ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – In recent years, grocery store aisles have been taken over by products offering increased amounts of protein with the taste of junk food.
“I’ve been a dietitian a while, so we’ve seen a lot of phases,” said Kayla Scherf, Providence St. Elias Specialty Hospital senior dietitian.
“Within the last five years, you’ve really seen an acceleration of things. You go to Costco and I feel like the shelves have more and more protein powders, protein bars.”
Protein has also become a hot topic for people involved in fitness.
“It’s definitely a thing that they see on social media or on the news or on a lot of products coming up,” said Rene Rangel, a personal trainer and owner of The Natural Studio.
“People just want to know how much they need.”
How much protein does a person need each day? There doesn’t seem to be one answer among experts.
“If you’re about 150-pound person, you need about 50 to 60 grams of protein a day,” Scherf said.
“If that person is going to start lifting weights or training for a marathon or, you know, some kind of chronic illness, they’re actually going to need less.”
Rangel had different opinions.
“It’s goal dependent,” he said.
“If I have somebody who’s trying to put on weight and get really strong, whether it’s for sport or just for their aesthetics, then maybe like a gram of protein per pound.”
When it comes to Alaskans, Scherf said that the average person isn’t hurting from a lack of protein, but rather fiber-packed foods like fruits and vegetables.
“If you’re just eating your whole foods, like up here in Alaska, your moose, your fish, your salmon, your halibut, we have plenty of that up here,” she said.
“That is naturally out there for us versus buying these expensive products that are fortified with a bunch of protein.”
Rangel also felt that too much emphasis is put on protein in today’s diets.
“People demonize carbohydrates, [but] they’re a great source of fuel as well,” he said.
“Protein is part of it, but I don’t think it should be like the main thing, right? Protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, and then having a good balance between the three of those and I think makes a pretty good meal plan.”
Convenience and cost seem to be the most prominent factors leading to the recent surge in protein foods.
“I think everyone is starting to rely on those convenience foods, and that’s where we’re running into trouble,” Scherf said.
“What you want to start to see happen is more of those fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken, eggs, like whole foods brought into the home.”
“People are tied with time, money, resources,” Rangel said.
“Sometimes you just kind of have to refer to some protein bars or protein shakes or whatever. But like I said, I think as long as it’s a supplement and not like your main diet, we’re okay with that.”
Both experts said that the rise of GLP-1s, such as Ozempic and Retatrutide, are also leading to people eating more protein than necessary.
“It makes you feel full,” Scherf said.
“I know there’s a lot of different medications and weight loss meds, and [they] are really pushing hard on the protein.”
“That throws a whole curve bind to people’s relationship with food because of the way that these drugs work,” Rangel said.
“It definitely becomes a challenge for people to want to eat and to eat plenty of protein.”
While there is no evidence linking these products to any health issues, both experts emphasized prioritizing whole foods for a long-term and balanced diet.
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