Protein is having a moment.
Typically relegated to shakes and bars tailored for athletes, the macronutrient has skyrocketed in popularity over the last year and a half.
From pancake mixes and oatmeal brands, to coffee — and even water — high protein products have taken over. The growth of this craze is only growing as food and beverage companies create even more protein-infused items.
“The craziest protein item that I’ve seen recently is the [Insomnia Cookies] protein cookies,” Bia Llamas, 20, said. “I thought that was ridiculous because a cookie is a cookie.”
“Stop making it something that it’s not,” she said.
Llamas, a Dana Point native, is a health promotion and disease prevention major and intern for USC’s Chapter of Girl Gains. She said the fitness club emphasizes the need for a nutritionally balanced diet.
“It’s so important to build that relationship with food,” Llamas said, “what we put in our body brings us longevity and healthier lifestyles.”
While protein is necessary for the body to function, there are limits to the good it can do, said Kurt Hong, clinical professor of medicine and gerontology at USC.
“Better satiety, improved weight loss, preserved muscle mass and improved metabolic markers,” Hong said — “but only when paired with regular strength training.”
Protein is one of three macronutrients that help to repair cells and create new ones. Made up of amino acids, protein keeps the human body in good standing, helping tissues grow and repair, as well as building and maintaining muscle mass.
However, most people in the U.S. already consume a significant amount of protein, according to Fact Check, even after recent changes to federal dietary guidelines.
“The 2025 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans raised the target to 1.2-1.6 grams,” Hong said, “up from the long-standing minimum of 0.8 grams.”
With changes to the guidelines and a big marketing push, the protein-fortified food market is expected to reach over $100 billion by 2030.
Last year, many brands announced their new products with higher level of protein: Pop Tarts increased the protein content to five grams of protein in its new versions of the brown sugar cinnamon, strawberry and blueberry flavors; Doritos introduced its own line of “protein-packed” chips for the avid gym-goer; Skippy Peanut Butter hopped on the trend, jamming even more macronutrients into its product with 10 grams of protein in every two-tablespoon serving, according to the California Post
Even food-chains have started advertising protein-boosted items as staples on their menus. Starbucks recently added protein cold foam to their menu, which boasts 15 to 36 grams of protein.
Hong said products like these, despite their advertised high protein content, were often loaded with added sugars and sodium.
“These foods offer lower protein density … compared to whole food sources like fish, eggs, legumes and dairy,” Hong said, noting that people who consume high-protein diets often do it at the expense of other necessary nutrients.
“High-protein diets often crowd out fiber, vitamins, and protective plant compounds and nutrients that are critical for long-term metabolic health,” Hong said.
Llamas said she preferred to hit her protein goals with a variety of foods like Greek yogurt, eggs, ground turkey and tofu.
“Protein is just a part of a balanced meal,” Llamas said. “Balance of all different food groups is key.”
This is an approach Hong also supports.
“The healthiest approach is not chasing a protein number,” Hong said, “but building a varied diet around minimally processed whole foods.”