Sam Sanders

And then we end up with protein Doritos.

We end up with protein Doritos.

Tell me.

How does it feel for you two as researchers to see protein end up in that capacity, in that cultural context, everywhere in these increasingly absurd ways?

They're Doritos!

They're Doritos!

That's what's so crazy about it.

Yeah.

There is a portion of your book that really speaks to the culture behind our current protein moment.

You use this word called nutritionism, and I want to spend some time talking about it because the word kind of blew my mind.

You both define it as, quote, the ideological process through which the value of food is reduced to its biochemical components and measured according to its Eurocentric, scientized standards rather than taste and experience.

Is that really what this current protein moment is about?

We've stopped looking at food as food, and we are increasingly trying to break down every bit and part and piece of it to optimize it?

And I got to say, as a person who likes food and is also worried about protein, that's what makes me the most sad.

When I am chasing protein in my day, I am not eating as fully as I could, and I'm just enjoying my food less.

Yeah.

What question would you both rather hear?

As experts on protein who have been studying this for years, what is the question you wish most people were asking you about protein?

Well, now you've got to answer that question for us.

Whose interest is it serving?