Your social media algorithm pointed you in the direction of dieting, weight lossor even overall nutritional content, you’re likely to come across “high protein” recipes or agents who swear by high protein keto or carnivore diets. Where did this obsession come from? protein come, and is it worth all the energy it gives?
Protein is a little more complex than social media suggests, dietitians say luck—and the obsession is distracting people from meeting essential nutritional needs.
“We don’t even have to think about (grams) of protein a day,” he says Federica Amatiregistered dietitian and head nutritionist at a UK food and science company Zoeknown for personalized blood glucose monitoring and gut health screenings.
Here’s what dietitians want to know about protein and overall nutrition.
Why do we need proteins?
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 body functions. A constant supply of amino acids through the proteins we eat is essential for the growth of cells and tissues.
Protein is beneficial for overall health, says the registered dietitian Sharp Abbey. “Protein has tremendous benefits weight managementsatisfaction, immunityhair, nails, muscle growth and metabolism maintenance,” he says.
Why are we so obsessed with protein?
You can see evidence of the preoccupation with protein on grocery store shelves, in shakes, cereals, powders, and even toaster-filled pastries that claim to be packed with nutrients. Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with ways to get more protein into your diet—people are mixing it up with protein shakes. Diet Cokeby crafting high-protein ice creams and posting what they eat for the day to reach their high-protein goals. There are over 2.7 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #high protein.
@michaelkory Cookies & Cream Protein Ice Cream in Creamia 🔥 💪 Macros per pint: 340 calories, 7 g fat, 29 g carbs, 38 g protein. 1. Add skim milk, almond milk, whey protein, milk mixture and sweetener to the Creami base. Freeze for 24 hours. 2. Use the lite ice cream setting in Creami. 3. Hollow out the center of the ice cream with a butter knife and add the sandwich cookies. Use the blend setting in Creami. ✅ Ingredients: 1 cup of skimmed milk (240ml) 1 cup of almond milk (240ml) 1 spoon of vanilla milk protein (30g) 1 spoon of cookie and cream milk mixture (10g) 1 spoon of zero calorie sweetener 2 thin sandwich cookies (15g) #oreo #oreos #proteinicecream #ice cream #cream to #ninjacream #low calorie #low street #desserthealthy #dessert #healthy ice creams ♬ original sound – Michael Kory
The obsession with protein has grown with the rise of the fitness, nutrition and weight loss industries, Amati says. While protein is an important part of building muscle and can help with weight loss, triggers often push people to consume higher amounts of protein than most people need or want, Amati says. Also, when protein is the main daily goal, other essential nutrients are neglected.
The message that people aren’t getting enough protein isn’t true, Amatik and Sharp say.
“If you’re meeting your caloric needs … you’re meeting your protein needs,” Sharpe says.
Sharp says that the only people who are protein deficient are usually older adults who are malnourished or have a reduced appetite and are struggling to eat enough calories. Those of us who eat enough throughout the day probably meet or exceed our protein needs, he says. That includes vegans and vegetarians, she says, as long as they eat plenty of nutrient-dense plant-based foods like edamame, lentils and whole grains.
How much protein do I need per day?
While high protein dieters on social media often eat 140 grams of protein per day, the actual amount you need is much less.
@meg_squats Lazy girls unite… #macros #macronutrients #iifym #high protein #high protein meals ♬ original sound – Meg Gallagher
US Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for America recommends that 10% to 35% of daily calories come from protein sources. A more common measure—the one used by Amati and Sharp—is a recommended daily intake 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for adults. To get your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in kilograms by 2.2. Then multiply that number by 0.8 to 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 already eating more to meet their increased hunger demands, Amati says, so they meet or exceed their protein goals.
Older adults, however, need more important protein to help maintain muscle and bone mass, which can add up to 1.8 grams of protein per day of body weight. Increasing protein intake is especially helpful for menopausal women to help manage it belly fat and body composition.
It is important to remember that protein needs will vary from person to person, especially for adults. But Amati believes that the cult-like obsession with protein has overtaken basic nutritional advice, and has probably caused people to overdo it with 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, which is high amounts of animal proteins that are also high in saturated fat,” says Sharp.
High protein and high meat intake is associated with:
- Problems with kidney function
- Increased risk of kidney stones
- Increased risk of colon cancer
- Increased risk of heart disease
Sharp says it’s not easy to overdo it with protein, but only if most of your protein comes from fiber-packed plant sources. The real damage from the protein obsession comes with overeating animal protein, or when protein begins to displace essential nutrients like healthy fats and fiber, he says.
Focus on getting enough fiber
The obsession with protein distracts people from what is actually lacking: fiber.
The Dietary Guidelines for America they recommend that women eat 22 to 28 grams of fiber per day, while men eat 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day. Dietitians say most people don’t come anywhere near that.
On average, Americans eat about 10 to 15 grams fiber per day, depending on Harvard Medical School.
“My child needs more than that,” says Sharpe.
“Fiber is very important for regularity, gut health, heart health—because it can help lower cholesterol—(and) satiety,” she says. Fiber is especially helpful weight lossThat’s because high-fiber foods tend to have fewer calories while keeping you full and satisfied from a meal, Sharp says.
Fiber, says Amati, is what the bacteria in your gut microbiome feed on. When it’s yours gut It is properly nourished with a combination of fiber and prebiotics and probioticswhich tells your brain you’re full, while also giving you a boost of energy, he 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 paying attention the plants like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and whole grains. It’s best to choose whole foods over fiber supplements, Sharp says.
Here are some high-fiber foods you can include in your diet:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fresh fruit, such as raspberries, blueberries, apples and pears with skin on
- Fresh vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, and potatoes with skins on
- popcorn
- Avocados
- Oatmeal
- farro
- Split peas
- Chia seeds, flax seeds
If you’re not sure where to start, Amati suggests this trick for building high-fiber meals: Fill half your plate with a plant source: salad, broccoli, sauteed zucchini. Then fill a quarter of the plate with your favorite lean protein like salmon, chicken breast, edamame or tofu. The last quarter is for high fiber complex carbohydrates like rice, barley or sweet potatoes.
Once you’ve mastered your plate construction, Amati recommends moving on to high-fiber snacks. Try to keep an apple and almonds handy for when that mid-afternoon energy slump hits.
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