Brands have been quick in responding to that. The number of food and drink products marketed as “high protein” quadrupled between 2013 and 2024, turning a basic nutrient into a profitable selling point.

Ordinary foods are being relabelled and sold back to us as nutritionally superior simply because they contain protein.

Don’t get me wrong, we do need protein. It has clear benefits: it helps with muscle repair, keeps you fuller for longer, and is an important part of a balanced diet.

But somewhere along the way, protein has gone from being important to being moralised. “High-protein” has quietly become shorthand for “good,” while foods lower in protein are often framed as less valuable.

According to US scientific guidelines, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for teenagers aged 14 to 18 is 0.85g of protein per kg of body weight per day, roughly 52g for boys and 46g for girls. However, individual needs vary depending on body weight, age and activity level.

Yet social media has created the impression that we should be consuming far more than that. This doesn’t just affect what we see online, it starts to change the way we think about food altogether.

When eating becomes calculation

California-based doctor Lauren Hartman, who specialises in eating disorders, has raised concerns about this trend, particularly among teenagers.

She warns that the focus on hitting protein targets can fuel unhealthy behaviours: “One of my concerns that comes up with this protein discussion is the worry that it could potentially fuel tracking – tracking the grams, tracking the calories – which is really risky, especially for teens.”

There’s already strong evidence linking this kind of tracking to disordered eating. But it doesn’t stop at macro tracking, an increasing focus on protein itself can also become obsessive. Some people begin to centre their diet around protein because it is associated with sensations of fullness.

“Tracking does not bring joy,” Hartman explains. “It increases obsession and anxiety and rigidity. Meals should be about nourishment and pleasure and connection, not math or feeling like, I’m somehow not doing what I’m supposed to do.”

I’ve personally seen this protein anxiety play out in real life. A friend of mine became really focused on hitting her daily protein target. It got to the point where she was forcing herself to eat foods she didn’t even like. She told me she hated cottage cheese, but still made herself eat it just to reach her protein goal.

At that point, it stops being about health.

 

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Hidden costs

An intense focus on protein can carry physical downsides. Some high-protein diets encourage increased consumption of red and processed meats, which can raise the risk of heart disease and increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. In some cases, high protein intake can also put strain on the kidneys.

At the same time, this protein focus has diverted attention away from other essential nutrients, especially fibre, which plays a crucial role in digestion and long-term health. In fact, 96% of adults and 11–18s don’t meet the recommended fibre intake, and less than 1 in 10 teenagers meet the ‘5 A Day’ fruit and vegetable target, according to a UK government survey from 2019 to 2023.

None of this means protein is the problem. The problem is the imbalance and that the conversation has become one-sided.

I don’t know about you, but food should be something you enjoy while also meeting your nutritional needs. It shouldn’t feel like a constant calculation or something you have to force yourself through.

Protein matters, but don’t revolve around it.