'Gen Z tend to prioritise nutrition over taste'

Gen Z tend to prioritise nutrition over taste and most focused on boosting their protein intake as they look to down green smoothies and chug down raw eggs in a bid to boost their protein, a recent report has claimed, highlighting the gradual shift in consumer preference.

According to a survey Warburtons, more than a third of adults endure foods they don’t like purely for the nutritional benefits, with 23 per cent of Brits saying they don’t enjoy their meals because they prioritise "goodness" over taste.

According to the research, 45 per cent find getting protein in the diet confusing as there are too many different health claims (38 per cent)and so much conflicting information out there about how much protein we’re supposed to be eating (33 per cent).

There is also a big generational difference in the way that Brits consume and think about food, with 74 per cent of 25 – 44-year-olds unclear as to what exactly makes up a balanced diet and Gen Z being the generation who is most focused on boosting their protein intake as they look to down green smoothies and chug down raw eggs in a bid to boost their protein.

Boomers (aged 65+), on the other hand, are most likely to prioritise their food enjoyment – and focus on what’s in what they eat the least out of any generation, whereas the younger generation were guilty of eating a meal in front of others just to look like they’re healthy, even if they don’t necessarily like the food in question!

With all this confusion around protein and our diets amongst the generations, Mary Earps MBE and Warburtons are here to make protein simple and delicious – just by making simple swaps to a Waburtons Protein thin bagel or Warburtons Protein Protein Power loaf – boosting protein intake has never been so easy!

Mary Earps MBE and 2023’s sports personality of the year, said, “People spend so much time and effort trying to consume as much protein as possible without prioritising taste. For me, it’s a no brainer; if I had the choice between eating raw eggs or a protein packed bagel, I know which one I’d choose for lunch.

“It’s important to have a balanced diet to fuel the body and achieve as much as possible – physically and mentally – but it should never come at the expense of personal enjoyment. Properly feeding yourself doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be quick and delicious, so you can put those hours that would have been spent overcomplicating your diet to keeping those balls out the net instead.”

The findings show that Brits are misinformed about the levels and types of protein to consume in their day-to-day, with 18 per cent rating their current nutritional knowledge poor or very poor.

Jonathan Warburton said, “The research shows people think boosting things like protein comes at the expense of taste, and that absolutely doesn’t need to be the case. At Warburtons, there’s no whey we would let people miss out on a delicious bite. We want our customers to meet their goals without having to sacrifice some of life’s delicious pleasures, and that’s why our protein range is not only delicious, but an easy, quick way to fuel up and feel good!

“We’re thrilled to have Mary Earps as our new protein ambassador. We know she’ll help inspire others to rise to their best with our tasty protein-packed products.”