Food scientists are looking for ways to keep our favorite snacks crunchy, dairy producers are struggling to put enough cottage cheese on the shelves and consumers are spending more than $10 billion—all in the name of protein.
No macronutrient has been more disruptive to our diets. Last year, more than 6 in 10 Americans increased their protein intake, according to an April report from agricultural giant Cargill. And so far, that seems to have translated into a rise in meat consumption. In trying to get more protein into their diets, consumers are turning to beef, chicken and eggs. Cargill's research found that 75 percent of Americans include animal protein in their diet, while 74 percent called meat an important part of that diet.
Now, climate activists are sounding the alarm. Meat production is notoriously bad for the planet, responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and widespread deforestation. Adopting a vegetarian diet for just one year, on the other hand, can reduce an individual's carbon footprint by up to 1.5 metric tons, according to the United Nations.
"The biggest risk right now is that—in this protein craze—people think 'meat' when they hear 'protein,'" Eve Tur
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