There are protein cookies, chips and Starbucks drinks. You can now add protein pizza crusts to the list.
Papa John’s unveiled a new 8-inch pizza this week with a crust that contains 23 grams of protein on its own.
The pizza comes in two varieties: The Meats, which contains 55 grams of protein and a six-cheese blend topped with sausage and pepperoni; and The Veggie, which has 49 grams of protein and is topped with mushrooms, green peppers and onions.
By comparison, a standard The Meats personal pizza has 44 grams of protein, while a veggie pizza has about 28 grams.
The pizzas will be sold as a one-day offer at an Atlanta-area location Jan. 21 on a first-come, first-served basis. Papa John’s said the one-day sale will be a test.
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“People are thinking differently about how their favorite foods fit into their wellness-driven lifestyles,” said Shivram Vaideeswaran, senior vice president of brand marketing at Papa John’s. “The demand for meals that are satisfying and protein-packed has never been higher. This drop gives our most loyal fans a first taste of what we’ve been working on, and if they love it, they might see it on the menu soon.”
The new pizzas come a week after the Trump administration released updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend nearly double the amount of protein as previous guidelines.
The report now suggests that adults consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For example, a 200-pound person should eat between 109 and 146 grams of protein daily. Previous FDA recommendations for a person that size were about 73 grams.
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The Cleveland Clinic suggests that getting protein from whole foods — such as meat and beans — is better than relying on sources like protein powders.
“So, if you’re having salad, think about what protein is going to go on there — you could throw on some chickpeas, some tuna, some grilled chicken, something like that. And same with breakfast, if you’re having breakfast, you want to think about what protein source could be added — something like eggs or Greek yogurt could be a good choice there,” said Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Alexis Supan.
