Just Have Some Yogurt

Somehow, America has yet to reach peak protein.

Perhaps we never will.

Even after David bars have gone viral for being bricks of essentially pure protein and Starbucks has rolled out lattes topped with “protein cold foam,” new and somehow weirder protein-laced products keep hitting shelves.

You can now buy protein Honey Nut Cheerios, protein popcorn and PopCorners, protein sodas, protein ranch dressing, and protein chips. (Doritos launched a nacho-cheese-flavored version with 10 grams of protein per one-ounce serving.) In an era of GLP-1 drugs and peptide stacks and Oura rings and self-optimization, of wellness influencers and looks-maxxers, everybody seems to be doing everything they can to eat as much protein as possible.

The magical macronutrient will supposedly make you more muscular, or more toned, or thinner—or something, really anything, just better .

Amid the protein frenzy, regular food seemingly doesn’t cut it anymore.

Why order a simple flat white when you can instead sip a Dunkin’ Nutty Pumpkin Iced Protein Latte? [ Read: America has entered late-stage protein ] Into the fray, I would suggest a humble alternative: Have some yogurt.

Calorie for calorie, Greek yogurt has more protein than Chipotle’s High Protein Low Calorie Bowl, Kraft’s new PowerMac, or yes, a Dunkin’ Nutty Pumpkin Iced Protein Latte.

So do some traditional yogurts, as well as other fermented options in the dairy aisle such as skyr and kefir.

And that’s if you opt for the full-fat, luscious kind (which I recommend).

Nonfat Greek yogurt, which is lower in calories, is roughly as protein-dense as a David bar—with the added benefits of having just two ingredients (milk, culture) and not tasting like plastic.

Yogurt is not only full of protein but also good for your bones, your digestion, and your immune system.

Yogurt is an ingredient: Eat it plain or bake with it, use it as the base of a sauce or dip, throw it in a marinade or soup.

Sure, some yogurts have added sugars , but so does a Starbucks Iced Banana Protein Cream Matcha.