What If Your High-Protein Diet Is Missing the Point?

The Internet has recently been taken over by a new diet obsession: protein. Promises of high-protein diets that lead to increased satiety at every meal, more opportunities for muscle growth, and possibilities for weight loss make increased protein intake seem like a cheat code for reaching fitness goals. Fitness influencers create and promote a plethora of new high-protein recipes—usually some variation of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt—in an attempt to create an alarmingly unbalanced protein-to-calorie ratio that will grab viewers’ attention. Off the Internet, food chains like Sweetgreen and Joe & the Juice follow suit, adding high-protein menu items; snack companies introduce more protein-packed options. Protein is one of the six essential nutrients for human survival—it’s an undeniable part of a healthy diet. Despite social media trends, a high-protein diet is not the nutritional solution. Consumers have become so wrapped up in mindlessly following the protein fad diet that they lose sight of the importance of balanced nutrition, lack an essential variety of vitamins and minerals, and create unhealthy mindsets surrounding food.

Although many consumers believe that protein is synonymous with health, what most fail to realize is that their information on the topic often comes from influencers who lack expertise on the subject and merely promote content. These influencers don’t genuinely care about maximizing your health; instead, they prioritize virality and profit. They are masters of their craft and influencers for a reason: glamorizing diets without providing complete information. Part of why diet trends like this gain so much traction is because they’re simple and promise quick and visual results, which makes them perfect for the fast-paced and image-driven nature of social media, especially recipe videos. However, what they leave out is that the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight; this recommendation has changed very little since the development of the RDA system in 1941. That makes the average RDA for Americans 72 grams for men and 62 grams for women, which we greatly exceed, consuming between 101 and 115 grams daily. This isn’t only the case for Americans. Most people in developed countries, globally, exceed the RDA. 

An alarming number of people blindly follow nutrition advice from the Internet without fully understanding the background and scientific reasoning. This protein obsession is a prime example and reflects the cyclical pattern of trendy diets we have seen in the past—for instance, the shift from veganism that was present in the 2010s towards the opposing carnivore diets now trending. And, non- or low-fat food alternatives in the ‘90s trend toward unaltered fat foods. As these fad diets age and more research is conducted, their novelty wears off, making the lack of scientific reasoning and sustainability behind them more apparent. The protein obsession is no different. The requirements for a healthy diet will never change, regardless of what is currently popular. This proves that an obsession with protein shouldn’t prompt high-protein diets that change the way you consume or view food in an attempt to be healthier, because it won’t work.

Another problem with the obsession with protein is that it creates an unbalanced focus on only one of the six essential nutrients. In prioritizing a high protein-to-calorie ratio, high-protein alternatives often lack vital vitamins and micronutrients. Nutritionists note how increasing protein intake frequently comes at the expense of other food groups, such as fruits and vegetables, which the majority of Americans struggle to hit daily intake quotas for. The RDA for adults is two cups of fruit and 2.5 to three cups of vegetables per day. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control, only approximately one in 10 adults meets the RDA for both fruits and vegetables. This stark contrast to the number of people meeting the protein RDA—essentially all Americans—highlights an unnecessary fixation on high-protein diets.

Not only do high-protein diets create a nutrient imbalance, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing; that includes protein. Many protein-rich foods, such as red meats, are high in saturated fats. Overconsumption contributes to elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels—the “bad” cholesterol. Excess amounts contribute to the blockage of arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. There are unwanted secondary ingredients and effects even without eating red meats and instead using protein supplements. A study from the National Library of Medicine on protein supplementation highlights the importance of considering that a protein supplement contains various amounts of sugars, additives, and preservatives that are added to enhance flavor and increase shelf life. For example, a whey protein powder may contain more than 25 percent (and up to 80 percent) of protein by weight. The remaining percentage may be fat, lactose, added sugar, and preservatives. These additives lead to a plethora of side effects that disregard the potential health benefits of protein intake. By focusing too much on one nutrient, which isn’t even the one Americans are lacking, we lose sight of the importance of whole foods and a balanced diet.

Finally, a high-protein diet obsession is just that: an obsession. With any obsession comes an unhealthy and unbalanced mindset. This fixation often masquerades as discipline or wellness, but in reality, it fosters rigid guidelines and guilt surrounding diet and fitness goals. An unbalanced mindset surrounding food can lead to many eating disorder-related struggles, like bingeing and restricting, or stress and anxiety surrounding hitting specific macro goals. It may also cause individuals to lose their sense of natural hunger cues or avoid social situations involving food, both of which further isolate them and make their mindset surrounding food a long-term struggle. Food should be something used to survive and thrive, not something to stress over. Once it crosses the line into a fixation, like any fad diet can, it can cause more harm than good. 

The “solution” to the high-protein fad is eating a balanced diet. This means cultivating a diet that includes all the major food groups: whole grains, healthy protein, vegetables, fruits, healthy oils, and water. This looks different for everyone, but the general idea is consistent and doesn’t include a disproportionate amount of protein on your plate. Protein is definitely an essential part of your diet; however, there is no point in obsessing over intake and spending time and money maximizing protein consumption, since the average person already consumes enough protein daily. 

As registered dietitian and content creator Kylie Sakaida notes, “On social media, there are so many types of trends out there, and I think that the high-protein diet trend is definitely one of the more helpful ones for people rather than one of the more harmful ones.” However, in general, obsessing over protein intake can create an unhealthy mindset surrounding food and lead to a diet that lacks other essential nutrients. If you can find a way to eat a high-protein diet in a healthy and balanced way, go for it. Otherwise, there’s no point in stressing—a balanced diet, not specifically a high-protein one, is healthy.