Bro, Enough with the Protein. You’re Just Making Expensive Pee

I’m currently revisiting Seinfeld with my youngest son. I haven’t watched the sitcom in decades. I am surprised at how genuinely funny it remains and how badly some of the core premises have aged.

Case in point: the non-fat yogurt episode from season five. The entire segment, which aired in 1993, hinges on the idea that this kind of food is a disastrous dietary choice and consuming it will make you “fat” (lots of weight gags throughout). The fat-is-evil theme is taken as a truism. As Jerry exclaims to a neighbour in the final scene (spoiler alert!), the yogurt actually had fat in it! “It’s not good for you!” Cue laugh track.

Fast forward to 2025. Fat, according to hype merchants, is good! It’s healthy! There is the ketogenic diet (lots of fat). The Atkins diet (a fat bomb). The carnivore diet (bursting with fat, cuz meat!). Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current United States Department of Health and Human Services secretary, wants full-fat dairy in schools across America. And he wants to change dietary guidelines to encourage people to eat more saturated fats. Bring on the full-fat yogurt!

Every few years, a new, of-the-moment, allegedly definitive bit of nutritional advice becomes so fully embraced by the news media, the food industry, and pop culture that it is taken—like “fat-free,” in the 1990s—as a truism. And then—flip—it isn’t anymore.

The current obsession taken up by the vast and growing Wellness Industrial Complex can be summarized in one word: protein. It is everywhere. Protein popcorn. Protein breakfast cereal. Protein ice cream. Protein potato chips. Protein candy bars. Starbucks is offering protein-infused lattes. There is an ever-expanding assortment of protein powders and supplements. And, the 1990s Jerry Seinfeld would be happy to hear, protein yogurt. Protein stacked on top of protein. This protein blitzkrieg has been felt. Consumers are responding. Marketing has won.

A 2024 survey found that 71 percent of Americans are trying to increase their protein intake. Another survey found that over 90 percent believe the inaccurate idea that it is essential to eat meat to get enough protein. In a 2021 industry survey involving a dozen countries, roughly half of respondents said they associate protein with a “healthy diet,” and 72 percent were willing to pay a premium for “protein fortification.” And the market for protein-rich food products is predicted to double over the next decade, rising to more than $100 billion (US) by 2034.

The reality is that most of us consume more than enough protein. Indeed, it has been estimated that the average adult male overshoots their protein consumption by 55 percent. While others put that overconsumption at less, there clearly isn’t some vast lack-of-protein crisis gripping the developed world. As Stuart Phillips, one of the world’s leading experts on all things protein, told me, “Protein is essential, but the hype has turned it into a farce. People have lost their minds on this one.”

Yes, research is exploring the benefits for certain populations, such as older adults and those on GLP-1 medications (which help regulate blood sugar levels). Study results are mixed, but some evidence suggests they may benefit from consuming slightly more protein than the conventionally recommended 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. But despite the emerging science, Phillips, who has done some of the foundational work on this, feels it is important to emphasize that “the push for mega doses isn’t backed by any solid science.”

Indeed, for the vast majority of people, there are no health benefits to eating more protein than the recommended daily allowance. Extra protein doesn’t magically turn into extra muscle; it is flushed out of our bodies as urea. Or, as Marcia Clark, an orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine expert, and president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, told me, the extra protein mostly just “becomes expensive pee.” It is also worth noting that any excess calories connected to consuming all that protein aren’t stored in some special repository in our body. They are stored as fat.

Given the lack of evidence to support the protein craze, what is driving it? A big factor is socio-political. Manosphere influencers (think Joe Rogan, et al.) are one of the proteinification epicentres. Protein, especially if it comes from an animal, scans as manly. Fruits and veggies? Not so much. Studies consistently show a connection between traditional masculine norms and meat consumption. One recent study found that “men who support the use of physical violence and place high importance on sex” ate more meat. Okay, that example is a bit extreme, but you get the idea. Protein is manly, macho, MAGA.

Another huge reason for the rise of protein is that it is a massive opportunity for the food industry, which, of course, was also the case with the 1990s fat-free trend. Once a health trend starts to work its way into the public consciousness—think GMO-free, organic, natural, clean—the market responds by leveraging that trend into a new health halo. Health halos give the impression a product is a healthy and sensible choice, even if the evidence suggests otherwise. Health halos can also cause people to consume more calories because of this “It’s healthy!” misperception. But there’s no reason a protein-enhanced potato chip can’t have as many calories—and be just as unhealthy—as a regular potato chip.

• Sure, Ultra-Processed Foods Are Bad. But How Does That Help Anyone?
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• You’re Not Imagining It. Health Misinformation Is Everywhere

Some studies suggest the processed foods bearing the “protein” badge can be troublesome in their own right. A recent study from Spain looked at thousands of food products and found that 90.8 percent of those with the “protein” label should be classified as “less healthy,” and over 50 percent were high in fat or sodium. A Snickers candy bar labelled “protein” (a real product, by the way) is still just a Snickers candy bar.

There are a host of other issues associated with the protein trend. It is bad for the environment—not just because higher demand for meat drives up greenhouse gas emissions, but because all that protein-polluted pee breaks down into nitrogen that can harm both water and air. (Seriously, this is a real, albeit still speculative, concern.) Protein supplements, which are part of a lightly regulated product, can have problematic toxins. For example, a recent analysis by Consumer Reports found that protein powders often contain worrying levels of lead. And, in case you are wondering, there also isn’t good evidence that a high-protein diet will lead to long-term weight loss.

The bottom line: the current fixation on protein is yet another evidence-free diet trend that will likely pass. Given RFK Jr.’s recent declarations about saturated fats, perhaps that will be the new wellness fad? Let’s debunk that one before it even starts. A large and consistent body of evidence tells us we don’t need to be eating more saturated fats.

Whenever you see a new health-halo label, think of Seinfeld and that fat-free yogurt. If you have health concerns or are worried about your diet, consult a dietitian or other science-informed health professional. But it is almost always a good idea to ignore the diet hype. As Phillips nicely concludes, “for most, real food and a balanced diet is still the big win.”