Daily Mail tests the newest ‘maxxing’ health trend… latest offering only has three ingredients but contains more than 100 grams of protein
Protein is the ultimate buzzword in the diet and fitness community, with everyone from exercise buffs to soccer moms clamoring to get more.
The nutrient helps slow down digestion, causing the brain to release higher levels of hormones leptin and cholecystokinin, which tell the stomach it’s full.
This has made protein key for increasing satiety or fullness, resulting in weight loss, and building muscle mass.
While lean meats, fish and eggs are rich in protein, countless powders, drinks and bars have entered the market for convenience, though many have gained a sour reputation for their chalky and overly synthetic taste.
Salad chain Sweetgreen has taken the recent ‘protein-maxxing’ trend to an extreme launching a limited-time Power Max Protein Bowl this week.
Featuring four servings of roasted chicken, two servings of quinoa and two servings of broccoli, the bowl comes in at 106 grams of protein, and 1,120 calories.
Health authorities recommend average, relatively sedentary adults get 0.36g of protein per 1lbs of body weight, but this varies based on activity level.
For a sedentary person weighing 150lbs, they should consume about 55g of protein. Sweetgreen’s bowl, ranging from $20 to $24, has about twice that recommended amount.
And eating too much protein has been linked to weight gain and digestive distress.
Protein is the latest buzzword in the health and fitness community. The Daily Mail health team tried Sweetgreen’s new Power Max Protein Bowl, which has 106 grams of protein
Dietitians speaking with the Daily Mail revealed that while 100 grams likely isn’t harmful for most adults, the body can only process about 30 grams of protein in one meal sitting, leaving the rest to either get stored as extra fat or be excreted in the urine as waste.
However, people who are highly active or looking to build muscle mass likely need higher levels, so 100 grams in a day could be a more suitable option for them.
For the average person, experts also warned that finishing an entire bowl could lead to bloating and discomfort, as well as kidney damage for people with chronic kidney issues.
Lisa Moskovitz, founding registered dietitian and CEO at The NY Nutrition Group in New York, told the Daily Mail: ‘There is zero logical rationale to encourage consuming 100 grams at one meal.’
Amino acids in protein help build and repair muscle, but Moskovitz explained the body can only do this with about 30 grams at a time.
This is the equivalent to four ounces of chicken breast or steak, five eggs, or one cup of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
Jason Eastty, nutrition specialist and owner of Healthspan Longevity in Massachusetts, added: ‘You’ll still digest the rest, but you don’t get extra credit for it. It’s like pouring more water on a sponge that is already soaked.’
The Daily Mail health team had to try the new trendy protein meal so we ordered three Power Max Protein Bowls to split, while I, against my better judgment, decided to finish an entire one.
The ingredient list is simple: chicken, broccoli, quinoa and Sweetgreen’s Green Goddess ranch dressing. While I couldn’t find the exact ingredient list for the dressing, copycat recipes listed fresh herbs like dill, basil and cilantro, as well as Greek yogurt, light mayo, onion, garlic and avocado oil.
We immediately noticed the food, which cost $22 at our local Sweetgreen in downtown Manhattan, tasted fresh and minimally processed, and within a few bites we could tell we would be full for a while. However, given the price and amount of protein, several of my colleagues thought it was a bit too basic.
One editor said: ‘The flavor of the bowl was good and I am definitely a fan of the dressing, but it seems Sweetgreen could have spared a few grams of protein to throw in more than three ingredients. Where are my tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots?’
Another said: ‘It’s a little dry, so a healthy dose of dressing is required, but knowing you’re making a smart diet choice makes up for whatever it lacks of flavor.’
Sweetgreen’s CEO Jonny Nemo posted the above announcement on X this week. The bowl is available until December 15
Our team believes that while the bowl had a decent flavor, it was difficult to eat the whole thing, and we expected more ingredients for the $22 price tag
Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian in New Jersey, told the Daily Mail: ‘A lot of people land on 100 grams of protein per day for their protein needs. But here’s the key: no research shows that anyone needs 100 grams of protein in a single meal.
‘A huge single serving of protein is really only “beneficial” from a convenience standpoint. It can help you reach a high daily protein goal when you’re short on time, not super hungry, or don’t have many meal opportunities.
‘But it also means a bigger calorie load at once, and for some people, that can cause bloating or GI discomfort.’
High-protein diets also tend to replace carbohydrates, which are rich sources in fiber, a nutrient that helps soften stools and make them easier to pass. Limited fiber intake may, as a result, lead to constipation and bloating.
Palinski-Wade also told the Daily Mail that people with kidney conditions are usually recommended to consume less protein, as the kidneys have to work harder to excrete excess protein, worsening their function over time.
She said: ‘Where we see more concern is with chronic high protein intake. Research shows that long-term very high intakes can drive renal hyperfiltration and may speed the progression of chronic kidney disease in people who are already vulnerable.’
The bowl also contains just over half the recommended daily calorie limit in the US, which is roughly 2,000 calories depending on age, sex and activity level, along with 60 grams of fat. Adults should consume about 44 to 79 grams of fat per day.
Daily Mail colleagues recommended splitting the 1,120-calorie bowl into at least two meals to get a decent amount of protein without overloading on calories
Sweetgreen touts its natural, antibiotic-free ingredients. The new bowl contains antibiotic-free chicken, broccoli, quinoa and Green Goddess ranch dressing (stock image)
Moskovitz estimates the 1,120-calorie bowl is comprised of 40 percent of protein. Experts recommend 10 to 35 percent of the average adult’s daily calories should be from protein.
About 45 to 65 percent should be made of carbohydrates, while 20 to 35 percent should come from fats.
Eastty told the Daily Mail: ‘If you’re super active, like Olympic level, then 1,100 isn’t a crazy amount of calories for one meal. For the vast majority of people, that is a ton of calories for a meal. There are far more less caloric ways to get 100 grams of protein.’
Palinski-Wade, for example, suggests prioritizing skinless chicken and fish, egg whites, low-fat dairy and whey protein powder throughout the day rather than in one sitting.
‘For most adults, consistently hitting daily protein goals with moderate amounts at each meal is the more practical and effective approach,’ she said.
‘You could always get this bowl to-go and enjoy it in multiple servings to stay within your daily nutrition needs.’
Our colleagues agreed.
One editor said: ‘I thought the Sweetgreen protein bowl was good, but there is no way I could have eaten the entire thing. It is a good meal to buy and spread out for two lunches.’
Another editor split the bowl into two, eating about half for lunch. Three hours later, he still felt ‘comfortably full.’
‘Unless you’re starving, I recommend doing what I did: split it into two meals. That way, you’re consuming around 50 grams of protein at a time – just about the upper limit your body can use to repair muscle after a workout,’ he said.
Despite finishing the whole bowl around only 1 pm, I stayed full for the entire day after, unable to even briefly think about making dinner or even having a snack. That 1,120 calories carried me through the entire day, but I’m not sure the bloating and stomach ache were worth it.
The Power Max Protein Bowl is available until December 15 at Sweetgreen.
