Remember when fat was the enemy? When every product proudly proclaimed “LOW FAT!” in bold letters? When people ate fat-free cookies and wondered why they were still gaining weight?

We look back at the low-fat craze of the 90s with a mixture of amusement and horror. How could we have been so misled?

Future generations will look at our protein obsession the same way.

The Manufactured Crisis

Protein deficiency—called kwashiorkor—is a real condition. It exists in areas of severe malnutrition and famine. You know where it’s virtually nonexistent? In developed countries with access to food.

When’s the last time you heard of someone in the US being diagnosed with protein deficiency? Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Yet somehow, the average person has internalized the belief that they’re not getting enough protein. That they need protein powder, protein bars, protein-enhanced everything. That plants can’t possibly provide adequate protein.

Follow the Money

The global protein supplements market is worth over $20 billion. The meat industry in the US alone generates $1 trillion annually. These industries have a vested interest in keeping you worried about protein.

They fund studies. They sponsor nutrition conferences. They advertise relentlessly. And they’ve been remarkably successful.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a 150-pound person, that’s about 55 grams. The average American eats nearly double that amount.

We don’t have a protein deficiency problem. We have a protein obsession problem.

Meanwhile, Nobody’s Asking About Fiber

Here’s what’s fascinating: while 97% of Americans don’t get enough fiber, nobody’s panic-buying fiber supplements. There are no “FIBER ENHANCED!” labels screaming from every package. No fiber shakes or fiber bars marketed to gym-goers.

Why?

Because there’s less money in telling people to eat beans and vegetables. You can’t patent broccoli. You can’t create a proprietary blend of lentils and charge $50 a tub.

The Science They Don’t Advertise

Study after study shows that fiber intake is one of the strongest predictors of health outcomes:

• Higher fiber intake correlates with lower rates of heart disease
• Fiber reduces risk of type 2 diabetes
• Adequate fiber intake is associated with lower cancer rates
• Fiber promotes healthy gut bacteria, which affects everything from immunity to mental health

But here’s the kicker: protein intake, beyond meeting basic requirements, shows diminishing returns. More protein doesn’t equal more health. In fact, excessive protein—especially from animal sources—has been linked to increased disease risk.

Yet we’re obsessed with the former and ignorant about the latter.

The Plant Protein “Problem”

“But plants don’t have complete proteins!”

First, yes they do. Quinoa, soy, hemp, and chia are complete proteins.

Second, it doesn’t matter. Your body doesn’t absorb proteins as complete units anyway—it breaks them down into amino acids and rebuilds what it needs. As long as you eat a variety of plant foods throughout the day, you’re getting all the amino acids you need.

Third—and this is the important part—plants are the only foods with fiber. Every gram of plant protein comes bundled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Animal protein comes with zero fiber, cholesterol, and often saturated fat.

The Real Question

Next time someone asks “Where do you get your protein?” try responding with:

“Where do YOU get your fiber?”

Watch them fumble. Most people have no idea how much fiber they eat or what foods contain it. But they’re absolutely convinced they need more protein.

That’s not an accident. That’s marketing.

The Bottom Line

If you eat enough calories from whole plant foods to maintain your weight, you’re getting enough protein. It’s virtually impossible not to. Even a diet of only potatoes—which nobody recommends—would provide adequate protein.

But fiber? You have to actively seek it out. You have to eat whole, unprocessed plant foods. You have to resist the endless processed options that have had the fiber stripped away.

The irony is that in worrying about protein, people often choose fiber-free animal products over fiber-rich plant foods. They’re optimizing for the wrong metric.

So yes, you’re getting enough protein. The question is: are you getting enough fiber?

Welcome to fibertarianism. Where we ask the questions the food industry doesn’t want you to ask.