Walk down any grocery aisle right now, and protein is everywhere.

It’s in sparkling water. Cereal. Popcorn. Chips. Even Pop-Tarts.

And I have to laugh a little because I remember when protein was practically a foreign word.

Years ago, I was yelling about it from the mountaintops on YouTube. Trying to get women to eat more of it. Back then, nobody was talking about protein the way they are now. I’d tell people to build their plate around real food first, and then use protein powder as a supplement, in addition to real meals.

Fast forward to today, and it’s everywhere.

Which sounds like a win. And, in some ways, it really is. More women paying attention to protein is a good thing.

But, somewhere along the way, added protein became a gimmick. A way to substantiate eating unhealthy foods, like chips and popcorn.

Here’s my take: Chips and popcorn should be chips and popcorn. They can live in your 20% as-is. They don’t need a protein badge to earn a place in your life. Adding processed protein to junk food doesn't really turn it into a health food. It mostly just turns it into better marketing.

Does this marketing gimmick sound familiar? It should.

Because this is the exact same thing that happened with Gluten-Free.

Gluten-free for the sake of gluten-free got completely out of hand. Suddenly, everything had a label, and half of those products carried a hundred more ingredients than the regular version. Maybe not literally “one hundred,” but still… It didn’t make anyone healthier. It made them feel healthier. And it made someone a lot of money.

That’s what protein has become.

I see it as one more way we get nudged to feel better about our choices when a lot of it is really just marketing (which I recently discussed in this free article).

It’s making uncomplicated things complicated to make money.

Okay. Deep breath. Let’s try to make it simple again…

Protein matters. It’s needed. I’m not walking any of that back. I still believe most women aren’t eating enough of it, and it’s still the anchor of how I eat.

But the best protein comes from real sources. That included lean meats, full-fat dairy, and legumes. Then, when you want to supplement to increase your daily protein intake, try to do it in a cleanish way -- choose a protein powder that’s minimally processed. Read: Not a candy bar wearing a protein costume (more on that in this video on Snickers versus Protein Bars).

Is eating protein alongside your carbs helpful? Yes. But not at the expense of loading up on junk food just because it has protein stamped on the front.

Here's what finally made it click for me, and I think it'll help you too: Not all protein is created equal.

Some of it is great, like whey and soy are complete proteins, and your body absorbs and uses them well (except for those who have intolerances). But that’s usually not what’s getting packed into your protein chips.

To bump up the number on the label as cheaply as possible, companies lean on filler proteins, like gelatin, wheat, and rice. Those are incomplete, or your body just can’t absorb and use them the way it uses real food. So a snack can brag about the same number of grams as a piece of steak, and you’re actually getting a fraction of the benefit.

Ultimately, a chip with protein in it is still a chip. A cookie with protein in it is still a cookie. And that's completely fine as long as we're not fooling ourselves into thinking it's something it's not.

Here’s how to spot the marketing in about five seconds:

So when a woman asks me, “Lacey, how much protein do I actually need?” my honest answer is usually this: Probably at least double or triple what you’re currently eating.

I know that sounds like a lot. It’s not. Most women are starting from so little that doubling it still lands them in a normal, healthy place.

And no, you don’t have to turn it into another number to obsess over. Start simpler than that. If you want an easy gauge, aim for a palm-sized serving of protein at each meal (no scale, app, or math needed). Anchor your breakfast with it instead of saving it all for dinner. Keep a couple of easy options in the fridge so you’re never stuck. Do that consistently, and you’re already ahead of the game.

So what do I actually reach for? Nothing complicated. I keep a few high-protein staples in the fridge I lean on, like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, a chunk of parmesan to snack on. I have collagen every day. I eat three eggs almost every morning. And I build my meals around real sources first: lean meats, full-fat dairy, legumes. When I want a boost, I’ll stir a minimally processed protein powder or collagen into a smoothie, like one of these smoothie recipes.

That’s the whole list. No protein chips required.

You were never the problem. The noise is.

You don’t need protein chips. You don’t need a label on the front of a bag telling you you’re being healthy. You need real food, most of the time, from sources that actually nourish you -- and permission to let your chips just be chips.

Eat the protein. Eat the real stuff. And don't let a marketing team decide whether you get to feel good.

Cleanish Squad is free to read. If you find value here, you can support us by purchasing a subscription here.

P.S. Want help getting more protein naturally from real food first, and supplemented in a realistic, cleanish way when you need it? That’s the whole idea behind my cookbook, Cleanish Meal Prep.

Lacey Baier also writes Proving Her Wrong, a newsletter that focuses on personal essays about identity, hiding, and what it means to finally become who you were always supposed to be.

Start here: 

→ I Took My Own Hand

→ Always Standing in the Eye of the Storm 

→ Committing To Becoming

Read Proving Her Wrong → provingherwrong.substack.com