by If your social media algorithm has directed you to diet, weight loss, or even general nutrition topics, you’ve probably come across “high protein” recipes or influencers who swear by keto diets or heavy protein carnivore. Where did this obsession with protein come from, and is it worth all the energy given to it?
Protein is a little more complicated than social media makes it out to be, say dietitians Fortune—and the obsession is distracting people from meeting other vital nutritional needs.
“We don’t even have to think about it [grams of] protein a day,” says Federica Amati, registered dietitian and head nutritionist at UK-based nutrition and science company Zoe, known for its personalized blood glucose monitoring and gut health testing.
Here’s what dietitians want you to know about protein and overall nutrition.
Why do we need protein?
Protein is a macronutrient made up of amino acids. It is an essential structural component of our cells, tissues, hormones, and enzymes, and many other bodily functions. A constant supply of amino acids through the protein we eat is essential for cell and tissue growth.
Protein is beneficial for overall health, says registered dietitian Abbey Sharp. “Protein has great benefits for weight management, satiety, immunity, hair, nails, muscle growth, and metabolism maintenance,” she says.
Why are we so obsessed with protein?
You can see evidence of the concern for protein on grocery store shelves, filled with shakes, cereals, powders, and even toaster pastries that claim to be packed with the nutrient. Meanwhile, social media is full of ways to get more protein into your diet: People are mixing protein shakes with Diet Coke, crafting high-protein ice cream, and posting what they eat per a day to achieve high protein goals. There are over 2.7 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #highprotein.
@michaelkory Cookies & Cream Protein Ice Cream 🔥 💪 Macros per pint: 340 calories, 7g fat, 29g carbs, 38g protein. 1. Add skimmed milk, almond milk, whey protein, pudding mix and sweetener to the Cream base. Freeze for 24 hours. 2. Use a lite version of ice cream on Cream. 3. Hollow center of the ice cream with a butter knife and add a thin sandwich cookie. Use blend setting on Cream. ✅ Ingredients: 1 cup skimmed milk (240ml) 1 cup almond milk (240ml) 1 scoop vanilla whey protein (30g) 1 tbsp cookies & cream pudding mix (10g) 1 tbsp zero calorie sweetener 2 thin sandwich cookies (15g) #oreo # oreos #proteinicecream #icecream #cream #ninjacreami #lowcalorie #lowcal #healthydessert #dessert #healthyicecream ♬ original sound – Michael Kory
The obsession with protein has grown with the boom in the fitness, nutrition and weight loss industries, says Amati. Although protein is an important part of building muscle and can help support weight loss, influencers often encourage people to eat higher amounts of protein than most people need or should, Amati says. . Furthermore, when protein is the main daily goal, other vital nutrients are neglected.
The message that people aren’t getting enough protein isn’t really true, say Amati and Sharp.
“If you’re meeting your caloric needs … you’re meeting your protein needs,” says Sharp.
Sharp says the only people who tend to lack protein are those who are malnourished or older adults who have a decreased appetite and are struggling to eat enough calories. Those of us who eat a lot throughout the day are more likely to meet or exceed our protein needs, she says. That includes vegans and vegetarians, she says, as long as they’re eating a diverse range of nutrient-dense plant-based foods like edamame, lentils, and whole grains.
How much protein do I need per day?
Although high protein diets on social media often show people eating up to 140 grams of protein per day, the actual amount you need is much less.
@meg_squats Lazy girls together… #macros #macronutrients #iiym #highprotein #highproteinmeals ♬ original sound – Meg Gallagher
The US Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein sources. A more common measure – used by Amati and Sharp – is a recommended daily intake of 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for adults. To find your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. Then multiply that number by 0.8 and 1.2 to get your protein range. A person weighing 150 pounds, for example, should aim for 54 to 82 grams of protein per day.
Even the most active people are likely already eating more to meet their increased hunger demands, says Amati, and therefore meeting or exceeding their protein goals.
Adults, however, need more important protein to help maintain muscle and bone mass, which means up to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Increasing protein intake is especially helpful for menopausal women to help manage belly fat and body composition.
It is important to remember that protein needs will vary from person to person, especially for older adults. But Amati believes that the cult-like protein obsession has overtaken baseline nutritional advice, and that people have probably overdone it on protein, which can have negative health consequences.
What happens when you eat too much protein
“Most of the potential risks associated with a high-protein diet are related to the protein source—that is, too many animal-based proteins that are also high in saturated fats,” says Sharp.
High protein, high meat intake is linked to:
- Issues with kidney function
- Higher risk of kidney stones
- Increased risk of colon cancer
- Increased risk of heart disease
Sharp says it’s not easy to overdo it on protein, though, if most of your protein comes from fiber-packed plant sources. The real harm comes from protein obsession with an excess of animal proteins, or when protein begins to displace vital nutrients such as healthy fats and fiber, she says.
Focus on getting enough fiber
The obsession with protein is attracting what is really deficient in: fiber.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that women eat 22 to 28 grams of fiber per day, while men should aim for 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day. Dietitians say most people aren’t going anywhere near that.
On average, Americans eat about 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day, according to Harvard Medical School.
“My child needs more than that,” says Sharp.
“Fiber is so important for regularity, gut health, heart health – because it can help lower cholesterol -[and] satiety,” she says. Fiber is especially helpful for weight loss, Sharp says, because high-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories and increase how full and satisfied you feel from a meal.
Fiber, says Amati, feeds the bacteria in your gut microbiome. When your gut is properly nourished with a combination of fiber and prebiotics and probiotics, that signals your brain that you’re full, while giving you a boost of energy, she says.
“People underestimate the importance of fiber,” says Sharp.
How to meet your fiber goals
To make sure you’re eating enough fiber, Amati recommends focusing on plants like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. It’s better to choose whole foods rather than fiber supplements, says Sharp.
Here are some of the high fiber foods you can incorporate into your diet:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fresh fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, apples, and pears with skin
- Fresh vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peas, and potatoes with skin
- popcorn
- Avocados
- Oatmeal
- Farro
- Split peas
- Chia seeds, flax seeds
If you’re not sure where to start, Amati recommends this trick for filling, high-fiber meals: Fill half your plate with some plant source—salad, broccoli, sautéed zucchini. Next, fill a quarter of the plate with your favorite lean protein like salmon, chicken breast, edamame, or tofu. The last quarter is about high-fiber, complex carbohydrates like brown rice, barley, or sweet potatoes.
Once you’ve mastered plate building, Amati suggests moving on to making your snacks high in fiber. Try keeping an apple and almonds close at hand for when that mid-afternoon energy dip hits.
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