Protein obsession is oversaturating the health food space

When thinking of a nutritious and balanced diet, protein is often the macronutrient that comes up the most, but some scientists say that the modern emphasis placed on protein may not be necessary — and may even be overkill. Recent studies are now claiming that protein is not the end-all, be-all of nutrition.

This is not to say that including protein in a balanced diet isn't important. But scientific researchers and doctors themselves are now publishing reports that say a massive intake of protein is not the best bet for a healthy diet.

What have scientists found?

Protein is "key to keeping the body functioning properly. But people are likely eating too much of it," said the Harvard School of Public Health. The World Health Organization recommends that the average person eat 0.01 ounces of protein per pound of body weight daily. But the typical diet reveals that "men and women are eating, on average, 2.9 ounces of protein per day. For most people, this is at least 20% beyond recommendations," said the BBC's Science Focus.

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Experts say there's no data to suggest our bodies can use more than 0.008 ounces of protein per pound of body weight at a single meal, which "for most of us, would equate to a large chicken breast," said The Washington Post. Once people start consuming additional protein, the excess is "mostly stored as fat or transformed into urea, which is excreted through the kidneys."

What should the alternative be?

The best solution is likely to just cut back on the protein focus, experts say. Even for people on a "vegetarian or vegan diet, you probably don't need to worry about whether you’re getting enough protein while trying to reduce meat consumption or become vegetarian," said Nancy Geib, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Diabetes and Nutrition, to Vox. Athletes don't necessarily have to consume vast protein quantities either; in 2016, "Kendrick Farris — who is vegan — was the only American to compete in men's weightlifting at the Rio Olympics," said Vox.

Plant-based proteins don't contain all the amino acids we need, but "consuming a combination of different plant-based protein sources, such as beans and grain, will provide a balanced protein profile," said Enette Larson-Meyer, the director of the Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism Laboratory at Virginia Tech, to the Post. People who have plant-based but not fully vegetarian diets can "add an egg or some cheese to improve a mostly vegetarian dish’s 'amino-acid profile.'"

A "normal healthy diet with protein spread between meals should be adequate," said The Telegraph. People can "get additional small amounts throughout the day from vegetables, milk in hot drinks and even from snacks like chocolate and biscuits," Clare Thornton-Wood, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said to the outlet. People don't need to go "all out on having everything enriched with or fortified with protein."

In place of protein, fiber is "amazingly helpful in many ways," said former Vox senior health correspondent Julia Belluz. "It slows the absorption of glucose — which evens out our blood sugar levels — and also lowers cholesterol and inflammation." Larger amounts of fiber can lead to a "reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, hypertension, certain cancers and more," added Vox. And the "most fiber-rich foods happen to be plants: beans, avocados, berries, whole grains, broccoli, potatoes, nuts and dried fruit," which can also provide protein.