WELCOME to peak protein. There have never been so many ways to get it. Grocery shelves are filling up with protein-infused popcorn, cereal, Pop-Tarts – even water.
The craze is being driven by social media hype about the macronutrient’s health benefits, as well as new dietary guidelines and the rise of appetite-suppressing GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs.
Companies rushing to sate the skyrocketing demand have quickly made protein the main selling point of many food products.
Because of the surge, whey protein – formerly a niche product mostly purchased by bodybuilders – is now a hot commodity, causing a spike in prices and forcing manufacturers to compete for limited inventory.
Experts say most people already get enough protein. But as with other Internet-driven dietary trends, that doesn’t seem to matter. Here’s what to know.
What even is protein?
Protein is one of the three main so-called macronutrients, alongside carbohydrates and fat, that the human body needs to survive.
It is made up of amino acids, molecules that play an important role in many bodily processes such as helping build and repair tissues, producing enzymes and hormones, and supporting immunity.
Protein is present in many foods, such as meat, eggs, poultry, fish, tofu and lentils.
What’s driving demand?
“Proteinmaxxing” – the Internet term for maximising protein intake – has left the gym and hit the mainstream.
Social media is now full of videos claiming that squeezing protein into as many meals and snacks as possible will help with growing muscle and shedding fat.
The cultural trend dovetails with the mood in Washington.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has promised to “Make America Healthy Again” through the promotion of whole foods.
New US federal dietary guidelines endorsed by Kennedy recommend 1.2g to 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day, up from the previous recommended baseline of 0.8g per kg.
GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic are also accelerating protein demand.
The drugs cause a loss of appetite, leading to less food intake and more weight loss.
Roger Fielding, a Tufts University nutrition professor, says roughly two-thirds of weight loss on these drugs comes from fat, while the other third comes from muscle and other lean mass.
That makes consuming protein a priority for many GLP-1 users in order to ensure that they preserve their muscle.
How are companies responding?
The food industry is creating new products to capitalise on the protein craze as consumers prove willing to pay a premium for high-protein foods.
Packaged food companies such as PepsiCo and General Mills are adding protein-enhanced varieties of their top sellers, including Doritos and Cheerios.
Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk brand is another prominent example.
The company says its filtered milk increases the protein and calcium content, while reducing sugar and eliminating lactose.
Despite prices that can be more than three times those of regular milk, Fairlife has become one of Coca-Cola’s fastest-growing brands.
Restaurants are also capitalising: Coffee shops including Starbucks and Dunkin’ now offer protein cold foam, and chains such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Sweetgreen have expanded their menus to add new high-protein options.
Why is whey protein in short supply?
Whey is a liquid that is separated from milk curds during cheesemaking.
It was once considered a secondary product that was mainly used in sports nutrition, infant formula and livestock feed.
But whey has a greater density of protein by weight than almost any other source of protein, and demand has soared, causing the supply to dry up.
Whey protein concentrate prices have soared to approximately US$12.50 to US$13 per pound as of July 9, up from about US$9 in March. Companies are increasingly forced to find other sources of protein to incorporate into their products.
Complicating efforts to increase availability is the fact that whey is exclusively produced as a byproduct of cheese – it cannot be made on its own.
But while whey demand has grown dramatically, cheese has not experienced the same trajectory.
One of the alternatives is milk protein isolate, which is more processed and cheaper.
But that alternative has also surged in price as demand outpaces production.
US dairy processors are investing more than US$11bil in manufacturing capacity across 19 states to satisfy consumer demand for protein products between 2025 and 2028, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
What do experts say about ‘proteinmaxxing’?
For the majority of people, higher protein intake is not inherently dangerous.
However, experts say that consuming more protein than the body needs will not trigger continuous muscle growth, as some online influencers suggest.
The body doesn’t store protein the way it stores excess fat.
Once protein needs are met, the amino acids are broken down and converted into carbohydrates, which then turn into fat, particularly if overall calorie intake exceeds the body’s needs.
According to the Mayo Clinic, protein should account for 10% to 35% of a person’s calories per day. More active and older people need a higher proportion of protein.
While food companies are racing to add protein to anything they can, nutritionists say that what most Americans really need more of is fibre, which supports digestive health and helps regulate blood sugar.
How is the protein craze evolving?
Kevin Ryan, chief executive officer of Malachite Strategy and Research, a market research firm, says consumers increasingly want a “first name” attached to their protein: chicken protein, egg white protein or collagen protein, for example.
That’s because recognisable sources give the impression that a product is less processed and healthier.
Brands like IQBAR, which sells snack bars and mushroom coffee, and Wilde, which makes protein chips from chicken and cheese, are catering to consumers’ growing preference for packaged foods made with familiar ingredients.
But Christopher Gardner, a nutrition scientist at Stanford University, says that the focus on the type of protein in a processed food item can be misleading from a nutritional standpoint.
Once protein is digested, it is broken down into amino acids. The body doesn’t distinguish whether it came from chicken, whey, tofu or chickpeas.
He says that the source of the protein is secondary to what accompanies it, emphasising the importance of whole-food pairings that include fibre. — Bloomberg
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