Sweet Enough January - 21 Day Sugar Reset

As we move further into this challenge, awareness often expands beyond sugar alone. Recently, there has been a huge surge about "high protein" eating and this has caused a large market for processed foods to be marketed as such. Throughout this challenge, food labels have probably been your best friend, but sometimes they can be confusing, especially if you don't know what to look for!

Many products are marketed as “high protein” or “protein-packed,” but when you look closer, the actual amount of protein may be modest, especially relative to portion size, calories, and added ingredients.

This doesn’t mean those foods are off-limits... It simply means pausing and looking a little deeper can help you decide whether a food truly supports your needs and goals.

A good trick to determine whether a food is really "high protein" is to first;

1. Look at the calories - say calories says 120

2. Look at the protein - say it says 5g

3. Add a zero to the protein - this would be 50

4. If protein (50) is significantly less than calories (120), it really isn't a great protein source.

5. We want these numbers to be close to or equal

Example 1 - 1/4 egg whites has approximately 30 calories and 6g of protein. (60 is much greater than 30, making it a great protein source)

Example 2 - Kind "High Protein" Granola has 240 calories for 6g of protein (60 is much less than 240, making it not a great source of protein) However, this could still fit in your diet if you want it too, it just isn't as high in protein as they make you believe.

This kind of awareness helps explain why some meals or snacks still leave you wanting more.

Take a moment to reflect:

• How often do you rely on front-of-package claims when choosing foods?

• Do certain foods labeled “high protein” actually keep you full?

• What happens when you pause and check the nutrition label instead?

This challenge isn’t about avoiding packaged foods.

It’s about learning how to navigate marketing with curiosity and choosing what truly supports you and your goals!