Why eating more protein in junk food might help you eat less
Short-term effects of high-protein, lower-carbohydrate ultra-processed foods on human energy balance
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Ultra-processed foods with high protein reduced calorie intake by 196 kcal/day—even though they were still 84% ultra-processed.
Most research blames ultra-processed foods for overeating due to palatability and additives. This study shows that even within UPFs, macronutrient composition can override those effects.
Practical Takeaways
Swap low-protein ultra-processed snacks (chips, cookies) for high-protein ones (protein bars, Greek yogurt cups, protein-fortified cereals) to naturally reduce daily calorie intake by ~200 kcal.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Ultra-processed foods with high protein reduced calorie intake by 196 kcal/day—even though they were still 84% ultra-processed.
Most research blames ultra-processed foods for overeating due to palatability and additives. This study shows that even within UPFs, macronutrient composition can override those effects.
Practical Takeaways
Swap low-protein ultra-processed snacks (chips, cookies) for high-protein ones (protein bars, Greek yogurt cups, protein-fortified cereals) to naturally reduce daily calorie intake by ~200 kcal.
Publication
Journal
Nature Metabolism
Year
2025
Authors
F. Hägele, C. Herpich, Jana Koop, Jonas Grübbel, R. Dörner, S. Fedde, Oliver Götze, Y. Boirie, M. J. Müller, Kristina Norman, Anja Bosy-Westphal
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Claims (4)
Eating ultra-processed foods with more protein and fewer carbs makes your body burn about 130 extra calories per day just to digest and process the food, even if you’re not moving more.
When healthy young people eat ultra-processed foods that are high in protein and low in carbs, they naturally eat about 200 fewer calories per day than when they eat ultra-processed foods with normal protein and carbs—even if both meals taste the same.
Even though people still ate more calories than they burned, eating high-protein, low-carb ultra-processed foods made them much less likely to store excess energy as fat compared to normal-protein ultra-processed foods.
When people eat high-protein, low-carb ultra-processed foods, their bodies release more hormones that tell them they’re full (PYY and glucagon) and less of the hunger hormone (ghrelin), which may explain why they eat less.