Grocery shelves are overflowing with protein-fortified versions of everyday foods, yet federal surveys show the majority of Americans meet current protein needs. Expect the trend to shift from more grams to better sources and a new focus on fiber.
Most Americans meet or exceed recommended protein intake under longstanding federal guidance, yet food makers have rapidly expanded high-protein products.
The protein boom is driven by perception, commercial opportunity, and changing dietary guidelines, not by a sudden widespread deficiency.
Simple household actions — audit your protein mix and read nutrition labels for fiber — help align purchases with actual nutritional gaps.
Grocery aisles now sell the nutrient like it's the only one that counts, even though federal data shows most Americans already meet their protein needs. Chan School of Public Health article, citing BBC Science Focus, reported that food companies had quadrupled the number of high-protein products sold worldwide over the preceding decade. A separate national survey cited by Tufts University put that figure at 85%.
High-fiber reformulations of snack foods, cereals and beverages are the logical next wave. If you're an average adult without heavy training demands, the traditional RDA is a reasonable floor. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions.
Yet the underlying nutritional need is largely already met. "The obsession with protein is actually driven by the perception that more protein equals better health," said Daphene Altema-Johnson, a registered dietitian and senior program officer at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. Chan analysis attributes the tenfold-in-a-decade product expansion to the commercial appeal of protein claims, not to evidence that the general population suddenly needed more.
Protein is everywhere — in chips, candy, cookies, even water. Does that make these products healthy?
Walk through a grocery store right now and two words seem to be following you everywhere: protein and fiber. They’re on cereal boxes, snack bars, drinks and even ice cream. But new grocery-shopping data suggests this isn’t just clever packaging. Americans really are changing what they put in their carts—and fiber may a
by Reed Mangels, PhD, RDN Walk down most supermarket or convenience store aisles these days and notice how many times you see a label touting protein. Despite all the hype, Americans, for the most part, are not lacking protein. Most get more than they need. There are some health concerns with excess protein, especially
A new report from Circana found that protein is the second most sought after ingredient Americans want in their diets, behind vegetables.
For years, the easiest way to make an ordinary food sound healthier was to add protein. Now another nutrient is moving toward the front of the package: fiber. High-fiber pastas, breads, crackers, snack bars and drinks are multiplying, while prebiotic ingredients such as chicory root and cassava fiber are appearing in p
LOS ANGELES — It’s lunchtime at Fountain Grains & Greens in East Hollywood, a counter-service restaurant where customers increasingly prefer their rice and vegetable bowls piled high with hunks of chicken or steak.
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