If your social media algorithm has pointed you in the direction of diet, weight-loss, or even general nutrition content, it’s likely you’ve come across “high-protein” recipes or influencers who swear by protein-heavy keto or carnivore diets. Where did this obsession with protein come from, and is it worth all of the energy it’s given?
Protein is a little more complicated than social media makes it out to be, dietitians tell Fortune—and the obsession is distracting people from meeting other vital nutritional needs.
“We don’t even need to think about [grams of] protein per day,” says Federica Amati, head nutritionist at the 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’s an essential structural component of our cells, tissues, hormones, and enzymes, and numerous other bodily functions. A continual supply of amino acids through the protein we eat is crucial for cell and tissue growth.
Protein is beneficial for overall health, says registered dietitian Abbey Sharp. “Protein has tremendous 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 preoccupation with protein on grocery store shelves, which are filled with shakes, cereal, powders, and even toaster pastries that claim to be packed with the nutrient. Meanwhile, social media is teeming with ways to get more protein in your diet: People are mixing protein shakes with Diet Coke, crafting high-protein ice cream, baking with the best protein powders, and posting what they eat in a day to hit high protein goals. There are over 2.7 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #highprotein.
@michaelkory Cookies & Cream Protein Ice Cream in the Creami 🔥 💪 Macros per pint: 340 calories, 7g fat, 29g carbs, 38g protein. 1. Add skim milk, almond milk, whey protein, pudding mix and sweetener to Creami base. Freeze for 24 hours. 2. Use lite ice cream setting on Creami. 3. Hollow center of ice cream with a butter knife and add sandwich cookie thins. Use mix-in setting on Creami. ✅ Ingredients: 1 cup skim 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 sandwich cookie thins (15g) #oreo #oreos #proteinicecream #icecream #creami #ninjacreami #lowcalorie #lowcal #healthydessert #dessert #healthyicecream ♬ original sound – Michael Kory
The obsession with protein has grown with the fitness, nutrition, and weight-loss industries’ boom, Amati says. While protein is an important part of building muscle and can help support weight loss, influencers often encourage consuming higher amounts of protein than most people need to or should, Amati says. Additionally, when protein is the main daily goal, there’s a lack of regard for other vital nutrients.
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,” Sharp says.
Sharp says the only people who are protein deficient are usually those who are malnourished or older adults with reduced appetites who are struggling to eat enough calories. Those of us who eat enough during the day are likely meeting or exceeding our protein needs, she says. That includes vegans and vegetarians, she says, as long as they are eating a diverse array of nutrient-dense plant-based foods like edamame, lentils, and whole grains.
How much protein do I need per day?
While high-protein diets on social media often showcase people eating as much as 140 grams of protein per day, the actual amount you need is far less.
@meg_squats Lazy girls unite… #macros #macronutrients #iifym #highprotein #highproteinmeals ♬ original sound – Meg Gallagher
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein sources. A more common measure—which Amati and Sharp use—is a recommended daily intake of 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight for adults. To get your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. Then multiply that number by 0.8 and 1.2 to find your protein range. Someone 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, Amati says, and therefore hitting or exceeding their protein targets.
Older adults, however, need more important protein to help maintain muscle and bone mass, which can mean going up to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. Increasing protein intake is especially helpful for menopausal women to help manage belly fat and body composition.
It’s important to remember that protein needs will vary person-to-person, especially for older adults. But Amati believes the cult-like protein obsession has transcended baseline nutritional advice, and likely led to people overdoing 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 source of protein —that is, an excessive amount of animal based proteins that are also high in saturated fats,” Sharp says.
High protein, high meat intake is linked to:
- Issues with kidney function
- Higher risk of kidney stones
- Increased colon cancer risk
- Increased risk heart disease
Sharp says it’s not easy to overdo it on protein, though, if most of your protein comes from fiber-packed plant-based sources. The real harm from protein-obsession comes with an excess of animal proteins, or when protein starts to displace eating vital nutrients like healthy fats and fiber, she says.
Focus on getting enough fiber
The obsession with protein is distracting from what people are 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 getting anywhere close to that.
On average, Americans eat about to 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day, according to Harvard Medical School.
“My toddler needs more than that,” Sharp says.
“Fiber is so important for regularity, gut health, heart health—because it can help to reduce cholesterol—[and] satiety,” she says. Fiber is especially helpful for weight loss, Sharp says, because high-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories while increasing how full and satisfied you feel from a meal.
Fiber, Amati says, is what the bacteria in your gut microbiome feed off of. When your gut is properly fed with a combination of fiber and prebiotics and probiotics, that signals to your brain you are full, while also giving you an energy boost, she says.
“People underestimate the importance of fiber,” Sharp says.
How to meet your fiber goals
To ensure you’re eating enough fiber, Amati recommends focusing on plants like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and whole grains. It’s better to opt for whole foods over fiber supplements, Sharp says.
Here are some of high-fiber foods you can incorporate into your diet:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fresh fruits like raspberries, blueberries, apples, and pears with skin
- Fresh vegetables like 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 suggests this trick for building filling, high-fiber meals: Fill half your plate with some plant source—a 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 for a high-fiber, complex carbohydrate like brown rice, barley, or sweet potatoes.
Once you’ve mastered your plate-building, Amati recommends moving onto making your snacks high in fiber. Try keeping an apple and almonds on hand for when that mid-afternoon energy dip hits.
A version of this story appeared on Fortune.com on November 1, 2024.
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