In a move that has left many scratching their heads, US Health Secretary RFK Jr. has announced that he's "ending the war on protein," a claim that appears to be little more than a marketing ploy to further his administration's ideology of traditional masculinity.
The announcement, which was made part of the federal government's 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, suggests that Americans should consume more protein at every meal. However, this advice is not only unscientific but also goes against previous nutritional guidance on saturated fats.
Kennedy's reworking of the dietary guidelines is seen as a continuation of his administration's efforts to tie food and nutrition into traditional masculine ideals. According to experts, there is no "war on protein" - if one existed, it was lost long ago, with American consumption levels reaching record highs despite being nearly nonexistent.
The emphasis on animal proteins in Kennedy's new guidelines serves to project a form of idealized masculinity that is high agency, strong, and physically attractive. This association between men and meat, fire, cooking outdoors has been well-documented and plays into the broader cultural perceptions around food, gender, and body image.
Food and beverage companies are responding to this demand with products like protein cold foam, protein-packed lattes, and even protein-infused popcorn. Experts say that this surge in popularity is driven by marketing campaigns equating general health with higher protein consumption.
Ultimately, Kennedy's claim that he's "ending the war on protein" appears to be little more than a PR stunt designed to appeal to traditional masculine ideals. The real question remains: why pretend there ever was a war on protein in the first place?
The announcement, which was made part of the federal government's 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, suggests that Americans should consume more protein at every meal. However, this advice is not only unscientific but also goes against previous nutritional guidance on saturated fats.
Kennedy's reworking of the dietary guidelines is seen as a continuation of his administration's efforts to tie food and nutrition into traditional masculine ideals. According to experts, there is no "war on protein" - if one existed, it was lost long ago, with American consumption levels reaching record highs despite being nearly nonexistent.
The emphasis on animal proteins in Kennedy's new guidelines serves to project a form of idealized masculinity that is high agency, strong, and physically attractive. This association between men and meat, fire, cooking outdoors has been well-documented and plays into the broader cultural perceptions around food, gender, and body image.
Food and beverage companies are responding to this demand with products like protein cold foam, protein-packed lattes, and even protein-infused popcorn. Experts say that this surge in popularity is driven by marketing campaigns equating general health with higher protein consumption.
Ultimately, Kennedy's claim that he's "ending the war on protein" appears to be little more than a PR stunt designed to appeal to traditional masculine ideals. The real question remains: why pretend there ever was a war on protein in the first place?
It just seems like they're trying to sell more meat and dairy products. I've seen all these companies jumping on the protein trend with fancy lattes and popcorn... it's just getting weird. Can't we just have some balanced nutrition guidelines that don't tie everything back to beef and eggs? 
, is it really necessary to tie protein consumption to some sort of toxic masculinity narrative? Can't we just focus on promoting healthy eating habits without resorting to that? And what's with the emphasis on animal proteins, anyway? It's not like they're the only option or anything 
. I'm more worried about the marketing push behind all this - protein cold foam and lattes? Give me a break 
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but i guess its all about selling products now... protein cold foam? protein-packed lattes? who comes up with this stuff?
... didn't realize we were still fightin' that "war" lol, newsflash: protein's been everywhere for ages 
... guess it's just a marketing ploy now 
IT SEEMS LIKE RFK JR IS JUST TRYING TO SELL MORE PROTEIN PRODUCTS AND MAKE LOTS OF MONEY FROM IT. THE IDEA THAT AMERICANS HAVE BEEN "WINNING" THE FIGHT AGAINST HIGH PROTEIN CONSUMPTION FOR YEARS IS ABSURD 
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT TIEING PROTEIN TOTraditional Masculinity, LIKE, YOU NEED TO EAT A LOT OF MEAT TO BE A REAL MAN. GIVE ME BREAK!!! 
I'm totally not down with this new guideline 
. It's all about protein, protein, protein... 
But let's get real, guys! 
What about plant-based options? Don't we need more fiber and less saturated fats in our diets? 
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. We need more education, not more marketing hype 
? it's all just marketing, fam 
Kennedy's trying to tie food to this idea of traditional masculinity, which is pretty problematic if you ask me. It's like they're saying that men need more protein to be strong and attractive... Newsflash: that's not how it works! 
... I mean who thought it's a good idea to have "more protein at every meal"? Don't they know we're already eating enough burgers and hot dogs as it is? 
