The hyper-marketing of protein, continued

Most people who eat enough calories get more than enough of the protein they need, so the current protein craze—putting pea, whey, and tofu into everything—doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

It does sell products though.

It’s hard to choose from among the most entertaining protein-supplemented products.

• Coffee?
• Protein water?
• Pop-Tarts?

But this remains my current favorite.

We can—and should—ask: How Sound Is Broad Advice to Simply “Eat More Protein?”

Protein has become the centerpiece of popular nutrition advice. Grocery store shelves are lined with protein-enhanced everything. Social media influencers urge us to squeeze more protein into every meal. And now the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is offering broad advice: simply eat more protein.

And look at the effects of this trend:

America’s Protein Boom Is Outgrowing Its Supply: Demand for whey is soaring as more Americans seek out high-protein foods and GLP-1 medications reshape eating habits. Why can’t manufacturers simply make more?

And the USDA says Animal protein continues to be plentiful for U.S. consumers.

They don’t include dairy on this chart and I have not seen a similar one for plant proteins, but plenty of those are available too.

I wish everyone would stop worrying about protein.  It’s not a nutritional issue; it’s a marketing issue.

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