Today, it seems high-protein foods are one of the most sought-after nutritional choices among American consumers to meet a variety of needs, from balancing diet, building muscle, and weight loss.

Indeed, according to the latest research from Mintel, introductions of foods and drinks making a high-protein claim are almost three times higher in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, accounting for 19 percent of global new product launches in 2012.

This makes the U.S. the biggest market by far for high-protein products, as India and the U.K. follow with 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively, of new food and drink launches with high-protein claims in 2012.

“Protein awareness is higher and more sought after by U.S. consumers than elsewhere in the world, and the opportunity exists for value brands to add cost-effective protein to products to entice a larger consumer segment,” says Nirvana Chapman, global food science trend analyst at Mintel. “Americans are looking for protein to aid in satiety, weight management, and to boost muscle recovery and build muscle after a workout, making protein appeal to a broad audience in a great number of usage occasions.”

In addition to a large number of launches, foods making high-protein claims span a wide array of categories, well beyond naturally protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, and fish.

Snacks, for example, dominate the category, accounting for 20 percent of the high-protein food and drink new product launches in the U.S. in 2012, followed by meal replacement and other fortified drinks (17 percent) and spoonable yogurt (15 percent).

Additionally, Mintel’s research reveals that demand for high-protein products is also coming from consumers who are avoiding animal sources of protein for either health, environmental, or ethical reasons.

Products launched in the U.S. with both a high-protein and vegan claim have shown a steady increase since 2008, posting 54 percent growth in the past five years (to 2012).

Moreover, it seems high-protein products can offer significant advantages to sports beverage formulations, due to proteins’ attributes of enhancing muscle growth and repair after exercise.

According to Mintel, protein use in meal replacement and sports beverages making high-protein claims posted a 37 percent growth in the past five years.

The market is supported by a large number of U.S. consumers who are actively seeking high-protein products when selecting which meal-replacement products to buy, with
 nearly half (46 percent) of all meal-replacement users in the U.S. stating that high protein is a very important selection attribute for them.

Renowned for keeping you feeling full for longer, high-protein foods are also tapping into the wider satiety trend. Indeed, 87 percent of U.S. consumers indicated satiety as an important food attribute for them when choosing products.

“A ‘Satiety Index’ (SI) is often used to measure the hunger-fighting power of certain foods,” Chapman says. “Foods with a high-SI leave people more satisfied after eating and ensure that they are likely to eat less for hours after.

“Protein in particular has been shown to have a positive effect on subjective satiety, with whey protein in particular having demonstrated a functional role in weight management and satiety,” Chapman adds. “High-satiety products are likely to continue to grow, with meals and soups integrating high protein content being the ideal categories for growth.”

Globally, the percentage of food and drink products launched with a slimming claim in the past five years that include whey protein are trending upward. In new product launches with a slimming claim, Mintel’s research shows triple digit growth, up 140 percent between 2008 and 2012 globally.

“In the weight management industry, there is an upward trend towards products that combine whey protein, peptides, and calcium for weight loss,” Chapman says. “Specifically, the high-protein trend is growing worldwide, evidenced by countries with high protein–claim products being launched, as well as European examples of consumers seeking high-protein products. Manufacturers can capitalize on this opportunity to educate and entice consumers with protein to meet various needs.”