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High-protein recipes have dominated food trends for the past ten years, and thanks to social media their popularity persists. But do we really need to eat so much protein? And if the answer is no, why do these diets have such a hold on us?
Protein’s reputation as the ultimate macronutrient is practically unassailable. It’s been marketed as the key to building muscle, shedding fat, and generally achieving peak physical performance.
No thanks to social media, this rise to the top of our food chains has been seamless. One scroll through TikTok will deliver countless recipe videos containing high-protein meals, and ‘What I Eat in a Day’ content persuading us to chase a protein-rich diet in pursuit of the picture-perfect life.
Brands have followed suit. Everything from pre-made coffee drinks to Mars Bars have had the protein treatment, with eye catching labels touting high levels of the nutrient. Everywhere you look these days, it seems the answer to most of our health woes is protein. But is there any substance to this?
Despite what the internet might (constantly) tell you, most people in developed countries already consume enough protein to meet our dietary and lifestyle needs. According to dieticians, the average adult requires around 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.
Even with these guidelines many of us exceed our daily protein needs without trying. So why has the belief that ‘more is better’ persisted to such a degree?
As far back as 6 years ago, journalists were covering the explosion of ‘protein mania’ in the wellness world. At the time, Bee Wilson wrote ‘if you are worrying about the amount of protein in your diet, then you are almost certainly eating more than enough. This is the paradox of our new protein obsession.’
And yet, nothing has changed. One crucial explanation for protein’s continued dominance is down to marketing. Unlike carbohydrates, which have been demonised as the root cause of weight gain, protein has a virtuous image and enjoys a widely untarnished reputation.
The macronutrient is considered clean, healthy, and essential (which it is, but certainly not in the numbers many are claiming).
These are buzzwords which resonate deeply with consumers, and have provided protein-rich products with a halo effect, leaving many of us with the misconception that unhealthy foods are relatively healthy simply because of their protein levels (Grenade bars, I’m looking at you).
Social media has amplified this trend, with influencers building entire careers off the back of high-protein recipes, snacks, and supplements. As gen-z grows more concerned with wellness, many are hitting the gym and exploring popular fitness routines like weight lifting, which call for an uptick in protein intake. But not to the extent we might think.
The benefits of high-protein diets are often oversimplified. ‘We need it for many functions’ says scientist Andres Ardisson Korat, ‘particularly to build muscle, to build a lot of the tissues we have in our bodies.’
But that doesn’t make it the elixir of life by default. ‘I think people often view protein as the ‘healthiest macro’ in comparison to carbs and fat,’ says Kyle Sakaida, a registered dietitian.
It’s an obsession that ensures high-protein brands and foods are dominating the market, with brands now launching ‘protein versions’ of original products, some containing as much as three times the initial levels.
Another cause for the bolster in protein-mania may also be down to the rise of weight loss drugs. As products like Ozempic and Wegovy overhaul the way we approach weight and diet, many are growing anxious about rapid weight loss and the deterioration of muscle.
‘I think a lot of people are looking into managing their weight, and they’re being told to eat high-protein diets if they want to gain muscle and lose weight’ says Sakaida. ‘Focusing on protein can help you feel more satiated and therefore can help you cut down on certain calories.’
But there’s no need to pack it in like a bodybuilder. For the average person, a surplus of protein offers little benefit and may even strain the kidneys.
You’d be remiss not to consider the gendered implications of protein’s fame, too. These kinds of diets and supplements are frequently aimed at men, emphasizing strength and masculinity. Women, on the other hand, are increasingly being told to eat more protein in order to stay lean.
These messages are not only conflicting, but they perpetuate outdated stereotypes about gender and body image.
It’s also worth questioning who profits from our collective protein fixation. The supplement industry, which includes protein powders, bars, and shakes, is a multi-billion-dollar market. Food corporations have jumped on the bandwagon, too, reformulating products to include extra protein and charging a premium for the privilege.
These factors don’t show any signs of waning. When I delved into this topic, the thing I kept coming back to was our overwhelming preoccupation with food trends. We seem so susceptible to quick fixes and tangible goals, with groupthink online exacerbating these increasingly rapid cycles.
In a society where trends shift so quickly, our preoccupation with protein has more to do with broader cultural anxieties about health, appearance, and identity.
There are so many types of trends out there,’ says Sakaida, ‘and I think that the high-protein diet trend is definitely one of the more helpful ones [rather than] one of the more harmful ones’.
But we’d do well to question how well our preoccupation with wellness really serves us – Especially in the age of the internet.
