My pet peeve in life is people who go to other places/cultures and expect to not have to adapt at all. They expect to meet all of their preferences from their culture. The worst offenders are people who talk to you about their random diet like you should know what they mean. “I’m on keto, do you have anything keto-friendly?” No idea. How about you figure it out?
I’d also say that the craziest protein obsessed people are the ones (mostly men, it seems) on an all-meat diet. 🙄
Hi Liya. I totally agree. It was this friend’s first time to Europe. It makes sense to give someone the benefit of the doubt when they’re going out of their comfort zone and trying something new. If I have guests with particular preferences or requirements I hope they can tell me ahead of time so I can set the right expectations!
Guess what? My friend, who happens to be a beautiful woman, went to the panificio and made good friends with the deli workers and walked out with smoked salmon for breakfast 😊 so she surprised me!
Haha, good for her! I get impatient quickly…I’m around too many people who don’t leave their own worlds often enough and (voluntary) diets/rigid food preferences are one of those things that can seem so…petty. But you’re right; generally, it’s better to have some empathy.
This was so interesting, all I know is that I feel better eating more protein, about 100g a day. could it be that our carbs and wheat is full of gmos and highly processed with sugar? Maybe. I loved reading this with the global perspective. I remember my time in Italy and did eat a decent amount of meat, I was, though, living with my cousins who own a butcher shop!
Wow that's cool! Here in Napoli, we're right next to the sea! I notice people do not eat a lot of meat, especially in restaurants I rarely see meat on the menu. I am enjoying eating cozze, vongole, spigola, and seppia which are things I rarely eat in the US!
Everything in moderation right. I can only speak for myself but anything that involves counting seems counterintuitive to enjoying a healthy diet. Having grown up in the 90s with a mother always on a diet I know the damage being overly prescriptive can bring.
I try to be mindful of what I eat, knowing too much sugar/processed foods and not enough vegetables and whole foods makes me feel rubbish.
Protein is a really interesting one, I think that most of us probably consume enough if we listen to our bodies, as you say eating protein at breakfast makes you feel better throughout the day. But consuming a powder form of protein? That seems weird to me and is just another form of processed food that I am still sceptical of, despite a lot of (often American) doctors touting the benefits.
I totally agree Lauren regarding counting your macros. I feel best when I eat intuitively and a variety of fruits veggies nuts and legumes. I am also totally skeptical of protein powders, I searched high and low for an organic veggie one but you can never be sure since these labels aren’t often regulated.
I think I’m America our food and overall environment is so toxic and so many people are wildly unhealthy that we’ve become a little unbalanced and crazy in terms of creating health. We have so many fillers and fake chemicals in our food that don’t exist in other countries. True, people are probably more likely to cook from scratch elsewhere. However I once saw a side-by-side comparison of the exact same brand and type of cereal, one from the UK and one from the US. The US version had a mile-long list of unpronounceable ingredients while the UK version list was less than half. In America, most food is trash, our health is suffering from it, and so it’s natural that people are eating out of balance - because our food system is out of balance.
This was so helpful to read; thank you! I aim for 100g of protein per day because I do a lot of strength training and am in my forties. I feel better that way.
I am also a pescatarian who allows eggs and dairy (mostly in the form of yogurt), and it can be hard to get to 100g sometimes without meat.
I often have to resort to protein bars (Barbells-they taste like a snickers but have zero added sugar) and shakes (I opt for Owyn plant-based shakes—the ones with 32 grams per bottle and no sugar), especially when I travel for work, which is quite a lot.
I would love a deep dive into the difference between American bread products and Italian ones. In America, anything with gluten messes up my digestion, but in Europe, I don’t have that problem at all.
That’s great Emily. I have tried the Barbells they are yummy. I like to have those on hand when I’m traveling instead of eating yucky airport food. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you!
Loved this investigation, Brenna! Echoing Emily, shooting for a higher protein intake when lifting heavy weights has worked really well for recovering from those strength workouts. If I weren’t trying to build or maintain that muscle, though, I think the protein emphasis would make less sense!
The obsession with protein comes from 1: the fact that it’s super satiating, particularly for breakfast, it staves off hunger most of the day, and 2: the concept for muscle protein synthesis and maintaining lean muscle mass for longevity
Super interesting and helpful. I devoured (hehe, pun) the book “Proteinaholic” several months ago. As a vegan I’m often told I’m not getting enough… protein, vitamin B12, folic acid, selenium, zinc, k2 and calcium to name a few!! I just had all my tests done, and apparently I have far too much of everything, because I’m getting it all from fruits and veg! My doctor told me to actually stop eating dark, leafy green vegetables 😂😂😂 and broccoli!! But yes, Americans living in the US are absolutely protein obsessed! When I broke some bones here in Portugal and I told my doctor that I was vegan and I was worried about protein to help build my bones, he told me not to worry about it, that I was absolutely getting enough from vegetables and beans. 😃
Love this deep dive! I suspect there are differences between northern and southern Italy. So interesting! My Italian nutritionist is very encouraging of protein for women, especially pre/post menopausal, and very disparaging of the traditional Italian breakfast, which is a real nutritional low point in the Italian food scheme. There are a lot of differences in weaning/svezzamento in Italy. I’ve already written a partial chapter about it for my Raising Bambino book on my substack. I’ll share it soon!
The USDA has bounced around on pretty much everything in their arsenal over the years, decades? In Mexico meat portions, especially 20 yrs ago, were so small compared to the amount Americans put in their servings. I'm pretty sure I read long ago that the USDA works 'in tandem' with the US meat industry. Strange bedfellows? I worked for an Chinese-American company in San Fran for 17 yrs and when we sales reps stayed late, they'd always order us a dinner plate along w/ the rest of the crew, Chinese food of course. Meat portions were smallish but along w/ a vegetable and rice, perfectly suited for a good dinner. I really think b/c US raises so much cattle, there's an ulterior motive to some of the USDA standards, imho. Now w/ the knowledge of the harm cattle raising world-wise has caused to climate change, seems time to re-set some standards. Plus, regarding weight issues, Americans tip the scales, literally, whereas Europeans on the whole are quite svelte.
This is very interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a link between farmers lobbies and protein recommendations in many countries where cattle/poultry is a large part of farming business…
I definitely agree with this. All about personal preference and how it makes you feel for your own body. I could never get used the pastry/espresso/cigarettes for breakfast while traveling through out Italy but I admire those who could do it! I would have a major blood sugar spike and be starving 1 hour later. I feel better on higher protein but again I think enjoying everything in moderation is good. Life without cornettos sounds miserable.
I love this topic! Fascinating. A coworker of mine gave us a presentation about protein intake which was the first I’d heard of the recommended intake based on your body weight/workout goals. She works out a ton and makes me chuckle at how many protein bars she consumes a day yet also is always hungry... now I’m wondering if she has enough intake from the other categories? (Really none of my business though.)
Nutrition is such a murky topic here in the States. I could probably stand to be a bit more informed but I think that basing my choices off how I feel afterward tells me a lot more than research could.
This is endlessly fascinating for me. Brilliant work in doing the deep dive! FWIW, I have adjust my diet to include breakfast (historically a meal I skip) which is one cup of Greek yogurt, a small palmful of chopped almonds, one tablespoon of chia, and a half cup of mixed berries. It’s the only meal I eat specifically for “health reasons” but anecdotally, I have noticed a serious decrease in hunger throughout the rest of the day.
I have the same breakfast! But I add kefir (I am telling you this is a game changer) to the yogurt and when I remember a spoonful of hemp hearts. Reading that you add almonds, I think I will toss those in too - great idea !
Imm not from America and it saddens me that eating in America is almost always a fad - once upon a time it was low fat and then low carbs, now everyone is eating high fat / full fat everything and need to hit at least X g of protein per day.
I dont have an answer to eating how ever much protein is perfect for individuals but I agree with you that moderation is key. Higher protein diets can help with sugar blood spikes and falls, from my personal experience because I'm such a carb girlie...
Everything in moderation and eating should be fun, a bonus if you can enjoy it with others :)
I am a carb girlie too ❤️ my favorite foods are all about bread and cheese together haha 😝 grilled cheese is a comfort food of mine. I love a bagel with melted cheddar and a giant summer tomato. I could go on haha. Anyway you make a great point about the fads. I kinda forgot that we were at high fat keto before macros. And I totally agree with you everything in moderation :)
What an interesting topic and thank you for brining it up! Americans say Europeans are so skinny. I think Europeans are just normal and we Americans are on the heavy/large side and I think this has to do with all the weird stuff that is in our food, plus all the junk we consume as a part of our happy/social culture. I have been suffering from tummy problems for a few years now and have been seeing a nutritionist. She recommends 30-40 grams of protein per meal for a woman of my age (44 and with some peri symptoms), and I assume she means 3 meals a day! That would be 100-120 grams of protein per day. She says it’s because “Protein is essential for women, especially as we age so that we don't lose our muscle tone. Also important for mood as neurotransmitters require amino acids, for detoxification and immune health.” It’s almost impossible for me to get that much without some kind of supplement and at the same time what “other” ingredients are often included in protein supplements also concerns me. From an evolutionary standpoint are we supposed to eat those too? It’s also something to think about that intermittent fasting is supposedly good for you, so I think that would reduce meals to 2 per day making getting enough protein even more challenging.
Another thing my personal trainer told me was that cardio is the old way of losing weight. That supposedly the new way of losing weight is gaining muscle and he would recommend I eat even more protein than my nutritionist would. I’m not trying to lose weight but he says if you work out and don’t eat enough protein afterwards, the workout is almost for nothing. You don’t make any gains. I’m neither an expert in nutrition nor in fitness so I don’t know if any of this is true but I do try to eat protein with the two solid meals I eat per day and I’m definitely not getting enough by these standards by any means!
Also because given my tummy troubles I’m not supposed to have gluten, dairy, or soy either. So I’m not even eating cheese or yogurt or tofu. That leaves me with legumes and some kind of flesh basically.
This summer I was in France for about 5 weeks and I did notice that food over there is changing. I noted sunflower oil in many packaged foods. It seems to be a big trend now also here in the US. While it’s hard to eat this way AND have a social life, I’m also trying to avoid processed foods and sugar, even from lots of fruit.
Food has become so complicated! In Italy I find it so much easier to be together with people and eat whole foods that mostly have not been processed in some way beforehand.
Yes yes yes! You hit the nail on the head. Wtf is in protein powder? You have to be a chemist to make sure you’re buying a product without freaky ingredients. Imagine trying so hard to eat whole grains fruits and veggies and then adding a chemical compound to your meal? Didn’t make sense to me at first.
Also I totally agree with you re. Europeans being normal size, having higher quality food and just eating in moderation. In the US I had to work double or triple as hard to ensure I was eating “food” and not chemicals. Eg. Bought $16 sourdough from farmers market, all my fruits and veg were from a CSA or my garden, and meat and fish were organic and expensive. Here in Italy the frutti vendolo is so good and inexpensive! Plus 1 euro bread daily!
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well and having tummy troubles, and it sounds really hard to be getting mixed messages. I hope you can find a resolution and something that works for you to be WELL!
This was super interesting, Brenna! I try not to be obsessed with finding specifically high-protein foods, but had to pack protein powder last time I went to France and Italy because I kept feeling nauseous with the sugar (cornetti or croissant) and caffeine (espresso) combo in the mornings + couldn’t wait for lunch. It’s interesting how a full breakfast also seems to be a very American (and British?) thing. I’m curious how this all originated!
My pet peeve in life is people who go to other places/cultures and expect to not have to adapt at all. They expect to meet all of their preferences from their culture. The worst offenders are people who talk to you about their random diet like you should know what they mean. “I’m on keto, do you have anything keto-friendly?” No idea. How about you figure it out?
I’d also say that the craziest protein obsessed people are the ones (mostly men, it seems) on an all-meat diet. 🙄
Hi Liya. I totally agree. It was this friend’s first time to Europe. It makes sense to give someone the benefit of the doubt when they’re going out of their comfort zone and trying something new. If I have guests with particular preferences or requirements I hope they can tell me ahead of time so I can set the right expectations!
Guess what? My friend, who happens to be a beautiful woman, went to the panificio and made good friends with the deli workers and walked out with smoked salmon for breakfast 😊 so she surprised me!
Haha, good for her! I get impatient quickly…I’m around too many people who don’t leave their own worlds often enough and (voluntary) diets/rigid food preferences are one of those things that can seem so…petty. But you’re right; generally, it’s better to have some empathy.
This was so interesting, all I know is that I feel better eating more protein, about 100g a day. could it be that our carbs and wheat is full of gmos and highly processed with sugar? Maybe. I loved reading this with the global perspective. I remember my time in Italy and did eat a decent amount of meat, I was, though, living with my cousins who own a butcher shop!
Wow that's cool! Here in Napoli, we're right next to the sea! I notice people do not eat a lot of meat, especially in restaurants I rarely see meat on the menu. I am enjoying eating cozze, vongole, spigola, and seppia which are things I rarely eat in the US!
Everything in moderation right. I can only speak for myself but anything that involves counting seems counterintuitive to enjoying a healthy diet. Having grown up in the 90s with a mother always on a diet I know the damage being overly prescriptive can bring.
I try to be mindful of what I eat, knowing too much sugar/processed foods and not enough vegetables and whole foods makes me feel rubbish.
Protein is a really interesting one, I think that most of us probably consume enough if we listen to our bodies, as you say eating protein at breakfast makes you feel better throughout the day. But consuming a powder form of protein? That seems weird to me and is just another form of processed food that I am still sceptical of, despite a lot of (often American) doctors touting the benefits.
I totally agree Lauren regarding counting your macros. I feel best when I eat intuitively and a variety of fruits veggies nuts and legumes. I am also totally skeptical of protein powders, I searched high and low for an organic veggie one but you can never be sure since these labels aren’t often regulated.
I think I’m America our food and overall environment is so toxic and so many people are wildly unhealthy that we’ve become a little unbalanced and crazy in terms of creating health. We have so many fillers and fake chemicals in our food that don’t exist in other countries. True, people are probably more likely to cook from scratch elsewhere. However I once saw a side-by-side comparison of the exact same brand and type of cereal, one from the UK and one from the US. The US version had a mile-long list of unpronounceable ingredients while the UK version list was less than half. In America, most food is trash, our health is suffering from it, and so it’s natural that people are eating out of balance - because our food system is out of balance.
This was so helpful to read; thank you! I aim for 100g of protein per day because I do a lot of strength training and am in my forties. I feel better that way.
I am also a pescatarian who allows eggs and dairy (mostly in the form of yogurt), and it can be hard to get to 100g sometimes without meat.
I often have to resort to protein bars (Barbells-they taste like a snickers but have zero added sugar) and shakes (I opt for Owyn plant-based shakes—the ones with 32 grams per bottle and no sugar), especially when I travel for work, which is quite a lot.
I would love a deep dive into the difference between American bread products and Italian ones. In America, anything with gluten messes up my digestion, but in Europe, I don’t have that problem at all.
That’s great Emily. I have tried the Barbells they are yummy. I like to have those on hand when I’m traveling instead of eating yucky airport food. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you!
Loved this investigation, Brenna! Echoing Emily, shooting for a higher protein intake when lifting heavy weights has worked really well for recovering from those strength workouts. If I weren’t trying to build or maintain that muscle, though, I think the protein emphasis would make less sense!
That’s great! I myself love barre. The weights are so low, but they’re still weights 😂
They are *absolutely* 100% weights!! 🤣
The obsession with protein comes from 1: the fact that it’s super satiating, particularly for breakfast, it staves off hunger most of the day, and 2: the concept for muscle protein synthesis and maintaining lean muscle mass for longevity
A more scientific answer!
Super interesting and helpful. I devoured (hehe, pun) the book “Proteinaholic” several months ago. As a vegan I’m often told I’m not getting enough… protein, vitamin B12, folic acid, selenium, zinc, k2 and calcium to name a few!! I just had all my tests done, and apparently I have far too much of everything, because I’m getting it all from fruits and veg! My doctor told me to actually stop eating dark, leafy green vegetables 😂😂😂 and broccoli!! But yes, Americans living in the US are absolutely protein obsessed! When I broke some bones here in Portugal and I told my doctor that I was vegan and I was worried about protein to help build my bones, he told me not to worry about it, that I was absolutely getting enough from vegetables and beans. 😃
OMG. I've never heard of a doctor recommending to stop eating leafy green veggies!!!
Love this deep dive! I suspect there are differences between northern and southern Italy. So interesting! My Italian nutritionist is very encouraging of protein for women, especially pre/post menopausal, and very disparaging of the traditional Italian breakfast, which is a real nutritional low point in the Italian food scheme. There are a lot of differences in weaning/svezzamento in Italy. I’ve already written a partial chapter about it for my Raising Bambino book on my substack. I’ll share it soon!
Oh can’t wait to read it! Interesting that you got a different opinion from me. Did she specify how much protein to eat?
Im traveling but I’ll pull up her plans and get back to you with the detailed info!
The USDA has bounced around on pretty much everything in their arsenal over the years, decades? In Mexico meat portions, especially 20 yrs ago, were so small compared to the amount Americans put in their servings. I'm pretty sure I read long ago that the USDA works 'in tandem' with the US meat industry. Strange bedfellows? I worked for an Chinese-American company in San Fran for 17 yrs and when we sales reps stayed late, they'd always order us a dinner plate along w/ the rest of the crew, Chinese food of course. Meat portions were smallish but along w/ a vegetable and rice, perfectly suited for a good dinner. I really think b/c US raises so much cattle, there's an ulterior motive to some of the USDA standards, imho. Now w/ the knowledge of the harm cattle raising world-wise has caused to climate change, seems time to re-set some standards. Plus, regarding weight issues, Americans tip the scales, literally, whereas Europeans on the whole are quite svelte.
This is very interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a link between farmers lobbies and protein recommendations in many countries where cattle/poultry is a large part of farming business…
I definitely agree with this. All about personal preference and how it makes you feel for your own body. I could never get used the pastry/espresso/cigarettes for breakfast while traveling through out Italy but I admire those who could do it! I would have a major blood sugar spike and be starving 1 hour later. I feel better on higher protein but again I think enjoying everything in moderation is good. Life without cornettos sounds miserable.
Hahaha I agree Sarah! Thanks for reading ❤️
Cornettos are one of my favourites!
I love this topic! Fascinating. A coworker of mine gave us a presentation about protein intake which was the first I’d heard of the recommended intake based on your body weight/workout goals. She works out a ton and makes me chuckle at how many protein bars she consumes a day yet also is always hungry... now I’m wondering if she has enough intake from the other categories? (Really none of my business though.)
Nutrition is such a murky topic here in the States. I could probably stand to be a bit more informed but I think that basing my choices off how I feel afterward tells me a lot more than research could.
And what the heck is in protein bars!?!?! Scares me a bit. I have them on hand for blood sugar crashes tho.
That’s why I stick mostly to Lara bars (all known ingredients) buttttt when I really need more protein I go for Perfect bars.
This is endlessly fascinating for me. Brilliant work in doing the deep dive! FWIW, I have adjust my diet to include breakfast (historically a meal I skip) which is one cup of Greek yogurt, a small palmful of chopped almonds, one tablespoon of chia, and a half cup of mixed berries. It’s the only meal I eat specifically for “health reasons” but anecdotally, I have noticed a serious decrease in hunger throughout the rest of the day.
Sounds so healthy and yummy! Glad you are feeling better too.
It is healthy - a decently tasty. I’m just typically not much of a breakfast eater, but do it for the benefits 🙂
I have the same breakfast! But I add kefir (I am telling you this is a game changer) to the yogurt and when I remember a spoonful of hemp hearts. Reading that you add almonds, I think I will toss those in too - great idea !
Kefir is a good idea!
That sounds like a yummy and healthy breakfast! Glad it’s making you feel better.
Imm not from America and it saddens me that eating in America is almost always a fad - once upon a time it was low fat and then low carbs, now everyone is eating high fat / full fat everything and need to hit at least X g of protein per day.
I dont have an answer to eating how ever much protein is perfect for individuals but I agree with you that moderation is key. Higher protein diets can help with sugar blood spikes and falls, from my personal experience because I'm such a carb girlie...
Everything in moderation and eating should be fun, a bonus if you can enjoy it with others :)
I am a carb girlie too ❤️ my favorite foods are all about bread and cheese together haha 😝 grilled cheese is a comfort food of mine. I love a bagel with melted cheddar and a giant summer tomato. I could go on haha. Anyway you make a great point about the fads. I kinda forgot that we were at high fat keto before macros. And I totally agree with you everything in moderation :)
This just made me realize I haven’t had melted cheddar on a bagel in ages - yummmm. Now, lunch is sorted! :)
Brenna,
What an interesting topic and thank you for brining it up! Americans say Europeans are so skinny. I think Europeans are just normal and we Americans are on the heavy/large side and I think this has to do with all the weird stuff that is in our food, plus all the junk we consume as a part of our happy/social culture. I have been suffering from tummy problems for a few years now and have been seeing a nutritionist. She recommends 30-40 grams of protein per meal for a woman of my age (44 and with some peri symptoms), and I assume she means 3 meals a day! That would be 100-120 grams of protein per day. She says it’s because “Protein is essential for women, especially as we age so that we don't lose our muscle tone. Also important for mood as neurotransmitters require amino acids, for detoxification and immune health.” It’s almost impossible for me to get that much without some kind of supplement and at the same time what “other” ingredients are often included in protein supplements also concerns me. From an evolutionary standpoint are we supposed to eat those too? It’s also something to think about that intermittent fasting is supposedly good for you, so I think that would reduce meals to 2 per day making getting enough protein even more challenging.
Another thing my personal trainer told me was that cardio is the old way of losing weight. That supposedly the new way of losing weight is gaining muscle and he would recommend I eat even more protein than my nutritionist would. I’m not trying to lose weight but he says if you work out and don’t eat enough protein afterwards, the workout is almost for nothing. You don’t make any gains. I’m neither an expert in nutrition nor in fitness so I don’t know if any of this is true but I do try to eat protein with the two solid meals I eat per day and I’m definitely not getting enough by these standards by any means!
Also because given my tummy troubles I’m not supposed to have gluten, dairy, or soy either. So I’m not even eating cheese or yogurt or tofu. That leaves me with legumes and some kind of flesh basically.
This summer I was in France for about 5 weeks and I did notice that food over there is changing. I noted sunflower oil in many packaged foods. It seems to be a big trend now also here in the US. While it’s hard to eat this way AND have a social life, I’m also trying to avoid processed foods and sugar, even from lots of fruit.
Food has become so complicated! In Italy I find it so much easier to be together with people and eat whole foods that mostly have not been processed in some way beforehand.
Yes yes yes! You hit the nail on the head. Wtf is in protein powder? You have to be a chemist to make sure you’re buying a product without freaky ingredients. Imagine trying so hard to eat whole grains fruits and veggies and then adding a chemical compound to your meal? Didn’t make sense to me at first.
Also I totally agree with you re. Europeans being normal size, having higher quality food and just eating in moderation. In the US I had to work double or triple as hard to ensure I was eating “food” and not chemicals. Eg. Bought $16 sourdough from farmers market, all my fruits and veg were from a CSA or my garden, and meat and fish were organic and expensive. Here in Italy the frutti vendolo is so good and inexpensive! Plus 1 euro bread daily!
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well and having tummy troubles, and it sounds really hard to be getting mixed messages. I hope you can find a resolution and something that works for you to be WELL!
I’m so glad you’re over there and growing and enjoying it !
Appreciated this dive into the protein obsession! I would love for the algorithm to stop serving up all the protein content.
The annoying thing is that whenever it stops we’ll be served up the next big trend! Ugh. 😣
This was super interesting, Brenna! I try not to be obsessed with finding specifically high-protein foods, but had to pack protein powder last time I went to France and Italy because I kept feeling nauseous with the sugar (cornetti or croissant) and caffeine (espresso) combo in the mornings + couldn’t wait for lunch. It’s interesting how a full breakfast also seems to be a very American (and British?) thing. I’m curious how this all originated!