By Victoria Pearson Wellness 26.05.2026

Is Protein Really That Important – Or Just the Latest Wellness Buzzword?

You might be surprised by this one.

From protein bars to protein water to protein pancakes, it’s safe to say we’re deep in our collective protein era. Once reserved for gym-goers and post-workout shakes, protein has gradually made its way into just about everything – and with it, the suggestion that more equals better. But with so many “high-protein” options lining the shelves, it can be hard to tell what’s actually necessary, and what’s just shiny marketing.

To separate fact from hype, we spoke to Liana Tieri, Accredited Practising Dietitian and founder of ReNourished, a body-inclusive dietetic practice offering nutrition counselling from a non-diet approach.

Working with clients Australia-wide via telehealth, Tieri’s practice often supports women who have spent years, or even decades, in a complicated relationship with food. “Many have been caught in the cycle of dieting, doing well for a while, then feeling like they've 'fallen off’ and starting over again,” says Tieri.

Tieri’s approach is grounded less in control, and more in care. “My work is about helping women find their way back to food as something nourishing rather than something to be managed or feared,” she explains. “That looks like learning to eat from a place of self-care rather than self-control; learning to recognise and actually trust their body's signals of hunger and fullness; and gradually making peace with all foods – including the ones that once felt completely off-limits.”

With that in mind, here’s what to know about protein: how much you really need, whether high-protein products are worth it, and why our collective obsession with the nutrient may be telling us something bigger about wellness culture itself.

What does protein actually do – and why is it important?

At its core, protein plays a pretty essential role in the body. It supports muscle repair and growth, helps maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, and contributes to everything from hormone production to immune function. In other words, yes – protein matters. But like most things in nutrition, it works best as part of a balanced picture, rather than something to fixate on in isolation.

For Tieri, one of the biggest misconceptions she sees is the idea that protein should sit above every other nutrient. “We’ve been so collectively swept up in the high-protein wave that many people now believe protein is the one nutrient that matters above all others – and that loading up on it is inherently healthy.” But, as she points out, nutrition doesn’t really work that way. “When we hyper-focus on pushing protein higher and higher, something else usually gets crowded out, and more often than not, it's carbohydrates.”

That matters, because carbohydrates play an important role in helping the body actually use protein well. “Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source – particularly for the brain and during exercise – and they are actually ‘protein-sparing’,” Tieri explains. “This means that if we don’t eat enough carbohydrates, the body is forced to break down protein and use it for basic energy, rather than using that protein for its actual jobs, like muscle repair, immune function, and hormone production.”

Carbohydrates are also where many of us get fibre, something Tieri says is far more overlooked in the average diet. “There's good evidence that chronically low fibre intake is linked to poor gut health, increased cardiovascular risk, and higher rates of bowel cancer. So, when the ‘high-protein, low-carb’ message leads people to swap their wholegrains, legumes, and fruit for protein bars and chicken breast, that’s not a straightforward health win.”

How much protein do you really need?

While it might feel like everyone is suddenly trying to “hit their protein goals”, the baseline requirements are often more achievable than you’d expect. For most adults, general guidelines sit at around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day – though this can increase depending on factors like age, activity levels and overall health.

“Even for people who are more active or over 65, where needs are somewhat higher, we’re still talking about amounts that are very achievable through regular, balanced eating – no tracking required.” And, thankfully, meeting those needs doesn’t have to involve protein powders, macro-counting apps, or a pantry full of fortified snacks. If you’re eating a relatively balanced diet – think eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu, meat or fish across your meals – you may already be meeting your needs without needing to track too closely.

“What does that actually look like in a day? Something like eggs at breakfast, a chicken and salad wrap at lunch, salmon and roasted potatoes at dinner – and then through the day, everyday snacks like yoghurt, a handful of nuts, some peanut butter on crackers or toast,” Tieri says.

Of course, there are some people who may benefit from more protein than the general recommendation. “It’s worth noting that there are contexts where higher protein intakes are genuinely warranted and well-supported – athletes in heavy training, people recovering from illness or surgery, people who are undernourished and need to restore weight, or older adults with reduced appetite,” says Tieri. “But these are specific clinical circumstances, not the general population the marketing is aimed at.”

Are most people getting enough protein?

Despite the constant suggestion that we should all be eating more protein, Tieri says most people are already getting enough. “True protein deficiency is incredibly rare in Western countries; it’s primarily a concern in the context of serious illness, extreme food insecurity, or very restrictive eating.”

The anxiety around protein, then, may have less to do with genuine deficiency and more to do with the way wellness marketing works. “Because we live in a culture saturated with wellness marketing, many people carry a baseline anxiety that they are falling short,” Tieri says. “In reality, instead of stressing about the volume of protein, we get much more benefit from looking at how it’s distributed.” That means thinking about protein as something to include across the day, rather than something to dramatically load up on at dinner or in one large shake.

Why has protein become such a focus?

Part of protein’s appeal comes down to how it makes us feel. Unlike meals that are primarily carbohydrate-based, protein tends to be more satiating – meaning it can help keep you fuller for longer and support more stable energy levels throughout the day.

But beyond that, protein has also become a powerful marketing tool. “High-protein” has come to signal something broadly healthy, filling and functional – even when the product itself might not be all that different nutritionally.

According to Tieri, that messaging has also been helped along by gym culture, supplement marketing, and the idea that eating more protein automatically translates to a stronger, leaner body.

“Another big one: that eating more protein automatically means building more muscle,” she says, noting that this thinking isn’t compatible with how muscle growth works – you need the mechanical stimulus of resistance training. “Without consistent exercise, there’s no trigger, and the excess protein doesn't get stored as muscle – it gets broken down, used for energy, or excreted. More protein without the training to back it up is, quite literally, just more.”

Are high-protein products actually better for you?

Not necessarily. While adding protein to your diet can be helpful in some cases, it doesn’t automatically make a food more nutritious.

A protein bar can still be high in sugar. A protein cookie is still, ultimately, a cookie. And a protein cereal may contain more additives than the original version it’s replacing.

“Mostly marketing, if I’m being honest – though I say that without judgement, because the products themselves aren’t necessarily harmful,” Tieri says. “The issue is that they’ve been designed and positioned to solve a problem that most people don't actually have.”

That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with eating a high-protein yoghurt or snack bar if you enjoy it, or if it’s convenient. But it’s worth questioning whether it is actually offering something dramatically better than its less-marketed counterpart.

The other issue is cost. “‘High-protein’ food items can also be quite expensive, and they tend to reinforce the idea that eating well requires special products, which it really doesn’t,” Tieri says.

Can you have too much protein?

For most people, consistently consuming more protein than your body needs doesn’t offer additional benefits. In fact, Tieri says there are both physical and mental downsides to consuming more protein than your body requires. For example, for people with pre-existing kidney disease or reduced kidney function, “very high-protein intakes can accelerate kidney stress, so it’s an important conversation to have with a doctor or dietitian in that context.”

Beyond that, the more practical downside is nutrient displacement, says Tieri. “If the plate is dominated by protein, people miss out on vital fibre-rich carbohydrates, prebiotics, and antioxidants that support a thriving gut microbiome, cardiovascular health, and steady energy levels. Eating a wide variety of foods is consistently what the research links to better long-term health outcomes.”

So, is protein worth paying attention to?

Yes, but probably not to the extent social media might suggest. Protein plays an important role in supporting overall health, but it’s not something most people need to aggressively optimise. If anything, the focus is better placed on building balanced meals that include a mix of protein, fibre, fats and carbohydrates.

“What’s interesting is that while we’re told we’re not eating enough protein, we’re simultaneously eating too little fibre – the average Australian gets about half the recommended daily intake,” says Tieri. “So, if there's a nutrient gap worth paying attention to, fibre is a much stronger candidate than protein for most people.”

The final takeaway

Protein isn’t just a buzzword, but it has definitely been given a marketing makeover.

For most of us, the goal isn’t to maximise protein at every opportunity, but simply to include enough of it across the day to feel satisfied, energised and well-supported.

“I think the most quietly radical thing a person can do in that environment is to opt out of the noise,” she says. “Not to stop caring about nutrition – but to stop outsourcing that care to an algorithm or a product. Your body has been asking to be fed and listened to long before protein became a personality. That relationship – the one between you and your own hunger, your own fullness, your own enjoyment of food – has always been worth more than the latest wellness trend.”