{"id":11544,"date":"2026-01-12T16:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T22:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/?p=11544"},"modified":"2026-01-13T04:23:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T10:23:36","slug":"discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover What&#8217;s Driving the Latest Protein Craze"},"content":{"rendered":"<section id=\"media_and_text-block_139e9429851891fca67bb9f858738a80\" class=\"media-and-text mat top-padding-off mat_image\">   <\/section>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/themes\/griffithfoods\/build\/images\/dummy.svg\" alt=\"Powered by Protein. Griffith Foods 2026 Food and Flavor Outlook. A high protein burger blended sweet potato, red quinoa and grass-fed beef patty was served on warm flatbread with tomato-date ketchup, moringa aioli, and garlic pickles.\" class=\"wp-image-11550 lozad\" data-src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Header-image-2-1-4-1024x365.jpg\"\/><\/figure>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From the 2026&nbsp;FlavorIQ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>Protein is having a major moment across the globe. But this time,&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;different.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Once valued primarily for satiety and muscle support, protein has evolved into a multifunctional&nbsp;nutrition&nbsp;hero aligned with today\u2019s health, weight-management, and performance goals.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Our insights from the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/2026-food-flavor-outlook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2026 FlavorIQ<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/2026-food-flavor-outlook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/2026-food-flavor-outlook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook<\/a>&nbsp;reveal just how dramatically increased consumption and online interest are reshaping the protein landscape\u2014and what&nbsp;key players in the food industry&nbsp;can do to stay ahead.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Protein Craze&nbsp;Isn\u2019t&nbsp;New\u2014But&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;Accelerating&nbsp;<\/h2>    <p>Protein has always been seen as a nutritional powerhouse. Of the three&nbsp;essential&nbsp;macronutrients\u2014fats, proteins, and carbohydrates\u2014protein&nbsp;is most often associated with&nbsp;its&nbsp;benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>According to Jackie Schulz,&nbsp;MS, RDN,&nbsp;Senior Director of Global Nutrition at Griffith Foods, protein is \u201ctypically associated with benefits such as satiety, muscle retention and development, and a&nbsp;minimal&nbsp;impact on blood sugar spikes.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Given the general public\u2019s desire for better health and weight management goals, protein addresses many of these interests.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>However, while interest in protein (and its associated health benefits) has been well-established for quite some time, recent years have clearly shown an&nbsp;increase&nbsp;in&nbsp;consumption&nbsp;and interest in protein-rich diets.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/themes\/griffithfoods\/build\/images\/dummy.svg\" alt=\"Bar chart comparing US consumers who reported increasing their protein intake between different years, growing from 48 percent in 2019 to 61 percent in 2024. Online conversations about high protein foods are exploding globally! +137 percent in the US and a staggering +390 percent in Brazil.\" class=\"wp-image-11551 lozad\" data-src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Inline-Graphic-2-1024x365.png\"\/><\/figure>    <p>In 2024,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cargill.com\/2025\/consumers-are-seeking-more-protein-for-health-and-taste-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">61% of US consumers<\/a>&nbsp;reported increasing their protein intake\u2014up from 48% in 2019. There is a massive volume of online interest, with online conversations about&nbsp;high&nbsp;and diets exploding globally (+137% in the US and a staggering +390% in Brazil, according to our 2026&nbsp;FlavorIQ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook).<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Driving the Latest Protein Craze?&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>Research shows that several factors are driving this renewed excitement around&nbsp;high protein&nbsp;foods.&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>Consumer\u2019s Desired Protein Intake Has Increased:<\/strong>\u00a0The protein craze has pushed intake goals well beyond traditional recommendations, according to Angela Bonnema,\u00a0PhD,\u00a0Senior Principal Nutrition Scientist at Griffith Foods. \u201cWhile global requirements are generally 0.75 to 1.0 grams per kilogram\u00a0(equates to 0.34 to 0.45 grams per pound)\u00a0of body weight\u00a0per day, some consumers are now targeting over 1.0 gram per\u00a0<em>pound\u00a0per day\u00a0<\/em>\u2014\u00a0a near doubling of current requirements.\u201d\u00a0It should be noted that some recommendations are shifting toward higher levels of intake, with the most recent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/realfood.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/a>\u00a0suggesting that consumers prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense protein foods from a variety of sources.\u00a0The\u00a0U.S.\u00a0also increased their\u00a0recommended\u00a0amount of protein to 1.2\u00a0to\u00a01.6\u00a0grams per\u00a0kilogram\u00a0(0.54 to 0.73 grams per pound)\u00a0of body weight per day.\u00a0<\/li>    <li><strong>Protein Is Easy to Add:<\/strong>&nbsp;Protein powders, like&nbsp;whey protein,&nbsp;can easily mix into milk, smoothies, yogurt, oats, and even homemade baked goods, giving consumers an easy boost to their daily protein intake.&nbsp;<\/li>    <li><strong>GLP-1 Users Prioritize Protein:<\/strong>&nbsp;With the rise of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wegovy<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, some consumers have shifted to smaller&nbsp;portion&nbsp;sizes,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/nutrition-vital-when-taking-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prioritizing high-protein meals<\/a>&nbsp;that help them feel full without excess&nbsp;calories&nbsp;and support muscle and lean mass retention during weight loss.&nbsp;<\/li>    <li><strong>Social Media Influencers Are Driving Discussions:<\/strong>&nbsp;From&nbsp;selling&nbsp;protein trends&nbsp;like the carnivore diet to debating the quality of different&nbsp;whey protein&nbsp;powders, influencers are loud voices in online protein discussions, with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cargill.com\/2025\/consumers-are-seeking-more-protein-for-health-and-taste-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">52% of consumers<\/a>&nbsp;reporting they have tried new foods from the influence of social media.&nbsp;<\/li>    <li><strong>Protein Formats are Expanding:<\/strong>&nbsp;Protein is moving beyond traditional meat and eggs and entering&nbsp;virtually every&nbsp;aisle of the grocery store. High-protein snacks, fortified milks, and even protein cold foams have entered into&nbsp;the space.&nbsp;<\/li>    <li><strong>Protein Sources are Evolving:<\/strong>&nbsp;Innovations in food science have revealed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2214799324000729\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">precision fermentation<\/a>, insects,&nbsp;and&nbsp;algae&nbsp;as exciting and&nbsp;viable&nbsp;sources of&nbsp;protein.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.plantiblefoods.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plantible<\/a>&nbsp;is one such company that is innovating how plant proteins are used in foods, from&nbsp;moisture retention to emulsions.&nbsp;<\/li> <\/ul>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/themes\/griffithfoods\/build\/images\/dummy.svg\" alt=\"A Griffith Foods chef holding a high protein dish: creamy mushroom omelet with warm silken tofu, dressed with a spicy peanut sesame mala sauce and a green onion and poached shrimp salad.\" class=\"wp-image-11553 lozad\" data-src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Inline-Image-1-1-1-1024x365.jpg\"\/><\/figure>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumers are Looking Past Meat for&nbsp;Protein<\/h2>    <p>The 2026&nbsp;FlavorIQ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook reveals that animal-based proteins lead&nbsp;in&nbsp;both taste and texture for consumer preference. However,&nbsp;there has also been a shift in the \u201cwhy\u201d behind protein that goes beyond muscle building. More consumers are looking at&nbsp;functional&nbsp;benefits&nbsp;of protein, including&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.innovamarketinsights.com\/trends\/global-immune-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">immune health<\/a>, healthy aging, mental clarity, and energy.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Animal proteins&nbsp;alone can\u2019t solve all of these health goals.&nbsp;That\u2019s&nbsp;why alternative and&nbsp;plant-based proteins&nbsp;are an essential diet&nbsp;component&nbsp;for consumers\u2014not just a meat replacement.<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plant-Based Proteins&nbsp;Have Unique Health Benefits&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>When looking for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/healthy-living\/healthy-eating\/eat-smart\/nutrition-basics\/picking-healthy-proteins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">healthy proteins<\/a>, consumers may look beyond the meat section and pick up dried beans, peas, lentils, tofu, and plant-based milks. According to Schulz and Bonnema, plant proteins are rich in:&nbsp;<\/p>    <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Fiber&nbsp;<\/li>    <li>Vitamins&nbsp;<\/li>    <li>Minerals&nbsp;<\/li>    <li>Phytonutrients&nbsp;<\/li> <\/ul>    <p>Diversifying protein intake to sources outside animal protein can also help displace saturated fats from diets, offering&nbsp;both lean and&nbsp;low fat&nbsp;protein sources.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plant Proteins Can Have Wider Applications&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>In the past, mimetic&nbsp;meats&nbsp;like Beyond Burger were the focus. Today, the industry is moving towards&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/na\/viewpoints\/from-side-dish-to-star-attraction-rooting-for-vegetables\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">celebrating vegetables<\/a>&nbsp;as the star attraction, focusing on vegetable-forward meat alternatives, like burgers made from beets or shredded mushroom tacos.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Alternative and plant proteins can also more easily be mixed into unexpected formats, with high protein innovations such as pizza doughs, bakery items,&nbsp;snacks\u2014it\u2019s&nbsp;probably never&nbsp;been easier to reach the recommended amount of daily protein.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meet the Modern Palate with\u00a0Balanced Proteins\u00a0<\/h2>    <p>Balanced proteins,&nbsp;also referred to as \u201chybrid proteins\u201d,&nbsp;combine&nbsp;animal meats with plant-based ingredients&nbsp;and&nbsp;appears&nbsp;to be a winning strategy for culinarians and brand managers.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;a simple strategy,&nbsp;combining&nbsp;the texture&nbsp;and flavor or animal proteins with the health benefits of plant-based proteins.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Balanced proteins can simultaneously balance consumer expectations for taste and texture, nutrition, and affordability.\u00a0<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taste &amp; Texture&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>Chef Mark\u00a0Serice, Vice President of Global Culinary at Griffith Foods, noted that \u201cwhile fully plant-based mimetics often struggle with texture and binding, a balanced protein approach fixes two things: taste and texture.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/themes\/griffithfoods\/build\/images\/dummy.svg\" alt=\"A plate of plant-based protein with rice, garnished with basil and saffron.\" class=\"wp-image-11554 lozad\" data-src=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Inline-Image-2-1-1024x365.jpg\"\/><\/figure>    <p>One example is combining ground pork with textured vegetable protein. The animal proteins provide the natural binding and familiar flavor consumers crave, while plant inclusions&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;high protein content while avoiding the off earthy and vegetal flavors found in purely plant-based alternatives.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nutrition<\/h3>    <p>Blending proteins allows for a more nutritionally complete meal. Chef Stephen Giunta, North American Director of Culinary at Griffith Foods, says that working with a variety of plant- and animal-based protein sources, \u201cwe can achieve more balanced diets, focused on satiety and essential nutrients.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Bonnema clarifies that the \u201ccomplement, not replace\u201d approach\u00a0of\u00a0balanced proteins can bring improved nutrition without total replacement of animal products.\u00a0<\/p>    <p>Introducing plant-based proteins with animal proteins will also limit the amount of saturated fat, making it easier to offer&nbsp;lean and&nbsp;low fat&nbsp;protein options.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Affordability&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>Balanced options allow chefs to stretch expensive animal proteins using affordable supplementary ingredients like rice, beans, or textured vegetable protein, keeping\u00a0high-protein foods\u00a0accessible to budget-conscious consumers.\u00a0<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Build&nbsp;High-Protein Foods&nbsp;with a Foundation of Flavor and Function&nbsp;<\/h2>    <p>The future of your protein offerings will hinge on creating foods that deliver both functional benefits and flavorful experiences. Whether through plant-forward protein innovation, balanced proteins, or new applications that put protein into unexpected formats, your brand has an opportunity to meet the modern palate with high protein solutions that are nutrient-dense, affordable, and delicious.\u00a0<\/p>    <p>To explore the full set of culinary and consumer trends shaping 2026, continue your journey with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/2026-food-flavor-outlook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2026 FlavorIQ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>&nbsp;Food &amp;&nbsp;Flavor Outlook<\/a>.<\/p>    <p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From the 2026&nbsp;FlavorIQ\u00ae&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook&nbsp; Protein is having a major moment across the globe. But this time,&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;different.&nbsp;&nbsp; Once valued primarily for satiety and muscle support, protein has evolved into a multifunctional&nbsp;nutrition&nbsp;hero aligned with today\u2019s health, weight-management, and performance goals.&nbsp; Our insights from the&nbsp;2026 FlavorIQ\u00ae&nbsp;Food &amp; Flavor Outlook&nbsp;reveal just how dramatically increased consumption and online&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":11560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_mcl_spacing":"","_mcl_block_styles":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8],"tags":[13,140,244,269,87],"class_list":["post-11544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-and-flavor-outlook","category-viewpoints","tag-consumer-market-insight","tag-flavoriq","tag-food-and-flavor-outlook","tag-powered-by-protein","tag-trends"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Griffith Foods - Discover What&#039;s Driving the Latest Protein Craze<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore protein trends shaping 2026, from high protein foods to plant-based proteins, driven by increased consumption and functional benefits.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11544\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Griffith Foods - Discover What&#039;s Driving the Latest Protein Craze\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore protein trends shaping 2026, from high protein foods to plant-based proteins, driven by increased consumption and functional benefits.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Griffith Foods\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-12T22:01:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-13T10:23:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2026-Blog-1_WordPress-Thumbnail-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Griffith Foods\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Griffith Foods\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Griffith Foods\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b878c53e1cbfcf1d3831129387e0f772\"},\"headline\":\"Discover What&#8217;s Driving the Latest Protein Craze\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-12T22:01:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-13T10:23:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/\"},\"wordCount\":1352,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/viewpoints\/discover-whats-driving-the-latest-protein-craze\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/griffithfoods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2026-Blog-1_WordPress-Thumbnail-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Consumer\/Market Insight\",\"FlavorIQ\",\"Food and flavor outlook\",\"Powered by protein\",\"Trends\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Food &amp; 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