Is the protein craze going too far?
Jul 9, 2026, 3:17 PM | Updated: 3:36 pm
FILE: Texas Roadhouse meat cutters compete in the Qualifier Meat Cutting Challenge at the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. One of the latest diet fads involves eating more protein, but some nutritionists say most people are already eating enough protein. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
(Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Protein-rich foods are important for health, but has the recent protein craze that includes protein coffee drinks and protein breakfast cereals taken it too far?
A registered dietitian with the University of Utah, Sofia Whitefields, said most Americans who eat meat already get enough protein.
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“When I calculate [protein] for somebody in a session, they’re usually surprised that they’re getting that much,” Whitefields said.
She said that, for adults, the minimum amount of protein per day is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However she recommends closer to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, depending on the person.
Yes, protein consumption has its benefits
Concerns about patients eating too much protein, or focusing too much on one daily nutrient, doesn’t take away from the value of eating protein. Protein can help:
- Build lean muscle mass
- Boost metabolism
- Aide the immune system, and
- Regulate the absorption of sugar.
The bigger issue is spacing out protein consumption throughout the day instead of saving the most protein for dinner. She said 25 grams of protein four times a day is good practice.
Whitefields added that other key nutrients are often overlooked when a fad takes hold of our thoughts.
“The one that we actually don’t meet as Americans is fiber,” Whitefields said.
She recommended getting between 25 to 38 grams of fiber a day, and choosing protein sources that also contain fiber, such as beans, edamame, lentils and nuts.
