Why Protein Became the Hottest Trend in Food
Why Protein Became the Hottest Trend in Food  
Podcast: All Of It
Published On: Thu Feb 05 2026
Description: Protein bars, shakes, and snacks now line grocery shelves, turning a basic nutrient into a booming food trend. Alice Callahan, a nutrition and health reporter for The New York Times and and Dr. Rekha Kumar, an associate professor of Clinical Medicine and Attending Endocrinologist at Weill Cornell Medicine explains why protein matters for the body, how much people actually need, and how food companies transformed it into big business.