{"id":633444,"date":"2026-10-17T12:44:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/633444\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T12:44:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:44:12","slug":"nutritional-craze-sweeping-the-nation-ct-experts-weigh-pros-and-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/633444\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutritional craze sweeping the nation. CT experts weigh pros and cons."},"content":{"rendered":"

A new diet and social media trend<\/a> has people across the nation eating high amounts of protein to manage weight, build muscle and boost metabolism.<\/p>\n

As the protein maxxing trend has exploded in popularity, more options have been popping up at restaurants, grocery stores and cafes, including Dunkin<\/a> and Starbucks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to the trend, the USDA\u2019s Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/a> recently modified the nutritional guidelines for protein intake and suggested that Americans to \u201cprioritize protein foods at every meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

The general adult protein recommendation has increased from 0.8\u202fg\/kg\/day deficiency floor to 1.2\u20131.6\u202fg\/kg\/day for most adults. And\u00a0a third or more of adults ages 18 to 29 (37%) and 30 to 49 (35%) are adding protein supplements to their daily diet, according to a recent Pew Research Center report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But like any maxxing trend, Connecticut experts are preaching moderation.<\/p>\n

Danielle Sanders<\/a>, a registered dietitian at Yale New Haven Health and a lecturer in Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, said protein maxxing has been at the top of everyone\u2019s social media posts for at least a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we can get a little bit out of hand when we\u2019re focusing on protein, although it is important to all of us,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cProtein is being added to everything and it seems that companies and brands are responding to the demand in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders said the recent prominence of weight loss medications have also elevated the need for protein because those medications lead to increased muscle losses and brands are responding by incorporating more protein in their products.<\/p>\n

According to Sanders, most Americans are already consuming an adequate amount protein in their diet but warns that for people with chronic kidney disease, too much protein can be dangerous.\n<\/p>\n

Sanders said she encourages people to eat foods with both protein and fiber such as whole grains, beans and legumes. According to Sanders, most Americans aren\u2019t consuming enough fiber, with research showing benefits from 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.<\/p>\n

She said with the changes in the USDA\u2019s guidelines and the popularity of weight loss medications, protein maxxing is not going anywhere anytime soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always take trends with a grain of salt, and I do always try to promote the role of a registered dietitian and services for that or becoming increasingly available with lots of telehealth options,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cBut I\u2019d say that the best bet for most people is to speak with a dietitian and get some tailored guideline for their nutrition journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ProteinProtein Milk is available at Dunkin\u2019, giving guests a simple way to add protein to the drinks they already love.<\/p>\n

(Business Wire)
\nCashing in on the craze<\/p>\n

\u201cProtein has definitely become a trend and other beverage and coffee companies have come out with their protein mix,\u201d said Manraj Parmar, the co-owner and operator of eight 7 Brew<\/a> locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. \u201cWhat\u2019s unique really with what 7 Brew has is this particular protein you can mix with any drink. Whereas like some of the other companies out there, they have a foam that you can put on top of a drink or it\u2019s very specific to where you can get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parmar said the protein, which is a liquid, can be mixed into an energy drink, tea or lemonade. One fluid ounce is 15 grams of protein. Parmar said he tries to limit it to two scoops.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think consumers are looking at the high protein kind of a diet. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s, you know, GLP-1 driven or peptide driven, but there\u2019s certainly a demand from a good segment of the population that wants to have supplement with protein. We think it\u2019s going to be a success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parmar said customers can tell the protein has a \u201cearthy flavor\u201d but doesn\u2019t overpower the drink. \u201cYou get a sense like, OK, I\u2019m definitely having protein, but I\u2019m also enjoying my drink,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Starbucks introduced its protein menu in September 2025,<\/a> which adds approximately 15\u201336 grams of protein per grande beverage with a line of protein cold foam and protein lattes with protein-boosted milk.\n<\/p>\n

Dr. Christopher Barrett,<\/a> a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Hartford HealthCare, said protein maxxing is coming off the tail end of the carnivore diet, with both focused on consuming higher protein intakes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve previously seen this with the ketogenic diet in which the overall fat content was greater than 80% of the total calories,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cAnother example is when individuals consume no animal products as a vegan. Both can be used as dietary structure and in different scenarios, but many social media influencers take these out of context and incorporate these diets into inappropriate scenarios to the masses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barrett said protein maxxing is a positive for those looking to lose weight and increase body mass in combination with resistance training.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cProtein does a really good job with increasing satiety and has a high thermic effect. These are both critical components to a weight loss effort. The thermic effect of food is essentially how many calories you spend processing\/absorbing and using these food items. Fat and carbohydrates have a lower thermic effect on food,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cThe increase in satiety is also a major factor as many individuals will feel fuller after a meal which is higher in protein which will lead to less snacking or eating larger portions.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Barrett, protein typically comes along with dietary fat which can be calorically dense. He noted that protein maxxing may not be the best for those with \u201ca genetic preposition or lifestyle choices leading to a high LDL cholesterol\u201d because they may not consider the fat content of the protein.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany people will generically say they are increasing their protein to their diet; however, protein sources vary drastically in relation to other nutrient components,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cFor example, you can consume non-fat Greek yogurt (plain not added sugar) is extremely lean with minimal fat or you may consume a rib-eye steak while still aiming for 21 grams of protein. However, they are not aware that along with that 21 grams of protein will also come along with dietary fat. Which can be calorically dense as well as may carry more saturated fat which can influence cholesterol values and overall cardiovascular health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HealthyHealthy food high in protein include meat, fish, dairy products, nuts and beans.
\nProtein pros and cons<\/p>\n

Barrett noted that the recent modifications regarding protein by the USDA have made protein more of a priority for some.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it has influenced more people to incorporate more proteins to their diet, however many Americans are meeting or exceeding their overall protein intake with their current intake,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cThis was typically seen in relation to the overall cardiovascular health of America as many individuals would consume higher fat protein items leading to cardiovascular issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should also be highlighted that visually the dietary guidelines focuses on higher fat protein sources like whole milk, red meats, eggs and others, which are elevated in saturated fat and per the written documentation of the new dietary guidelines has not changed from previous versions as it recommends less than 6% of your total calories coming from saturated fat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nikki Santillo<\/a>, a registered dietitian at the Middlesex Health Surgical Alliance<\/a>, works with people who are pursuing medical weight loss or patients healing after surgery and those who need increased protein.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith weight loss in general, there\u2019s definitely the risk of losing your muscle mass because you can\u2019t target specifically just trying to lose your fat mass versus lean mass. Muscle is part of your lean mass, but to counteract that or prevent large muscle losses. That\u2019s where the protein comes in. But in addition to protein, we do encourage resistance training because you can\u2019t just eat plenty of protein and expect muscle preservation. You do also need to add a load to the muscle,\u201d Santillo said.<\/p>\n

She added if the goal is to build muscle, suffering from malnutrition or a burn victim, those cases call for more protein. Those with kidney disease do not need an excess of protein because \u201ca byproduct of protein breakdown is filtered through your kidneys, and you wouldn\u2019t want to put too much strain on your kidneys.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also added that protein should not come at the expense of other important food components like carbohydrates through fruits, starchy vegetables and whole grains. She also mentioned the importance of having a variety of foods at meals including fiber.<\/p>\n

Like the other experts, Santillo said to consult a nutrition professional before trying a social media trend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of times we try to make things more complex, but really kind of simplifying things, having a well-balanced plate, but still incorporating your protein just so that you are getting in all of your nutrients for the day,\u201d Santillo said.<\/p>\n

Metabolic nutrition and weight loss expert Lisa Lynn, best known as Martha Stewart\u2019s personal trainer for nearly 20 years, is also the owner of LynFit Nutrition<\/a>.\u00a0Her specialty is weight loss, especially in women in menopause and beyond.<\/p>\n

The Connecticut native said protein maxxing has been around since she entered the nutrition field 37 years ago, but she called it \u201cmicrodosing your protein.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you do this the right way without hurting your body. When I was training Martha, she was struggling. She never really had to watch her weight until she hit menopause, and she was starving herself doing what every woman does, including myself. We either eat the wrong thing, or we don\u2019t eat at all. And neither are good for your health,\u201d Lynn said.<\/p>\n

Lynn said she began looking into protein and microdosing it because it can be really hard on the kidneys when it\u2019s not done right.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to create products, only because some of the things that are available out there are loaded with stuff that add insult to injury,\u201d Lynn said. \u201cAnd when you\u2019re protein maxxing, if you\u2019re not careful, all you do is overload your kidneys. You know, you end up with blockages in your body, weight gain, which is the exact opposite reason, most people protein max.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a clinical nutritionist and scientist, I always stick to the science, not the trends. There\u2019s a lot of TikTok misinformation and fake news,\u201d she added. \u201cProtein has what\u2019s called a protein efficiency ratio. That means how easily does your body absorb this? The number one best form of protein on the planet, now and forever, it\u2019s been for 37 years is whey protein, which is not easy to find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lynn said she made an oath to help people avoid the pitfalls she fell in during her 20s, buying every product that ended up messing up her metabolism, health and blood sugar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was doing every other diet, every other workout, following every trend, which would now be TikTok,\u201d Lynn said. \u201cI tell people, get brilliant at the basics, focus on those good proteins, call it maxxing if you will. It\u2019s really proper protein is what I prefer to call it, and get your leafy green salads in and the rest will take care of itself. You won\u2019t need prescription medications, 90% of the people that are dealing with health or heart issues. Most of them can be corrected with a cleaner diet.\u201d<\/p>\n

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