Cast your mind back to the days of lockdown - queuing at the supermarket for your next batch of sourdough starter ingredients and relishing the thought of your allotted daily walk. For millions around the UK, no morning was complete without logging on to catch Joe Wicks' daily workout.
His message was simple: get moving for all the benefits that exercise has for the mind and body. Years later, he has millions of followers on social media and several fitness and nutrition programs to help those struggling to enjoy exercise and eat healthily.
But his latest message has us feeling more confused than motivated. Teaming up with Professor Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People, the personal trainer-turned-influencer has created 'the most dangerous health bar in Britain' to highlight the lack of government regulation around what foods can be marketed as 'healthy' and the dangers of a diet rich in ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
On one side, the 'killer' protein bar is bright, colourful, and lists the health claims. On the other side, it lists warnings that 'excessive consumption' may increase the risk of diarrhoea, cancer, stroke, and early death. It also has labels for sweeteners, sugar, and saturated fat.
Now, I understand where he's coming from. As woman&home's digital health editor, a lot of so-called 'healthy' foods and supplements come across my desk, and I've been shocked by what's actually in some of these boxes after seeing product claims. Just as a protein bar can imply it's a 'healthy' option by citing supposed health benefits like protein and fibre content, a magnesium supplement with half the amount required by the NHS can claim it'll help you sleep better. Marketing in this industry undoubtedly needs to change.
Equally, I agree that the fewer ultra-processed foods we eat, the better (I say as I crunch on a chocolate Digestive), as there's research to suggest links between UPF-heavy diets and the risk of developing heart, digestive, and circulatory diseases, as well as certain cancers.
But the reason I'm happily eating a chocolate biscuit (an ultra-processed food) as I write this, is the same reason why this stunt doesn't really work. I don't eat excessive amounts of them every day - and neither do most people who eat protein bars. When it comes to ultra-processed foods, it's important to remember that quantity matters.
To suggest that eating a protein bar - or any ultra-processed snack - will lead to 'cancer, stroke, and early death' feels like the same black and white nutrition marketing that Joe's aiming to combat. It's too simple and lacks nuance. Just as a protein bar is not the ideal option, it's also not a 'killer'.
"A diet nearly entirely made up of UPFs can contribute to health issues over time, but moderate amounts can absolutely have a place in a healthy diet," says registered nutritionist Jasmine Bliss.
"Food labelling is not the reason the NHS is under such strain and why so many people are suffering with lifestyle-related health issues, just as calorie labelling on menus isn't the magic bullet to address obesity," she says.
"Nutrition shouldn't make people feel worse about doing their best. We should be empowering people to make better choices with their means, not demonising them," she says.
Having originally recommended protein bars to subscribers of his 90 Day SSS (Shift, Sustain, Shape) plan and having collaborated with a protein powder brand in 2019, Joe knows that ultra-processed foods can be a worthwhile swap or supplement for some people. To vilify them completely only adds to the confusing nutrition advice we're bombarded with every day.
What is in the Joe Wicks Killer Protein Bar?
The bar was unveiled ahead of the Channel 4 documentary Joe Wicks: Licensed to Kill, which airs tonight and reveals the journey that Joe and Professor van Tulleken went on to create the protein bar.
On the website, it's revealed that the KILLER bar has 96 ingredients and is packed with "additives linked to cancer, stroke and even early death" and is "high in saturated fat, sugar, and calories".
"But with its 19g of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals and over 200 health and nutritional benefits, it also claims to be healthy, exposing the absurdity of our food labelling standards," it says.
Joe says he will stop selling the protein bars if the government tightens the laws around ultra-processed foods, "starting with black warning labels, like those already used across South America and Mexico".
"Only then will people be able to make informed decisions about the products they eat," he says.
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