Stop Perfecting Your Protein - Short 2/4/2026
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Why fiber deserves more attention than protein for most Americans
You might be wasting your time perfecting for protein.
Unless you are training hard or dieting, statistically you are eating enough protein without thinking about it.
Fiber is the opposite—90% of the American population doesn't get enough.
So eat your vegetables.
Sources
Most Americans Already Get Enough Protein
Fulgoni, V.L. "Current protein intake in America: analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003–2004." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(5): 1554S-1557S, 2008. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18469286/
This NHANES analysis found that the percentage of the male population consuming less than the estimated average requirement for protein was "very low." Only 7.7% of adolescent females and 7.2-8.6% of older adult women reported consuming protein levels below their estimated average requirement. Average protein intake for adults aged 19-30 was approximately 91 grams per day.
Harvard Health Publishing. "How much protein do you need every day?" Harvard Medical School. Available: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096
The average American consumes around 16% of daily calories from protein, while the RDA (0.8 g/kg) would only require about 10% of calories. This means most Americans are consuming significantly more protein than the minimum requirement.
Mayo Clinic Health System. "Are you getting too much protein?" November 2024. Available: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
"Most people in the U.S. exceed their protein needs." The article notes that as an average adult, "Getting the recommended 15-30 grams per meal is easy" with normal eating patterns.
Menus of Change / The Culinary Institute of America. "Protein Consumption and Production." Available: https://www.menusofchange.org/issue-briefs/protein-consumption
"The average American adult man consumes 75 percent more protein than is required; for American women, it's 50 percent more." On average, Americans consume approximately 81 grams of protein per day.
NCBI Bookshelf. "Protein Intake of Adults." USDA Dietary Data Briefs. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589212/
NHANES 2015-2016 data shows that protein provides 16% of adults' total energy intake—well within the recommended 10-35% range. Males consumed about 97 grams and females about 69 grams daily. Protein intakes have not changed significantly in the past 10 years.
American Heart Association. "Protein: What's Enough?" Available: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/protein-and-heart-health
"Most of us are getting far more protein than we actually need—especially when it comes to meat."
Athletes and Active People Do Need More Protein
International Society of Sports Nutrition. "Position stand: protein and exercise." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14:20, 2017. Available: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
"The current RDA for protein is 0.8 g/kg/day with multiple lines of evidence indicating this value is not an appropriate amount for a training athlete to meet their daily needs." Athletes require 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day or higher when restricting calories.
Lemon, P.W.R. "Do athletes need more dietary protein and amino acids?" International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 5(S1): S39-S61, 1995. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7550257/
"The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is based primarily on data derived from subjects whose lifestyles were essentially sedentary." Strength athletes likely need 1.4-1.8 g/kg/day and endurance athletes about 1.2-1.4 g/kg/day.
Egan, B. "Protein intake for athletes and active adults: Current concepts and controversies." Nutrition Bulletin, 41(3): 202-213, 2016. Available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.12215
"The demands of physical exertion mean that protein requirements for athletes and active adults are now accepted as being greater than sedentary populations."
90%+ of Americans Don't Get Enough Fiber
Miketinas, D. et al. "Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets." American Society for Nutrition / NUTRITION 2021. Available: https://nutrition.org/most-americans-are-not-getting-enough-fiber-in-our-diets/
"Only 5% of men and 9% of women are getting the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber." Based on NHANES 2013-2018 data from more than 14,600 U.S. adults. "Fewer than 1 in 10 U.S. adults meet their daily recommendations for fiber intake."
Quagliani, D. & Felt-Gunderson, P. "Closing America's Fiber Intake Gap: Communication Strategies From a Food and Fiber Summit." American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(1): 80-85, 2017. Available: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6124841/
"National consumption surveys indicate that only about 5% of the population meets recommendations, and inadequate intakes have been called a public health concern." Most people believe they consume enough fiber despite evidence to the contrary.
Slavin, J.L. "Filling America's Fiber Intake Gap: Summary of a Roundtable." Journal of Nutrition, 142(7): 1390S-1401S, 2012. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622027614
"With >90% of adults and children who fall short of meeting their daily fiber recommendations, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans once again classified fiber as a nutrient of concern."
USDA Economic Research Service. "Over time, racial and ethnic gaps in dietary fiber consumption per 1,000 calories have widened." 2023. Available: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106189
"According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, low intakes of dietary fiber are a public health concern for the general U.S. population." The average U.S. diet provides only 58% of the recommended fiber intake.
Agriculture Fairness Alliance. "An American Fiber Crisis." Available: https://www.agriculturefairnessalliance.org/news/an-american-fiber-crisis
"USDA experts report that 95% of Americans don't get enough fiber, and on average, American adults consume only half the fiber they need."
Summary
| Nutrient | % Meeting Requirements | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | ~92-95% of adults | Most get enough without trying |
| Fiber | ~5-10% of adults | Public health concern |
The data is clear: unless you're an athlete or actively dieting, protein is likely not your nutritional bottleneck. Fiber almost certainly is.