Egg before chicken in protein poll by dairy farm

A SURVEY commissioned by Scotland’s number one dairy brand reveals a lack of understanding around protein’s role and value when consumed as part of a fitness regime. 

A YouGov survey, commissioned by Graham’s Family Dairy, supported by the best university in the world for sports, Loughborough, found that 37 per cent of UK adults who exercise believe wrongly that one of protein’s key roles is to provide energy; while only 12 per cent of all UK adults were consuming food at the optimum time after taking part in physical activity. More surprisingly, the poll revealed that only 30 per cent of UK adults who exercise actually know how much protein is in a medium sized egg, 18 per cent of people know how much is in a standard yogurt and just nine per cent of people know how much protein is in a medium chicken breast. 

Whilst high-protein products have seen a significant rise in popularity – with one third of UK adults using high-protein food and drink products, consumers lack knowledge of protein’s place in a healthy and active diet. That’s why the family run dairy has launched a 30-day challenge aimed at highlighting the benefits of consuming protein to aid in exercise recovery. 

Andrew Shepherd, Performance Nutrition Lead at Loughborough University, added: 

“The emphasis and growth in popularity of protein over the last few years has seen a rapid increase in the amount consumed. The results in this survey show that despite this, we still don’t have a clear understanding of the amount of protein in different foods, the timing to consume or the type of foods. 

“From the survey we’re seeing a large number of people consuming protein a long time after finishing their workout (1-4 hours), but we know that consuming protein immediately post (within 30 minutes) supports the recovery and adaptation from exercise.

“Incorporating protein sources after workouts, which are easily available, easily digestible and contain more than 20g of protein can help you to recover from exercise. There are a range of foods that can meet this need but dairy products such as Graham’s Family Dairy protein yogurts provide a fantastic solution to getting the right total, type and timing for your recovery. Combining this with carbohydrate can support both refuelling as well as repair.”

In November, Graham’s Family Dairy revealed that for the first time on record, sales of protein and Skyr products had overtaken sales of conventional milk in major supermarkets, while sales of protein pouches increased by 800 per cent since the previous year, illustrating the growing demand for protein-rich dairy products. 

Robert Graham, Graham’s Family Dairy Managing Director, said: 

“Being a keen runner and gym-goer I know the importance of a balanced diet. Since we started developing our innovative protein range in 2018 I’ve made a point of understanding the role protein plays and how it can help us to recover from exercise more effectively. 

“More people are incorporating high protein products into their diets – we have seen protein product sales grow by 67 per cent over the last year – and we want to encourage everyone to consider their post exercise protein intake. I hope that by taking part in the Powered by Graham’s challenge participants can make the most of their workouts. It is free to enter and anyone can do so on our website.”

‘Powered by Graham’s’, supported by Loughborough University, is free to sign up to and everyone who registers will receive expert advice and exclusive opportunities to take part in exercise classes sponsored by Graham’s Family Dairy at participating fitness facilities across the UK.  

Graham’s Family Dairy produces a wide range of high-protein, fat free, low sugar and sweetener free dairy products which deliver between 22 and 25 grams of protein per serving, setting them apart from others in the market which typically offer only 14-20 grams, making them the perfect go-to post exercise snack. 

To sign up to the Powered by Graham’s campaign click here.