Last month Lidl announced a new range of ‘High Protein Meat’, including high-protein beef mince.

You might be scratching your head at this concept. Surely, beef is already high in protein? Yes, it is, with 19.8g per 100g.

But the high-protein mince contains much more: 37.5g of protein per 100g. Even more curiously, it is cheaper at £8.31 per kilogram versus £8.78 for the normal mince.

How on earth is this possible? Beef has become notoriously expensive, so why is a higher protein version cheaper?

The answer is supplied by a small label on the front: ‘With added pea protein.’ The packet of mince contains just 60 per cent beef, with 20 per cent pea protein and the remaining 20 per cent made up of water, seasoning and additives.

The product has caused a storm on social media and many health experts are deeply sceptical, too. Lidl, however, insists that it is responding to one of the biggest consumer trends of the past few years: protein.

Worldpanel, a market research agency that specialises in supermarkets, says more than a quarter of shoppers now say they often seek out products high in protein, more than doubling since 2021. The best-selling snack in Tesco’s meal deal last year was the ‘egg protein pot’ – a plastic pot containing two boiled eggs. Richard Bourns at Lidl GB gushes: ‘Demand for high-protein products is soaring.’

This craze is being driven by an increasing awareness that protein is important, not just for bodybuilders, but all adults, including those who want reduce their loss of muscle mass as they age.

Those on fat jabs – up to eight million Britons, one survey suggests – are also driving the trend. Experts recommend that anyone taking appetite-suppressing medications needs to increase their protein intake.

This helps explain why you can now buy high-protein versions of everything from bread to sausage rolls. In many cases these versions – unlike Lidl’s mince – are quite a bit more expensive than the standard products.

Some experts are dubious about whether many of these protein upgrades are worth it. Bahee Van de Bor, a specialist paediatric dietitian and Founder of the Happy Belly Clinic, says: ‘Mostly, an ordinary protein food on the side does the job better and costs less.

‘Eggs, dairy, fish, meat, beans, lentils and nuts bring iron, zinc, B12, calcium or fibre as well. An added protein ingredient mostly gives you the protein alone, and some, like wheat protein and collagen, are poorer quality proteins.’

So here are ten of the more surprising high-protein foods you can now buy in the supermarket, with each one given a score by Van de Bor. She has given higher ratings to those products using a good protein source, simple ingredients with no extra fat, salt or calories, and providing a worthwhile protein boost.

Scotch eggs

Wall’s Classic Scotch Egg, 113g, £1.35

Wall’s High Protein Scotch Egg, 113g, £1.55

The extra protein comes from added wheat protein and beans, and it brings more calories, saturated fat and salt with it. ‘If you want extra protein, have an ordinary scotch egg and an extra boiled egg,’ says Van de Bor.

Protein premium per gram: 15%

Weetabix 24 pack, £3.50

Weetabix Protein, 24 pack: £3.95

The extra protein is added wheat gluten. ‘Wheat protein is low in lysine, an essential amino acid, which means your body can’t make it and has to get it from food. Milk is rich in lysine, so ordinary Weetabix with milk gives you a good balance of protein, plus calcium and iodine, for less money,’ says Van de Bor.

Protein premium per gram: 13%

Cream cheese

Philadelphia Original, 165g, £2.25

Protein Philadelphia, 165g, £2.25

There is nothing added to the protein version; it’s just had fat taken out, which concentrates the protein levels. ‘So you get double the protein per spoonful with around 60 per cent fewer calories and far less saturated fat, at the same price,’ says Van de Bor. ‘It’s an easy swap.’

Protein premium per gram: 0%

Mars Bar, 51g, £1.20

Mars Hi-Protein, 57g, £2.80

Can a Mars Bar ever be healthy? ‘Some of the protein comes from collagen, which contains no tryptophan, an essential amino acid, so it’s an incomplete protein,’ says Van de Bor.

‘And it’s sweetened with maltitol and sorbitol, which can cause bloating and loose stools.’

Protein premium per gram: 109%

Wholemeal bread

Warburtons Wholemeal, 800g, £1.35

The protein loaf is smaller. Van de Bor, however, approves of the ingredients. ‘Some of the protein comes from soya, lentils, beans and seeds, which I like to see.’ Protein premium per gram: 69%

Barilla Fusilli, 500g, £1.50

Barilla Protein+ Fusilli, 400g, £2.50

You are paying a whacking premium for the protein version. But Van de Bor is a fan: ‘This is my favourite of the lot! Pea and wheat make a really good team. Wheat is low in lysine, while pea protein is rich in it; pea protein is lower in methionine, which wheat provides. Together, they offer a better balance of amino acids than wheat alone,’ she says.

Protein premium per gram: 108%

Cereal bar

Nature Valley, Crunchy Oats and Honey, 5 x42g, £2.50

Nature Valley, Protein Peanut and Chocolate, 4 x 40g, £3

You get fewer and smaller bars with the protein version, which boosts its protein content thanks to peanuts and soy protein isolate. ‘But it has more than three times the saturated fat, plus glucose syrup and other added sugars,’ says Van de Bor, who recommends a handful of nuts over this cereal bar.

Protein premium per gram: 58%

Waitrose Essential Fat-Free Greek-style Yoghurt, 500g, £1.15

Waitrose High Protein Yoghurt, 450g, £1.76

Isn’t all yoghurt high in protein? Yes, but the amount can vary enormously. The normal version here has 6.2g per 100g, while the protein version has 11.5g. ‘It’s strained, which drains off some of the whey and concentrates the protein,’ explains Van de

Bor, who buys high-protein yoghurt herself.

Protein premium per gram: 70%

M&S Fiery Chilli Tortillas, 200g, £1.25

M&S High Protein Chilli Red Lentil Tortilla, 90g, £1.85

‘These are made almost entirely from red lentil flour, so the protein comes from a food rather than an additive,’ says Van de Bor, with the advantage that they also contain more fibre than a standard tortilla. But they are still a crisp. A handful of nuts would be a better high-protein snack.

Protein premium per gram: 229%

New York Bakery Co. Original Bagels, x5, 425g, £1.35

New York Bakery Co. Protein Boost Bagels, x5, 340g, £2.07

The protein bagels have added wheat protein and seeds. ‘The seeds are a real plus for fibre’, says Van de Bor. But be warned: though both bagels come in packs of five, the protein ones are smaller: 68g versus 85g for the original. This means you are only gaining about 2.6g of protein per bagel. ‘What you put in it matters more. Egg, cottage cheese or smoked salmon in a plain bagel will do more for you than either bagel on its own,’ she adds.

Protein premium per gram: 89%