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For decades they told us that the healthy thing was to change red meat by chicken or fish. The recommendation was so assumed that it became a kind of nutritional mantra. However, a change begins to glimpse either on supermarket shelves, gyms or social networks, the word “protein” appears more than ever. And the striking thing is that it is increasingly associated with meat, but plant foods. The question is inevitable: why now the vegetable protein? Vegetable protein in the center. The advisory committee of the United States food guides wants to turn the pyramid. According to a report by The Washington Postfor the first time it is proposed that vegetable proteins have priority. Not even chicken or fish, for years synonymous with healthy food, would occupy that place. Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford, summed it up with a simple phrase: “The beans, peas and lentils would lead the list of protein sources.” Red meat would be, on the other hand, in the last position. The evidence that supports this turn. The recommendation does not come from nothing. Rahman, clinical director of Barnard Medical Center, remembered the same media than those who eat more plants have less risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity and even deterioration of memory. In a study, Published in the American Journal of Clinical NutritionThey analyzed some 50,000 women, where they concluded that diets rich in plant proteins favor a healthier aging than those based on animal proteins. Beyond the guides, reality speaks for itself. According to The New York Timeslegumes are a pillar of the Mediterranean diet. A single cup of lentils or beans provides about 15 grams of protein, to which fiber, iron, magnesium, folate and vitamin E should be added. Vegetable or animal? Here the nuance appears. In Men’s Health They point to something that usually goes unnoticed In the middle of the vegetable boom: animal protein still plays with advantage. The reason is how we take advantage of it. Its essential amino acids – that our body cannot manufacture – are absorbed more effectively than those of plant origin. The simplest example is on the plate: 85 grams of chicken add up to 20 grams of protein. The same amount of chickpeas stays at six. Marie Spano, sports dietitian cited by the magazinewarns that those who follow exclusively vegetable diets need more daily total protein. Even so, the solution is to combine legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds throughout the day. The great nuance: natural vs. ultraprocessed. Not all vegetable proteins are the same and here the most critical point appears. In The New York Times They warn of risk to trust ultra -processed that “disguise” healthy. A clinical trial showed that, even with good nutritional profile on the label, the ultra -processed (including shakes and vegetable meals) They do not offer the same benefits than minimally processed foods. In the study, the participants who followed a diet with little processed foods – fruits, natural yogurt, homemade legumes – lost twice as much weight and body fat that those who consumed “healthy” ultraprocesses such as vegetable lasagers ready to heat or protein smoothies. As the epidemiologist Filippa Juul summarized, cited by the NYT: “Ultraprocesses have less texture, chew faster and stimulate appetite artificially.” The world revolves around protein. The boom is not only nutritional, also cultural and commercial. We live in full “It was protein chic”: Protein has become a symbol of sculpted bodies and aspirational well -being. Social networks such as Tiktok popularize extreme routines, hyperproteic milkshakes and diets that touch the obsession, sometimes linked to eating disorders. The food industry has not been left behind. Product containers “High in protein” They adopt aggressive visual codes, with black and red typefaces designed to attract the male public. A strategy that remembers what happened in its day with the “Light” products in pink, aimed at women worried about weight loss. Protein is no longer just a nutrient: it is marketing, identity and business. So the powder protein? The most recognizable symbol of the protein boom may not be lentils or vegetable hamburgers, but the shake that is stirred in the locker room of any gym. But is it essential? The expert’s response is nuanced. Nutritionist Saray López defends it in Xataka As a practical tool: “It has no contraindications and can help reach daily requirements.” But others, such as the dietitian Jesús Guardiola, They underline this same medium that with a balanced diet it is not necessary to resort to supplements: “The problem is when the shake replaces real food.” Specialists agree that dust protein can be useful in concrete contexts: older people with difficulties in chewing, patients in recovery, who seek to gain muscle mass or even workers who barely have time to eat. But they insist that it is not a universal or magical solution. Everything indicates that it is not a passenger fashion. Protein has become the star of the global food conversation. From the official guides to the shelves of the supermarket, of the fitness routines to the homemade cooking recipes, everything seems to revolve around it. But beyond the boom, the background debate is not only how much protein we eat, but from what sources it comes and how it is processed. Image | Freepik Xataka | Powder protein has become the star accessory of modern well -being. Nutritionists have something to say