Behind the Protein Obsession

With our world becoming more and more obsessed with being tone, fit and healthy, it was just a matter of time before protein became the newest obsession. With the promise that it will help you lose weight, get stronger and avoid age related issues with muscle loss…up to 71% of the population say they would like to incorporate more protein into their diets. Protein has always been a popular go-to ingredient with bodybuilders and those into fitness because they build muscle and create a feeling of fullness that aids in weight loss. Unlike other pro health ads that advocate limiting our intakes on fat, sugar and gluten, protein ads encourage viewers to have more of it. It takes away the feeling of losing out and restriction that comes with a diet, which people like. However, although more than half of the population claim they want more protein in their diets, very few actually know how much they should be having or even why. People are under a false pretense that like every diet pill or low fat promise out there, the product will do the work for you, which is false. Dietician Andrea N. Giancoli states, “Protein in and of itself isn’t going to make you into a supermodel, get you to your ideal weight or make you into a lean, mean machine. You actually have to exercise and do the work to build that muscle.”