Ugh. So over the protein craze. We honestly seem to get too much in the average American diet. My husband figured out he had a protein sensitivity and feels a million times better now that he eats the way he does (whole food plant based diet, no soy, nuts, seeds, or legumes even). And what most people don't know is protein comes from plants. Put down the processed protein and pick us more plants.
Thank you for this! Could you share the supplements you think are worthy? I bulk up my Greek yogurt and berries in the morning with a whey protein powder but would love some specifics that you like.
Do you meal protein supplements? I add a protein powder to my Red River cereal to punch it up or when I want a fruit smoothie. I will have an occasional power bar. When I travel I will pick up Fairlife shakes as they are in many drug stores and easy to find and don’t need to be in the fridge. I usually have a skyr mid afternoon. When I have cereal, I have the Kashi one that is high in protein and use Kodiak cakes for pancakes, also higher in protein. But today I had 33 g of protein at breakfast with 2 eggs and 2 ounces of lox on a slice of whole grain bread sprinkled with everything but the bagel seasoning and a cappuccino with 4 ounces of 2% milk. I have a lot of non fat yoghurt and 2% milk, so that helps.
I would also be interested in seeing what Dr Gunter likes. This fall, I had really stalled out in my weight training and so tracked my macros for a few weeks. I was only getting 1/3 of the daily recommended protein for my weight.
Like you, I add whey powder to things. I also like the Oikos 30g Protein Shakes. They don't have artificial sweeteners, which I find to be really off putting.
Liz and I so appreciate your mention of our messaging, which aims to be evidence- based and practical. My clients are always grateful when I let them off the hook and tell them they don’t need 1 gram of protein per POUND as some influencers advise! That calculating the complete protein on a label was new to me, too! Thanks for that nugget!
Spot on for content, claims, protein science and everything. The other COI consideration is that Mel had to know this was going on long before the product was released. So anything protein-related that was discussed in that time... well you know where I'm coming from. Protein has jumped the shark https://theconversation.com/2025-was-the-year-protein-jumped-the-shark-272614 and this is from someone who has spent more than 30 years studying the nutrient!
Always grateful for your work on behalf of all of us. I also appreciate that Marion Nestle says that if you're getting enough calories, you're getting enough protein. I think this is a simple but powerful point.
Brilliant article, thank you for the info and explaining it so well. Agree with you on it all! The Year of the Fibre started in 2025 so brace yourselves…!
I guess the real question is why would anybody jump up and buy somebody’s protein drink/powder/ whatever.
I am over the collagen craze, it kinda grosses me out since these collagen products are clearly made of waste product from the slaughter industry. Done genius figure out how to make yet more money off the tortured bodies of dead animals….
I understand why an influencer would do this. Where I am having a hard time following is why people would just take the word of said influencer without looking at their credentials etc… I had to look up Mel Robbin’s and she is a lawyer… so how she would know anything about protein etc is beyond me. But maybe I am just too sceptical…
Exactly! I've posted on this elsewhere -- 'influencers' still just put on their pants one leg at a time (do people understand that phrase anymore?). When I have a question about a subject I don't know, I consult someone in the field.
People assume the influencer has access to experts that you and I don’t have access to because they are rich or famous. They don’t consider the influencer lacks the knowledge to even evaluate if the so-called experts are any good or if profit motive might affect the quality of information the influencer is passing on.
If I had a protein intake as pushed by Big Supplement, I'd already be dead*. It truly frightens me that there are so many people out there who latch on to whatever the newest fad is, without once consulting their physicians, or even a dietician....a real dietician, not "I read an article on google and now I'm a nutritionist."
Ask your doctor. Have any lab work she requests done. Get the results. Please. I know not everyone has medical issues, but too much protein can be a Bad Thing. These people do not care about your health, they care about your wallet.
*Stage 4 CKD so not more than 0.6-0.8 g/kg a day if I am remembering what my nephrologist said, correctly.
1) The link to higher protein breakfast ideas is not useful to those of us not on Instagram (can't access it), which I read the other day, had a security breach, so why would I want to go there anyway...
2) Why spend money on Genius protein 'shots' when you can eat real food... what a concept!
Thanks for this; "Here’s hoping 2026 is NOT the Year of Beef Tallow" would be funny if it wasn't true! Raw milk and liver smoothies (gag!) may also be on the agenda......
I saw Mel Robbins IG post and had a laugh thinking about her trying to convince people that she was in in the lab consulting with "the top doctors and researchers" as they stirred up their magic brew of liquid protein, adding a little of this and a little of that. Isn't she an attorney by trade? Always so disappointing to see the grifters go over to the dark side...
IS "the recommendation for protein is 1.2-1.6 g/kg/day" valid though? Several studies and documentaries have been done on protein and how much is needed. In the US, it is extremely rare someone NEEDS as much protein that is being marketed to us in nutritional supplements in the form of powders and shakes. I can think of one condition where someone may need more protein...a burn patient. The guideline for "1.2-1.6 g/kg/day" recently published in the new upside down pyramid https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf, signed off on by our "friend" RFK, is sus. It would be fun for you to interview Christopher D. Gardner at Stanford to see if he has changed his stance on his recommendations for protein at 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2019/02/5-questions-gardner-on-meat-protein-and-environment.html#:~:text=Gardner:%20The%20data%20we%20cite,protein%20shakes%20and%20protein%20powders.
Thanks for including me, and my partner Hillary Wright, MEd, RDN, in this brilliant piece!
Ugh. So over the protein craze. We honestly seem to get too much in the average American diet. My husband figured out he had a protein sensitivity and feels a million times better now that he eats the way he does (whole food plant based diet, no soy, nuts, seeds, or legumes even). And what most people don't know is protein comes from plants. Put down the processed protein and pick us more plants.
Thank you for this! Could you share the supplements you think are worthy? I bulk up my Greek yogurt and berries in the morning with a whey protein powder but would love some specifics that you like.
Do you meal protein supplements? I add a protein powder to my Red River cereal to punch it up or when I want a fruit smoothie. I will have an occasional power bar. When I travel I will pick up Fairlife shakes as they are in many drug stores and easy to find and don’t need to be in the fridge. I usually have a skyr mid afternoon. When I have cereal, I have the Kashi one that is high in protein and use Kodiak cakes for pancakes, also higher in protein. But today I had 33 g of protein at breakfast with 2 eggs and 2 ounces of lox on a slice of whole grain bread sprinkled with everything but the bagel seasoning and a cappuccino with 4 ounces of 2% milk. I have a lot of non fat yoghurt and 2% milk, so that helps.
Kashi -- yes! And I add 1/4 c. of sliced almonds to mine.
I would also be interested in seeing what Dr Gunter likes. This fall, I had really stalled out in my weight training and so tracked my macros for a few weeks. I was only getting 1/3 of the daily recommended protein for my weight.
Like you, I add whey powder to things. I also like the Oikos 30g Protein Shakes. They don't have artificial sweeteners, which I find to be really off putting.
Liz and I so appreciate your mention of our messaging, which aims to be evidence- based and practical. My clients are always grateful when I let them off the hook and tell them they don’t need 1 gram of protein per POUND as some influencers advise! That calculating the complete protein on a label was new to me, too! Thanks for that nugget!
Spot on for content, claims, protein science and everything. The other COI consideration is that Mel had to know this was going on long before the product was released. So anything protein-related that was discussed in that time... well you know where I'm coming from. Protein has jumped the shark https://theconversation.com/2025-was-the-year-protein-jumped-the-shark-272614 and this is from someone who has spent more than 30 years studying the nutrient!
Thank you for your endless hard work!
Can you recommend how to get the required amount of protein without any supplements. Or point is to a post where you already covered that?
I can post some ideas, and also I linked to an account that has great information! @menopausedietplan on Instagram
Useless for those of us w/o Instagram accts.
Always grateful for your work on behalf of all of us. I also appreciate that Marion Nestle says that if you're getting enough calories, you're getting enough protein. I think this is a simple but powerful point.
Brilliant article, thank you for the info and explaining it so well. Agree with you on it all! The Year of the Fibre started in 2025 so brace yourselves…!
I guess the real question is why would anybody jump up and buy somebody’s protein drink/powder/ whatever.
I am over the collagen craze, it kinda grosses me out since these collagen products are clearly made of waste product from the slaughter industry. Done genius figure out how to make yet more money off the tortured bodies of dead animals….
Because they can leverage their massive following to make money 💰
I understand why an influencer would do this. Where I am having a hard time following is why people would just take the word of said influencer without looking at their credentials etc… I had to look up Mel Robbin’s and she is a lawyer… so how she would know anything about protein etc is beyond me. But maybe I am just too sceptical…
Exactly! I've posted on this elsewhere -- 'influencers' still just put on their pants one leg at a time (do people understand that phrase anymore?). When I have a question about a subject I don't know, I consult someone in the field.
People assume the influencer has access to experts that you and I don’t have access to because they are rich or famous. They don’t consider the influencer lacks the knowledge to even evaluate if the so-called experts are any good or if profit motive might affect the quality of information the influencer is passing on.
If I had a protein intake as pushed by Big Supplement, I'd already be dead*. It truly frightens me that there are so many people out there who latch on to whatever the newest fad is, without once consulting their physicians, or even a dietician....a real dietician, not "I read an article on google and now I'm a nutritionist."
Ask your doctor. Have any lab work she requests done. Get the results. Please. I know not everyone has medical issues, but too much protein can be a Bad Thing. These people do not care about your health, they care about your wallet.
*Stage 4 CKD so not more than 0.6-0.8 g/kg a day if I am remembering what my nephrologist said, correctly.
1) The link to higher protein breakfast ideas is not useful to those of us not on Instagram (can't access it), which I read the other day, had a security breach, so why would I want to go there anyway...
2) Why spend money on Genius protein 'shots' when you can eat real food... what a concept!
Thanks for this; "Here’s hoping 2026 is NOT the Year of Beef Tallow" would be funny if it wasn't true! Raw milk and liver smoothies (gag!) may also be on the agenda......
Protein shot? For a minute I thought you were talking about an injection.
I also see the Robbin's shot has bovine protein. Vegetarians beware!!
I saw Mel Robbins IG post and had a laugh thinking about her trying to convince people that she was in in the lab consulting with "the top doctors and researchers" as they stirred up their magic brew of liquid protein, adding a little of this and a little of that. Isn't she an attorney by trade? Always so disappointing to see the grifters go over to the dark side...
IS "the recommendation for protein is 1.2-1.6 g/kg/day" valid though? Several studies and documentaries have been done on protein and how much is needed. In the US, it is extremely rare someone NEEDS as much protein that is being marketed to us in nutritional supplements in the form of powders and shakes. I can think of one condition where someone may need more protein...a burn patient. The guideline for "1.2-1.6 g/kg/day" recently published in the new upside down pyramid https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf, signed off on by our "friend" RFK, is sus. It would be fun for you to interview Christopher D. Gardner at Stanford to see if he has changed his stance on his recommendations for protein at 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2019/02/5-questions-gardner-on-meat-protein-and-environment.html#:~:text=Gardner:%20The%20data%20we%20cite,protein%20shakes%20and%20protein%20powders.