2 days ago
The Protein Boom
Once upon a time, I indulged at breakfast — banana bread, fruits, the occasional bowl of my kids' cereal. Then protein propaganda wore me down.
I'm sure you've experienced it, too: It feels as if every expert, every algorithm, every podcast is exhorting us to consume more protein. Now I concoct virtuous but joyless Mason jars full of overnight oats (5g of protein), kefir (6g), whey (24g), collagen (9g) and peanut butter (7g). I'm stuffed until lunch, but I miss banana bread. Apparently this is how I'm supposed to live?
I thought about the pressure we all feel to optimize and do better while reading a story that published today about the David bar, a product designed to maximize protein. It's 'basically a protein Scud missile wrapped in gold foil,' reports Elizabeth Dunn.
I wanted to know: How much protein do we actually need? Has this fad gone too far? The Times has published some excellent journalism about the protein boom. Here's a quick guide.
The science
Expert advice. Protein builds muscle and can help with weight loss. But what's the right amount? Recommendations are tricky, since everyone is different. In general, scientists say you need at least 1 gram for every 3 pounds of body weight (well, 2.76 to be precise) each day — and more if you exercise. So a 150-pound person would need 54 grams of protein, about the amount in a strip steak.
Are you getting enough protein? This helpful calculator, using your age and weight, will tell you.
Don't be fooled. The idea that Americans don't eat enough protein — the main message on my social media feeds — is a lie. 'The average man in the United States is overshooting the federal protein recommendation by more than 55 percent and the average woman by more than 35 percent,' according to this explainer by Alice Callahan, a Times reporter with a Ph.D. in nutrition. Your body can't store extra protein. Once you've eaten what you need, your liver breaks down the extra to use as calories or store as fat. If I didn't work out, my breakfast would be overkill.
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