provide actionable advice on how to structure diets that maximize muscle health, recovery, and peak performance, ensuring athletes at all levels can perform to the best of their ability.
There is more to protein than just the amount we eat when it comes to maximizing performance and muscle health.
Learn how dietary fiber can improve the texture, functionality, and nutrition of plant-based meat alternative and meat products.
How do alternative protein sources like plants, insects, or cultured meat resonate with consumers? Learn about drivers of acceptance and ways to remove barriers in this summary of a recent study.
The Ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet Different dietary trends come into popularity at various stages and recent times have seen the resurgence of the low carbohydrate – high fat diet (LCHF) diet, this time in the form of ‘the ketogenic diet’. This diet encourages less than 10% of total calories… Read more »
Despite the stigma surrounding soy among consumers, science continues to show soy is not only safe to consume, but improves health. A new scientific review of 46 studies has helped solidify the role of soy protein in reducing LDL and total cholesterol, both of which are outcomes linked to improved heart health. Researchers found that… Read more »
The world of sports nutrition is full of different choices of supplements for recovery or performance. Standing out among them due to its simplicity, though, is chocolate milk. Chocolate milk has gained attention in exercise due to its carbohydrate and protein content, but also due to its widespread appeal and affordability. Now, researchers have found… Read more »
Could exercise performance be added to the list of potential benefits of alpha-lactalbumin, a protein already showing promise for sleep improvement and humanization of infant formula? What is Alpha-Lactalbumin? Alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA) is the major protein found in human breast milk, but is only found at low levels in cow’s milk. This has caused the protein… Read more »
A recent scientific review set out to understand whether long-term intake of high protein diets has any negative impact on kidney health. They found that in the short-term (<6 months), there are no negative outcomes for measurements of kidney health. However, there were not enough long-term studies to confidently say if high protein intakes do… Read more »
In this blog we round up the great content on nutrition and exercise on the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow’s milk? This is the title of a study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology. Plant-based substitutes for dairy, like almond milk or vegetarian cheese, have been steadily increasing in popularity as more people self-identify as being sensitive to lactose or dairy… Read more »
Numerous countries across the globe have initiated actions to reduce sugar intake, including reformulation, targeted taxation, front-of-pack labeling, and more. Initiatives to reduce sugar content of foods can be dependent on the supply chain being able to support such changes. The World Health Organization recently undertook a novel food supply chain analysis to identify possible… Read more »
Ever heard of ketones? You may have heard someone mention them when talking about low-carb, ‘ketogenic’ diets. Ketones are an alternative fuel source for our bodies. Under normal conditions, our bodies use glucose (sugar) for energy. That’s right, despite the low-carb craze in recent decades, our body’s main fuel source is carbohydrates! Ketones are made… Read more »
A new study published in the Journal of Dairy Science brings us one step closer to understanding the consumer values that drive purchases of dairy milk or plant-based alternatives. The migration of many consumers from traditional fluid milk to plant-based alternatives, like soy- and almond-based beverages, has been a decades-long phenomenon that doesn’t seem to… Read more »
New research shows dark chocolate may reduce the oxygen cost of exercise
In 2010, Australia implemented a number of taxes on unhealthy foods alongside subsidies on fruits and vegetables. A new study in the journal of PLOS medicine reveals that Australia could save AUD $3.4 billion (USD $2.3 billion) in healthcare costs. The greatest impact, the researchers concluded, came from a sugar tax, which could avert 270,000 years… Read more »
Both glucose availability and insulin concentrations in the blood determine the rate of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscles. After endurance or high-intensity exercise, athletes have used up their glycogen reserves.
The World Health Organization classified processed red meat as a carcinogen, but what is the actual risk and how can we still fit red meat into a healthy diet?
Leucine is key when it comes to stimulating muscle protein synthesis, but all proteins contain different levels of this vital amino acid.
One of the enduring health challenges with ageing is the loss of lean tissue mass or muscle. Protein is a critical nutrient for building muscle.