It’s not your imagination — everything seems to have protein in it these days. 
Starbucks now sells protein lattes and protein cold foams with up to 36 grams per grande cup. That caught our attention. 

Cruise the supermarket aisles and you’ll find protein cereal, protein popcorn, protein candy bars, even protein water. “High protein” has replaced “low fat” and “low carb” as the label call-out of choice. 

In 2024, 71% of Americans said they were actively trying to eat more protein, up sharply from just two years before. Food companies have realized that protein sells, and they’ve gone all in. During the past decade, the number of “high protein” foods available has quadrupled. 

Deconstructing the Protein Craze 

In order to understand the current crazy cycle of protein demand and supply, we should look at the cultural forces that created it. There were six market trends that fueled the current protein obsession and helped us lose protein perspective: 

1. Old Low Carb Diets Rebranded 
   Even after Atkins faded, Americans stayed hooked on the idea that carbs are bad and protein is good, thanks to “new” diet trends like Paleo, Keto, Whole30, South Beach, even “clean eating.” Each promises better weight control and energy through high protein and lower carbs. Protein became shorthand for healthier and leaner — even if the total diet wasn’t balanced.
   
   
2. The Fitness and “Body Optimization” Boom 
   As fitness shifted from niche to mainstream (helped by Instagram and gym culture), more people began identifying with performance language: tone, strength, recovery, metabolism. Protein was rebranded as fuel, not just food. This was especially strong among women, who for decades had been told to eat less — suddenly, they were told to fuel their workouts. That message stuck.
   
   
3. The “Satiety Effect”  
   Research on GLP-1 hormones (now central to Ozempic/Wegovy) started circulating long before those drugs became household names. Protein’s role in blood sugar stability, satiety, and muscle protection gave it a science-backed glow. Weight loss experts started talking about satiety and how protein keeps you full longer. Consumers wanted to stop grazing all day and feel “in control,” and high-protein foods seemed to deliver that.
   
   
4. Aging and Longevity Messaging 
   As Baby Boomers age, the conversation around protein has shifted from muscle-building to muscle preservation. Research showing older adults lose muscle mass faster (sarcopenia) led to a focus on protein for healthy aging. Protein has been credited with boosting strength, metabolism, and independence.
   
   
5. The Influence of Fitness Influencers and Wellness Gurus 
   Social media amplified the protein message years before mainstream companies did. Influencers, from bodybuilders to “fit moms,” posted macros, shakes, and meal-prep containers, teaching audiences to measure their protein intake like a health metric. It felt scientific, empowering, and visual, everything that performs well online.
   
   
6. Lifestyle Shifts 
   Busier lifestyles, longer workdays, and fewer sit-down meals has created demand for “grab-and-go” nutrition. Protein bars, meat sticks, and jerky fill that gap better than salads or smoothies and fit perfectly into the idea of “portable wellness.” 
   
   

So, food manufacturers, who worry more about their bottom lines than about our good health, saw protein’s growing popularity and flooded the market with “high protein” offerings. But while the shelves are filling up with “high protein” everything, many of us are already eating more than enough.  

Protein 101: What It Does and How Much Do We Need? 

Protein is essential, no argument there. Your body uses it to build and repair muscle, bone, skin, and even immune cells. It also helps you feel full longer, thanks to hormones like GLP-1 and peptide YY that tell your brain you’ve had enough. 

You even burn more calories digesting protein than any other nutrient. About 25% of each gram of protein you eat goes straight to the energy it takes to process it. 

The FDA uses a measure called Daily Value (DV), or the minimum amount of a nutrient considered sufficient for the average person, to measure nutrients. For most healthy adults, the recommendation is “0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.” For those of us who measure pounds, the DV works out to about 0.36 grams of protein per pound. This is the amount needed to prevent deficiency and maintain muscle mass. Since the FDA doesn’t know how much we each weigh, the percentages we see on labels are based on a 150-pound person. So, unless you weigh exactly 150 pounds, the DV% listed on the label may not apply to you. 

Amaze fitness expert, Cire Ba, thinks the FDA Daily Value is slightly less than optimal for most people, but agrees that social media may be promoting overkill. More isn’t always better for everyone.  

Cire recommends between 0.4 and 0.5 grams per pound for the average American but suggests more for certain groups. 

Older adults need more protein to preserve muscle and strength. We start experiencing age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) between the ages of 40 and 50. Most experts suggest at least 0.55 grams per pound for anyone older than 40 years. That would be about 83 grams for a 150-pound person. 

For highly active adults or those doing strength training, Cire agrees with the nutrition experts who recommend between 0.55 and 0.7 grams of protein per pound. More than that doesn’t build extra muscle. It just adds calories. 

Adults taking GLP-1 medications or losing weight in other ways should aim for  
20–30 grams of protein per meal to protect muscle while losing fat. Cire stresses the need to spread the protein intake throughout the day for optimal health. 

Note: If you are focused on losing weight, your current body weight is likely too high to be used as an appropriate calculator for nutritional intake. Protein consumption is designed to maintain lean muscle mass, so nutritionists recommend calculating your optimal protein intake based on a healthy body weight for your height. 

Based on those recommendations, most of us are already eating enough protein to meet our needs. Recent CDC data shows that American adults are consuming about 82 grams of protein per day. If you are not, or if you are looking to improve the quality of your protein, there are some easy ways to get there.  

Why Some Proteins Are Better Than Others 

Skip the packaged hype. The best protein comes from real food — eggs, fish, chicken, beans, lentils, yogurt, nuts, and seeds. 

Eat protein from whole foods. A chicken breast gives you 33 grams of complete protein. A cup of lentils offers 18 grams of plant-based protein plus fiber and iron. A protein bar gives you 15-20 grams of protein and most offer no fiber. 

If you can’t resist the lure of protein products, consider how well the protein they contain will be absorbed by your body. This is where checking the DV% on a product’s label can be helpful no matter what you weigh (Warning: Interesting but geeky info ahead).  

There is a little-known value called “The Protein Digestibility Score” (PDS). It is a metric used to evaluate the quality of a protein source based on its amino acid composition and digestibility. The score indicates how efficiently our bodies can digest and absorb the essential amino acids from a protein. However, that digestibility score doesn’t obviously appear on the label of a processed protein product. The only way to tell how well the protein will be absorbed is by checking to see how well the number of grams of protein match the DV%.  

Remember, the DV% is based on the minimum number of grams required for a 150-pound person, but we are not going to ask you to solve an algebraic equation. To roughly estimate the usable protein in grams, divide the DV% by two. For example, 20g of protein with a 40% DV means that all of it (20g) is usable protein. But a product with 15g of protein that shows only a 17% DV means only about 9g of the product’s protein is truly usable by your body (end of geek alert). Protein in whole foods is fully digestible.  

And if you’re wondering whether you need that protein-infused coffee or soda, the answer is almost certainly no. It won’t hurt you, but you might want to save the calories for something better . 

The Bottom Line 

• Match your protein intake to your actual needs (most healthy adults are already getting enough). 

• Get protein from whole foods first — eggs, chicken, fish, beans, lentils, yogurt, and nuts. 

• Spread your protein intake across three meals, not just a huge dinner. 

• Mix plant and animal sources for best health (aim to get at least 50% of your protein from plant-based sources). 

• Don’t sacrifice fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in pursuit of protein. 

• Save your money on most protein products. You’re paying a premium for less than optimal protein.