The first documented proof of diet culture was published in an 1863 pamphlet by William Banting, in which he advised consuming a diet made up primarily of meat, greens, and fruits, with an emphasis on avoiding sugar, starch, butter, milk, and beer. This has been used as a blueprint for the nearly two centuries of recommendations in magazines, blogs, and television shows aimed at improving the health, longevity, and most notably, the aesthetics of the viewer. With the rise of social media and short videos as a form of sharing information, a new obsession has taken over: protein. This macronutrient is essential for the functioning of the body, but it’s mostly known for its reputation of changing a consumer’s body to one composed of more muscle mass.
Hitting daily macros for the sake of an enhanced appearance was originally a focus mainly within the fitness community, but is now becoming mainstream. It’s common to scroll through one’s “For You Page” and see someone consuming copious amounts of tuna, greek yogurt, or dark chocolate to reach their daily 100-plus grams of protein, encouraging their viewers to do the same. While protein itself is not harmful, the obsessive ingestion of it in hopes of achieving one’s ideal physique risks both physical and mental health.
Although protein is advertised as something that’s lacking in the average person’s diet, the average American consumes a healthy amount daily. Companies simply use protein’s sparkling reputation to add a sense of health to their product. It’s recommended that an adult eats about 0.8 to one gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, which works out to an average of 52-65 grams daily. These numbers would look different to someone trying to increase their muscle mass, but only by a little. “Protein is an essential nutrient in almost all of our body’s processes, including muscle growth, skin, hair, energy, hormones, etc,” nutritionist Lori Leigh Klocek said. While consuming insufficient amounts of protein can potentially have negative effects on overall health, ingesting too much has the capability to result in a hardening of one’s arteries, which may ultimately lead to heart attacks and strokes. “Just like anything, it is possible to get too much (protein), but as long as you maintain a balanced diet, it is difficult. Overdoing protein could mean you are not getting enough of other nutrients,” Klocek said.
Despite the fact that severe physical damage from too much protein is somewhat difficult to achieve, overconsumption comes with mental tolls. It’s crucial to acknowledge the reason that most people are consuming protein in such quantities: they are chasing their definition of the “perfect physique.” It’s the same reason these centuries of diets have captivated generations of people. Meeting beauty standards and achieving physical health are often the promised end result of following a diet. In reality, chasing perfection may damage self-image, lower confidence, and even cause anxiety.
Though too much or too little of protein can both have negative outcomes, it’s important to question why people have been so keen on eating as many grams of protein as they can, and the negative effects these practices can have on one’s health. Protein by itself is not the villain; rather, it’s a culture where going to the extremes in diet for appearance’s sake is harmful.