Curtis Harwell Discusses, Why are Women Not Eating Enough Protein?

The Paleo Diet. Protein powder. Half-pound burgers.  In case you haven't noticed, our culture has become obsessed with consuming protein—which means few of us are skimping on the stuff. "We aren't known as a country that's low in protein," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., author of The Flexitarian Diet. "These days, most of the hot fad diets are very pro-protein."
 
But despite our national preoccupation with protein, some of us are still slipping through the cracks—namely vegetarians or people who tend to under-eat, says Blatner. Problem is, it can be tricky to identify what's considered "not enough" since the recommended intake of protein is a broad range, rather than one hard number.  "If somebody is eating a 2,000-calorie diet, it could be 50 grams to 150 grams of protein per day," says Blatner. (Things like activity level and weight influence where your ideal intake falls.)