Once the domain of bodybuilders and athletes, protein has moved to the center of many Americans’ daily diets, showing up in everything from cereal to doughnuts, according to nutrition experts.
Shifting eating habits
For Yisel Soler, a South Florida fitness enthusiast, protein isn’t just a box to check — it’s central to her routine.
“Make sure you have the protein and adequate amount of protein every day, every morning throughout the day,” Soler said.
She is part of a growing trend. A recent survey by Cargill found that 61% of Americans are actively prioritizing protein in their food choices. Food companies are responding with a flood of protein-enriched snacks like chips, popcorn and cereal.
“The protein market exploded,” said Monica Auslander Moreno, a registered dietitian and founder of Essence Nutrition in Miami.
How much and what kind to eat
Moreno said most healthy adults should aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, or roughly 61 grams for the average American woman. However, she believes that amount may be too low, especially with new recommendations for strength training, which suggest at least two to three times per week.
She also stresses quality over quantity.
“I’m reading that this ice cream or these crackers or this cereal has 8 g of protein. Are you absorbing that protein? Is it high-quality protein? And is it actually delivering the benefits which you would expect from this high protein food, meaning, ‘Oh, I’m going to have more strength and more muscle growth?'” Moreno said.
To measure that quality, she uses the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), a scientific scale that ranks how well the body absorbs and uses protein.
“The highest is a 1.0. The highest is actually an egg,” she added.
Moreno advises sticking to whole food sources when possible — a view shared by personal trainer and former bodybuilder Saul Rivera.
“The steak, the chicken, the beef, if it’s in the morning, eggs, egg whites,” Rivera said.
Snacks in moderation
Rivera said protein snacks can be a good choice in moderation.
“The chips, the protein bars, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s a great alternative to eating a Snickers bar or regular chips, you know? But I firmly believe that in terms of diet, when it comes to protein, you wanna go to the natural sources, right?” he said.
He warned against replacing full meals with snacks.
“I think people confuse it, because their goal is to lose weight and to look a certain way. They’re thinking that by eating less or eating these snacks and then not eating these full meals, that’s going to get them to their goal. And it doesn’t work that way, you know you gotta build a good diet plan,” Rivera said.
Soler said she tries to balance her protein intake with her long-term health in mind.
“Hopefully you know, in that process, like living longer. But not just living longer but living healthy,” she said.
