World Protein Day: Fact checking the protein craze

We keep hearing about protein everywhere: in gym locker rooms, across social media, and in everyday diet conversations.

- Ismat Tahseen

It is that essential macronutrient that packs a powerhouse of benefits and that you can’t function without.Over time, protein has moved from being a kitchen staple into a lifestyle statement. Powders, ready-to-drink shakes, and ‘complete’ protein bars now crowd the shelves of supermarkets. Scroll through Instagram, and you'll find health influencers snack smarter; swapping chips for Greek yoghurt, lentils and quinoa. As mindful as they may be, many people still harbour misconceptions and false notions surrounding this key molecule. On World Protein Day, today, we have experts break it down for you.

While many plant protein sources are incomplete — meaning they lack one or more of the nine essential amino acids — they can be combined with other food groups to make up a complete protein.