Big Food Embraces the High-Protein Trend

The American consumer is in the midst of a "protein insurgence," writes Chris Gayomali at New York magazine. A trip down any grocery aisle illustrates the point, with packages screaming at us about their jacked-up protein content. Wheaties Protein is a case in point, with the word Protein bigger than the word Wheaties on the box. It boasts up to 22 grams of protein per serving, a sevenfold increase from the original, which seems "if not chemically unstable, then at least gustatorily risky." (Gayomali explains how General Mills hit its goal of 20 grams by adding soy.) Even cookies and chips are trumpeting their protein content. Have things gone too far? As with a lot of things related to nutrition, much depends on the individual, and Gayomali sets out to provide context.

The story traces the rise of the protein quest, embodied by the fitness trend of thin-but-toned women and muscular men, and popularized in wellness podcasts that emphasize protein paired with exercise. Gayomali notes that the government's recommended daily allowance for protein hasn't changed much over decades (about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight), but the bar is set low—to prevent deficiency. "For a 130-pound woman who doesn't exercise very often, this would mean consuming at least 47 to 58 grams of protein a day," he writes. "In the context of an American diet, where a Chipotle bowl can top 50 grams of protein, this is easy work."

It gets trickier for a person who works out, and food manufacturers have fully embraced the more-is-better view. Still, it's "hard not to see big food's high-protein makeover as a Band-Aid for a hopeless food system, an easy way to capitalize on people who may have a hard time giving up chips and candy." For Gayamoli—who recounts the unfortunate experience of tasting a chicken breast smoothie—"the key to making a high-protein diet healthy is the form it comes in. Wild-caught sockeye salmon: good, probably! Individually wrapped protein cinnamon rolls you can buy at Target: maybe not so much." (Read the full story.)