Editor’s note: This week we’re kicking off our new column on healthrelated issues, which we’re calling “To Your Health.” The first writer for this column is Kelsey Brown, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She will be one of a rotating team of local experts in health and wellness writing monthly columns in this space.
Living In The Era Of Protein
Throughout the years, nutrition has had its fair share of celebrities, with different buzz words rising to fame before eventually giving way to the next big thing. It’s fascinating to watch our focus shift from one nutrient to the next and to see front-of-package labels evolve along with it. Words like natural, organic, grain, keto, and plant-based have each had their moment. These days, the buzzword seems to be protein.
Nearly every product, including foods and beverages that historically contained very little protein, now has a “protein” version. Protein has found its way into everything from gourmet coffee drinks and grains to cakes and cookies. It’s never easy to pinpoint what starts a particular nutrition trend, but the rise of fitness influencers, growing interest in muscle health, and the popularity of weight-loss medications have likely all played a role.
And to be honest, as a dietitian, I understand the appeal.
Protein is one of our most satiating nutrients. Protein, fat and fiber promote fullness and satisfaction after a meal, often keeping us feeling satisfied for hours. Because of this quality, dietitians frequently encourage including a source of protein with most meals. But, as with many things in nutrition, more isn’t always better. The sweet spot is usually found where variety and moderation meet.
Protein is one of three macronutrients in our diet, alongside carbohydrates and fat. A protein intake of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is intended to meet the needs of nearly all healthy adults and prevent deficiency. Some people, including older adults, athletes, and individuals recovering from illness or injury, may benefit from higher intakes, while those with certain medical conditions may require lower intakes. The right amount of protein depends on factors such as age, activity level, health conditions, and personal goals. When individualized guidance is needed, a registered dietitian nutritionist can help determine an approach that fits a person’s unique needs.
The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR), expressed as a percentage of total calories, is 45–65% from carbohydrates, 20–35% from fat, and 10–35% from protein. While we know quite a bit about minimum protein requirements, there is less research on the longterm effects of consuming very high amounts. What we do know from human history is that diets extremely high in protein are difficult to sustain. Even among hunter-gatherer populations, both historical and present day, protein rarely contributes more than about 40% of total calories.
One example comes from early American explorers, who documented illness and even death after periods of subsisting primarily on very lean meat, such as rabbit, with very little intake of fat or carbohydrate. This became known as “rabbit starvation.” The lesson here is that the body needs a balance of nutrients and there is a point at which focusing too heavily on one nutrient can come at the expense of the others.
Once we eat protein, our digestive system breaks it down into amino acids, the building blocks our bodies use to build and repair tissues, produce enzymes and hormones, and support countless other functions. This is an important point because while all dietary protein is broken down into amino acids, not all protein sources contain the same mix of amino acids. Eating a variety of protein-rich foods, including both animal and plant sources, is the best way to ensure your body has access to the full range of amino acids it needs. Most importantly, protein does not have to come from a proteinbranded product. Eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy foods, fish, poultry and meat all provide protein, while contributing many other valuable nutrients.
Adding protein to a food does not automatically make that food more nutritious, nor does it automatically discount it as a well-rounded addition to a healthy eating pattern. Protein-enhanced chips, cookies, cereals, or coffee drinks may provide additional protein, but they may also be high in sodium, added sugars, saturated fats, or offer little fiber. A protein coffee can be a convenient option, but whether it is a worthwhile addition depends on the bigger picture of the individual dietary pattern. The key is to look beyond the front-of-package marketing claims and read the nutrition facts label and ingredient list. Consider not only how much protein the product contains, but what else it contributes and whether it supports your overall nutrition and wellness goals.
Protein may be today’s nutrition celebrity, but no single nutrient deserves all the spotlight. Rather than asking whether a food is high in protein, consider what else it brings to the table. The front of a package can tell us what a product wants us to notice, but the nutrition facts label helps us understand the bigger picture.
