January 2, 2025 — U.S. consumer interest in nutrition and dietary trends have spiked, and one macronutrient has taken center stage: protein.
There is perhaps no place that reflects this trend more than American snack aisles. Food products traditionally low in protein like cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, cookies, and snack mix now boast of containing protein levels of 20 grams or more on the front of their packaging. Over the past decade, research shows that the number of high-protein products has increased fourfold, expanding from predominantly animal-based sources to plant-based sources of protein.