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The protein and probiotic food trends are here to stay.

The rise of protein

You don’t have to look at too many food or beverage products these days to find ones announcing the protein content on the packaging. Whether it’s naturally occurring or has been added, protein seems to be a featured ingredient that more and more products are including and promoting. It is a trend that is driven by, and in response to, consumer demand. It’s gone beyond power bars and special drinks, to where there seems to be a protein-rich version of everything from ice cream, pasta and cereal, to popcorn, chips and cookies. The popularity of protein enhanced foods and drinks is directly related to changing dietary goals, and the association of protein with benefits for muscle development, weight management and general health.

Diet trends have come and gone over time. In the 1980s and 90s, low-fat diets saw the most popularity, followed by low-carb diets in the early 2000s. Recent times have seen the rise of vegan, keto and gluten-free preferences. The origins of protein’s popularity can be traced to the fitness and bodybuilding world, where it has been promoted for decades as a key supplement to build and repair muscle. Wellness and sports nutrition has obviously now extended into more mainstream awareness, with protein emerging as a key macronutrient. This is evidenced by the fact that food companies have quadrupled their protein product offerings in the last 10 years, and there has been an average 70% increase in protein intake since 2022, with an expected growth rate of 8% per year. Protein is now seen as a key component for overall balanced health.

What exactly is protein?

Proteins are complex organic molecules made up of amino acids. For the structure, function and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs at the cellular level, proteins do most of the work. The amino acids that form proteins are molecules are made up primarily of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Amino acids and the proteins they make are the fundamental building blocks of life. The relationship between amino acids and proteins is both interdependent and cyclical. While protein is obtained primarily from food sources, it is also created when the body breaks down the protein into amino acids, which are then used to created new proteins.
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Protein is one of three macronutrients, along with fats and carbohydrates, that the body needs for energy and to sustain itself. If we view the food we consume as fuel for a fire, metaphorically speaking, then protein is the long lasting fuel, like a log on the fire, as opposed to fast burning, kindling-type fuel like carbs.

Food sources of protein include both animal and plant sources. Animal sources include foods like red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt. While animal-based products are still the major source of proteins, a growing market of vegetarian and vegan consumers have helped bring pea-, soy- and even algae-based plant proteins into the mainstream market as well. Foods like legumes, tofu, quinoa and nuts provide essential amino acids, fiber, and healthy fats that support gut and heart health. Innovations in processing are improving the taste and texture of plant-based proteins and making them more appealing to a wider audience.
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What does protein do for you?

In short, protein supports everything from stable energy and blood sugar levels, to bone strength, appetite control, immune function and hormone production. Evidence-based studies have shown that a high protein diet provides distinct advantages for those interested in improving body composition, strength and metabolic health.
Specifically, the benefits that increased protein consumption provide include:
  • Muscle growth and repair. Protein supplies the necessary amino acids required for these processes, which also help support lean body weight.
  • Weight control. When compared to the other two macronutrients, carbs and fats, protein is shown to induce more satiety, which leaves you feeling fuller for longer. The result is often a lower overall caloric intake, helping with weight loss on maintenance.
  • Metabolic support. Increased protein intake is linked to increased thermogenesis, meaning your body burns more calories digesting protein than it does with other macronutrients.
  • Blood sugar control. Protein slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, thus helping control blood sugar levels, making it ideal for those with diabetes or prediabetes.
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Even in a cost-conscious consumer market, people are continuing to prioritize increasing protein as part of their diet, with a lot of the trend being driven by the influence of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, especially for younger consumers. However, the protein trend also extends to the older demographic as well. The aging population tends to lose muscle at a more rapid rate than younger people. This can result in increased and detrimental muscle loss if protein isn’t a priority in the diet.

The other diet trend - Probiotics

Just as with protein, probiotic food sources are nothing new to the human diet. In fact, they have a very long history of consumption in different forms, in many different cultures throughout the world. The domestication of animals and the start of farming took place, over time, during the Neolithic age (4300 to 2000 BCE), which gave rise to the creation of fermented foods. Whether by accident or intentional, this included things like fermented dairy and plant foods. Later on in history, but still long before the modern scientific identification and study of probiotics, the positive health effects of probiotics was known through observation. The Greek doctor, Hippocrates (460-370 BC), known as the father of medicine, declared that “health sits in the bowels”. In the modern era, the identification, study and development of probiotics has paralleled the research in food preservation, microbiologic identification techniques, and our understanding of how the complex interactions in microbiota impact health and recovery from disease. The word “probiotic” comes from the Greek “pro” and “bios”, literally meaning “for” and “life”.
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Hippocrates was right

Modern science has proven that Hippocrates was right when he said, “health sits in the bowels”. Probiotics are mainly certain living bacteria (and some yeasts) that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. These health benefits are the result of the effect that probiotic foods have on your gut microbiome, which is the collection of all the good microbes (bacteria, fungi, some viruses) that live in your body, and in your gut in particular. The gut microbiome is a complex biological ecosystem that influences nearly every aspect of your health, including digestion, nutrient absorption, immune defense and even mood.

The development of probiotics

A long time before the awareness of probiotic microorganisms, fermented products, such as beer, bread, wine, kefir, kumis and cheese had been very frequently used for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. In the early 1900s, E. Metchnikoff, a Russian microbiologist, working at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, observed and attributed the enhanced longevity of rural Bulgarian people to the regular consumption of fermented dairy products like yogurt. Louis Pasteur identified the microorganisms responsible for fermentation, which Metchnikoff proposed might counteract certain negative processes of gastrointestinal metabolism that contribute to illness and aging.
The word “probiotic” was first introduced by a German scientist, Werner Kollath, in 1953, to designate “active substances that are essential for a healthy development of life”. It was later defined, in 1992, as “a live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance”. Probiotics have been studied in human clinical trials and have been shown to help your immune system function properly, reduce digestive symptoms and side effects of antibiotics, improve lactose intolerance and decrease the severity of some common infections. Today, probiotic bacteria have become increasingly popular during the last two decades as a result of the continuously expanding scientific evidence pointing to their beneficial effects on human health. As a result they have been applied as various products with the food industry having been very active in studying and promoting them.

Sources of probiotics

Fermented foods are the source for probiotics. A fermented food is a food or beverage made through the desired growth and enzymatic conversion of food components by certain strains of bacteria. Whether in yogurt, capsules or other fermented foods, these beneficial bacteria are now widely recommended for everything from digestion to immunity to mental health.
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Natural food sources of probiotics include:
  • Yogurt – Look for “live and active cultures” on the label.
  • Kefir – This is a tangy, fermented milk that is rich in diverse strains
  • Sauerkraut – A fermented cabbage (unpasteurized versions are best).
  • Kimchi – Spicy, fermented Korean vegetable dish.
  • Miso – This is a Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans.
  • Kombucha – This is a fizzy, tangy, fermented tea.
Probiotics have become such an established part of mainstream food consumption over the last 30 years, and they need little or no explaining to consumers anymore.
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The convergence of protein and probiotics

Consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of overall health and well-being. This includes awareness of the importance of muscle maintenance and gut health, which has led to a broader shift toward personalized, functional and sustainable nutrition. Prioritizing both protein and probiotics in the diet have been a natural outcome of this shift. In addition to digestive health, probiotics have also been shown to increase the absorption of amino acids. In doing so, probiotics can also help improve athletic performance, recovery times, body composition and hormone levels. As science continues to explore and validate the connections between diet and well-being, these trends are positioned to shape the future of nutrition.
As with any mindfulness of your health and wellness, the basics stay the same: hydration, sleep, balanced diet and exercise. Following these basics, along with prioritizing protein and probiotics in your diet will increase your ability to achieve overall fitness, both physically and mentally.
As a leader in both telemedicine and oral dissolving strip technology, Riize Health has a wide selection of unique, effective products to add to the promotion of your overall health and fitness.
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SOURCES

https://retailconsumerprofessionals.com/content-library/article/Pmxbdv/wellness-watch-the-high-protein-trend-what-it-means-for-retailers

https://www.cargill.com/2025/consumers-are-seeking-more-protein-for-health-and-taste-in-2025

https://news.fsu.edu/news/expert pitches/2025/05/08/the-protein-craze-florida-state-university-expert-explains-the-why-behind-a-high-protein-diet/

https://www.allrecipes.com/protein-trend-2025-11727473

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/protein/

https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Amino-Acids

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/essential-amino-acids

https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-abstract/60/suppl_2/S85/379032?redirectedFrom=PDF

https://journals.lww.com/jcge/fulltext/2016/11001/probiotics_history.3.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25576593/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4045285/

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/diet-dilemma-should-you-be-taking-probiotics/

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