Why Is Protein Everywhere Right Now?

A new cultural obsession seems to be taking over.

Suddenly, protein is everywhere: in the cereal aisle, in the frozen food section beckoning from a pint of ice cream and even snacks — protein chips are a thing now, too. With protein permeating the zeitgeist more lately, you may be asking yourself why.

Food trends are nothing new. There was the low-calorie era, then low fat, low carb and so on. It’s no surprise that a new fad has entered the chat. But it’s the way that protein is talked about that makes it different from the others. Instead of restricting, protein is all about more. The more you eat, the more muscle you’ll build, the more satiated you’ll feel and the more energy you’ll have.

So, is all this protein really necessary or just the latest gimmick? The short answer is kind of both.

Why Is Protein Good For Us?

Protein is an important part of any balanced diet, and eating enough of it helps our bodies in many ways.

Consuming enough protein on a regular basis helps to rebuild your muscles after strenuous activity. Paired with fiber, protein is also a great way to stay fuller longer as it increases satiety and, as a biproduct, may help weight loss management. Plus, our bodies use more energy to digest protein than they do for fats or carbohydrates. This increases metabolism and makes for more efficient calorie-burning.

Protein also plays an important role in our bone and heart health and is the building block for healthy skin, hair and nails.

Your Guide to Buying a New Car

Tips and tricks to get you through every step of buying a new car, whatever “new” means to you.

Read now

How Much Protein Should We Eat Daily?

As an essential macronutrient, protein is found in every cell in the human body. To regulate these parts of our body, we need to consume enough protein to maintain the status quo. But status quo looks different for everyone.

The amount of protein you need will depend on your calorie intake, per Medline Plus. The recommended amount of protein per day for a healthy adult is 10% to 35% of your total calorie needs. This means that someone who eats 2,000 calories per day could eat  about 100 grams of protein.

Need help figuring out your protein intake? Try this protein calculator that gives basic protein intake recommendations from multiple institutions in one place.

Protein-Packed Foods to Prioritize

Not all proteins are created equal.

When it comes to eating a protein-rich diet, try to stick to whole foods, like meats (chicken, tuna and salmon can provide 25 to 27 grams of protein per serving), eggs, tofu, cooked beans or lentils. Nuts and seeds, like walnuts and sunflower seeds, are also good sources of protein per serving according to Medline Plus. Cottage cheese has had a resurgence in popularity for its high-protein content and ability to be mixed or added into pretty much anything from egg wraps to cookie dough.

With snack protein, like processed protein bars, beverages, chips or jerky sticks, the nutritional value leaves much to be desired. These types of products may have a good amount of protein per serving, but also have high sodium, sugar and saturated fat, making them less healthy than they may appear. 90.8% of foods with protein claims received a “less healthy” classification from the Pan-American Health Organization and the World Health Organization, according to Medical News Today. The same model also found that, “about one-fifth of these products had sweeteners, about one-quarter had high free sugar or saturated fat and over 50% had high fat or sodium content.”

The key is everything in moderation, however. If you love your post-workout protein shake, that’s OK — just swap it for a whole protein every once in a while.  

This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or starting any new nutrition plan.

Tell us how you meet your protein quota in the comments!

Sarah Vincelette

Based in Rhode Island, Sarah has been a copywriter and content producer with AAA Northeast since 2021. When she’s not scouring the best spots for all things food and drink or whipping up her own versions of tasty meals, you can often find her in the garden, planning her next trip or sipping on (another) hot coffee.