Good morning from rain-soaked New York City. In other storm news, Hurricane Polo is bearing down on Baja California Sur, in northwestern Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 115 m.p.h. There’s plenty more below.

But first, let’s add some protein. Image Powered by protein Nearly 90 percent of Americans have enough protein in their diets, according to a recent government report. That hasn’t stopped food companies from trying to sell us more, nor stopped consumers from buying it.

Some of my colleagues started keeping track of the counterintuitive sources of protein they saw in grocery stores and gas station markets, in warehouse clubs and bodegas, in chain restaurants and coffee shops. They found protein cookies and candies. Protein coffee and protein water.

Protein vodka. Protein milk. Here were protein-enhanced Pop-Tarts, Uncrustables, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Cheerios.

They saw protein-loaded meat sticks and brownie-batter protein balls, too. Protein chips and protein crackers. A company that collects detailed data on retail food sales counts 37,232 products with protein claims on the front of their packaging.

Those claims come in big fonts. And those big fonts draw attention. They work.

The company says it’s measured around $90 billion in consumer spending on protein products over the last year, including more than $2 billion on protein pizzas. That’s up a lot, as the following chart shows: Image The last point covers the 52 weeks ending Sept. 5, 2026. Source: NIQ.

Americans are way into protein. Why is that? Selling points The simple answer is hype, according to the reporters Margot Sanger-Katz and Larry Buchanan. If weight-loss advice shows up in your social-media algorithm, the importance of protein will be at the center of it.

My dudes who lift weights swear by the stuff — and march around with four-pound bags of nuts in their backpacks.