Is the obsession with protein fueling better health, or just feeding the wellness economy?
Protein Craze: Look around and you’ll see that most products, sports gear and even social media have protein as a key ingredient. There are now protein-infused drinks and cookies loudly highlighting their protein content which is hard to miss. A small fitness trend has grown into a huge consumer fad.
Is all this insistence on protein really working for us? Perhaps we have let marketing trends convince us that we need something that is not really healthy. Let’s find out exactly what’s going on now and discuss why it matters.
Do We Actually Need This Much Protein?
Protein is very important, yet most people get plenty through their diet. The recommended food amount changes per person and although it differs, a lot of adults tend to overeat by almost their entire daily requirement.
Increasing protein might be helpful for both athletes and older people either for muscle recovery or to stop muscle loss that comes with aging. However, most people usually cannot do this. Adding an extra scoop to your protein shake could cost you more and it might instead fill up on nutrients you don’t actually need, saying no to nutrients that are good for you.
Choosing to eat protein bars and shakes instead of balanced meals means you consume less variety of foods.
The Risks No One Talks About
Having a diet too high in protein can result in some issues. The body uses only a certain amount of the nutrients and the remaining nutrients must go through breakdown and excretion. It causes more work for the kidneys, mainly affecting people with pre-existing conditions.
Another problem is hidden ingredients in food. Most high-protein goods have additions of sugar, preservatives and questionable ingredients. According to experts, some high protein diets also supply a lot of saturated fats which can damage heart health over time.
Mounting your meals with sources of protein might not always be the healthiest decision.
Who’s Really Benefiting From the Craze?
Protein is a big part of why athletes sign with a brand, aren’t they? And marketers are aware of this. Putting “high-protein” on a package is among the simplest things manufacturers can do to tout health benefits. It suddenly makes the product seem healthier, even when the ingredients aren’t too nutritious themselves.
Once again, the “extra protein” is sometimes achieved by cutting back on the important things. Having a boiled egg or some almonds is a much better and less expensive idea than buying protein cookies or cereal bars.
There can be a thin difference between real health education and clever branding. Currently, we find it difficult to tell where the line between them is.
A Case from Real Life
For example, Zoe is 29 and was having a protein shake for lunch every day to gain muscle tone. After the third month, there was no change in her weight, she didn’t get more energy and instead felt bloated. After starting to eat a healthy mix of protein, carbohydrates and fats again, her energy was full and so was her progress.
Let me emphasize this is not a story against protein. It teaches us how things can go wrong if you don’t really know what your body needs and follow only the newest trends.
An Expert Take
Problems with protein, says experts, are due to misuse, rather than a problem with protein itself. A lot of individuals depend on protein as the answer to every issue rather than seeing it as only one component of a balanced diet. Fuel, variety and balance are more important for your body than just counting macros and grams.
A specialist explains: “Protein can’t really be regarded as the enemy or the star nutrient.” There are many parts to a business besides just one person.
Final Thoughts: Check the Label—and the Logic
While protein is necessary, having too much focus on it could be getting in the way of more important issues. Both what you choose and how and why you eat it count. Following the latest popular diets could keep you from actually reaching health goals.
Here’s the main point: Don’t worry about eating protein. Yet, don’t give it an unquestioning devotion. Avoid processed food, observe what your body can handle and skip all the fads.