Everyone is crazy about protein galore
From flavored water to iced tea to young shoots, protein-enriched foods are everywhere. Brands tout a "healthy" intake for muscles, health, and sleep. "The Atlantic" deconstructs the injunction with a particularly absurd dinner, totaling 170 grams of these supposedly miracle macromolecules.
In the early 1950s, Hi-Proteen powder, one of the first protein supplements, hit the [American] market. At first, it tasted repulsive. But when its creator, [famous weightlifter] Bob Hoffman, added Hershey's [American confectioner] chocolate, the flavor improved. (He used a canoe oar to stir his mixture in a huge vat.)
Since then, protein products have come a long way... but perhaps they've gone too far. The other day at the gym, I was offered a can of lemon-flavored “protein iced tea. ” The ingredient list on the yellow-striped package advertised 15 grams of protein per can—about what you'd get from eating three eggs.
Apparently, protein shakes and protein bars are over. Americans are downright obsessed with protein, so much so that protein iced tea was probably inevitable. Whenever a trend emerges, the food industry can't help but jump on board—think "vegan" peanut butter (as if that spread wasn't already vegetarian), or gluten-free pumpkin dog biscuits.
But even
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