Hidden downsides of eating too much protein

From protein yoghurts and puddings to cereals, pizzas and even chips, protein is popping up in almost everything on Aussie supermarket shelves.

But nutrition experts warn that the national fixation may have gone too far.

Dietitian Lyndi Cohen says while protein is essential for health, the current craze means we may be missing out on other key nutrients.

“We know that protein is a really important nutrient for muscle maintenance,” Ms Cohen told news.com.au.

“However, the protein craze has gone to an extreme level where protein is being added to almost every ingredient, and often to foods that don’t naturally contain protein,” she explained.

“We are seeing people missing out on other core nutrients like fibre, carbohydrates, healthy fats or nutrients because of this oversaturation of protein.”

According to Australia’s national health guidelines, adult women need around 46 grams of protein per day, while adult men require about 64 grams — amounts most people easily meet through a balanced diet.

Requirements are typically calculated based on body weight, sitting at roughly 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

For individuals who are active, athletes, or older adults, 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram is needed to support muscle repair and preserve mass.

The rise of ‘protein everything’

If you walk into almost any supermarket and you’ll see the shift — protein-labelled foods now dominate fridge aisles and snack shelves.

But Ms Cohen says many of these products are heavily processed and loaded with ingredients that can cause gut issues.

“You’re often having a lot more additives with these highly processed protein supplements,” she said.

“They contain sweeteners, colouring and a whole bunch of ingredients you wouldn’t naturally find in whole foods.

“This can cause dysregulation in your gut, leading to bloating, discomfort and diarrhoea,” the expert explained.

What prompted the craze?

Experts believe the growing obsession with protein closely tied to the appearance-focused ideals of modern wellness culture.

“Protein obsession is certainly connected to trying to look a certain way,” Ms Cohen said.

“Often the wellness industry is selling us a body ideal more than it’s selling us health and wellbeing.

“There’s huge pressure on younger people to eat enough protein so they can have visible muscle mass.”

That pressure can sometimes push people toward extreme dieting.

“To achieve that very lean look you often need a very low body fat percentage,” she said.

“Particularly for women, that can actually be unhealthy because the body needs a certain amount of fat to maintain normal bodily functions like menstruation.”

Instead of chasing protein grams, Ms Cohen says the focus should be on balanced meals.

“We ideally want protein with every meal, but you don’t need huge amounts,” she said.

“A serve about the size of your palm is good, with some carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fats is a great place to start.”

Social media adding fuel to the fire

Food blogger and digital creator Nectorious Papi, known online for reviewing supermarket products, says the rise of high-protein foods has been impossible to ignore.

“I have noticed the increase in high protein products in recent years,” he said.

The trend reflects a broader cultural shift around fitness and health.

“We are a health conscious society in Australia — people want to look good and feel good,” he said.

But he warns the “high protein” label can sometimes be misleading.

“Some of it is just marketing,” he said.

“It might only have five grams of protein and they still slap the label ‘high protein’ on the product, so it can be deceiving.

“People need to know how to read the labels and compare products,” he emphasised. “Sometimes people think it’s healthier just because it says protein — and that’s not always the case.”

Still, the popularity of protein products isn’t going anywhere, particularly because of its convenience.

“For me it’s all about convenience as well as taste,” he said.

Products like YoPro yoghurt, Muscle Nation, FroPro sauces and pizzas, and Wicked Sister puddings have become staples for the food flogger.

But with so many new products entering the market, not all of them deliver.

“There are definitely some flops out there,” he said. “Some protein products taste terrible, it’s trial and error.”

So, the verdict is out.

Protein doesn’t have to be the villain — as long as people can still maintain “balance” in their meals and diets.

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