We live in a trend-following, domino-effect, cultured world and that has been evident over the past couple of months. Ideas come and go, but the ones creating an impact typically become part of everyday life. When a movement shows signs of success, many retailers attempt to join in and follow as a way of promotion.
Protein-rich meals and products have always been important for some people, including high-performing athletes, fitness motivators and health-conscious individuals. Recently, it became a trend everyone wants to take part in.
Billion-dollar companies began adding protein to their brand’s products. Kellogg's Pop-Tarts and General Mills’ Cheerios created a protein line, and Starbucks and Chipotle added entirely new protein menus. People not only accepted these new products, but raved about them and their markup pricing. Even candy can’t clear this protein epidemic.
Protein has a significant impact on how consumers choose to buy products, and this fad would have been a positive addition to some food items before it was taken too far.
Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, said Americans tend to have low levels of nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium, but protein has rarely ever made the list of what we’re short of. Now, products are protein-packed and still lacking these other nourishments our body actually needs.
This new it trend is turning out to be more harmful than healthy.
The body can’t store protein, so consuming an excess amount doesn’t exactly equal larger muscle mass. This is a common misconception, and any protein that overfulfills your daily needs is either used for energy or stored as fat. In some cases, eating too much protein can further contribute to cardiovascular and kidney issues.
The recommended daily protein intake, according to the new health guidelines, has nearly doubled. Originally, 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight was suggested. Now, it ranges from 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.
The most important part of this conversation is that adding protein to a food item doesn’t automatically make it healthy, and many people are falling for this gimmick. Protein bars themselves can be considered a dessert, with flavors such as Brownie Batter, Birthday Cake, Key Lime Pie and Caramel Choco Chip by Barebells.
While protein bars can be valuable for an on-the-go supply of nutrients, their contents lack in all other aspects. Ingredients you can’t pronounce pack the nutrition labels, and buyers often overlook the ingredients to receive the high-protein, low-calorie ratio. Meanwhile, the low-calorie content is a result of bioengineered ingredients and artificial sweeteners.
Excess protein also deprives your body of fiber. This further contributes to the majority of Americans not meeting the recommended daily intake of fiber. The consequences of this can be detrimental to the health and proper functioning of the human body. The body relies on fiber for digestion, gut health and it is often linked to lowering risk for heart disease.
Protein is advertised everywhere you look, and restricting a new diet trend can quickly dissipate when you are constantly surrounded by its presence. Viral obsessions can hook consumers, especially when well-known influencers and celebrities take part in something that might seem harmless.
Happy Viking, created by Venus Williams, is a plant-based protein shake. The catch is that it is labeled as a meal replacement. Consuming a shake instead of a core meal for the day explains this issue very simply. The term “meal replacement” is never healthy for an individual looking to lead a balanced lifestyle. When an influential athlete such as Williams creates and promotes a product designed to replace meals, the message can quickly become misleading.
This might result in individuals skipping multiple meals, and it can also lead to an unhealthy dynamic with food. More importantly, this product goes against what athletes are supposed to do when not performing, which is to fuel their bodies with a variety of nutrients.
Khloud, created by Khloé Kardashian, is protein-packed popcorn, now sold on the shelves of many grocery stores. Even simple snacking turned into a macro check.
Without understanding the role protein plays in health and well-being, you can find yourself going down a misleading path you didn’t even realize you were on.
Though the world around us is grasping for anything labeled as protein, there are limits to how much we should be consuming. Doing research before kickstarting any trend is worthwhile, as it can save your health and even your spending habits.
Aleni Bender is a sophomore studying organizational communication at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Aleni about her column? Email/tweet her at ab285023@ohio.edu/@aleni_bender
