I think its fair to say that we are all eating more chicken than ever these days. Protein consumption has been rising significantly in recent years. Chicken provides 7.2% of total protein intake in the United States. To put this in broader context: chicken accounts for 13.9% of animal protein consumed in the US , making it the dominant meat choice. Americans consume about 102.6 pounds of chicken per capita annually, and poultry accounted for 46% of all red meat and poultry consumption by volume in 2023. So while chicken represents only about 7% of total protein consumption (which includes plant proteins), it’s by far the leading animal protein source in the American diet. 61% of Americans increased their protein intake in 2024, up from 48% in 2019. Looking at specific protein sources over time, research shows clear trends. From 1999-2010 chicken consumption increased from 0.47 to 0.52 g/kg of body weight, turkey from 0.09 to 0.13 g/kg, fish from 0.21 to 0.27 g/kg, and legumes from 0.21 to 0.26 g/kg . Meanwhile, dairy intake decreased from 3.56 to 3.22 g/kg. While more people are actively choosing to increase their protein intake (especially from animal sources like chicken), the total amount of protein consumed hasn’t changed dramatically in recent years. The shift is more about consumer priorities and awareness around protein, with 57% of label-readers now checking for protein content.
I’m spending more time thinking about chicken for several reasons. To begin with, I am researching what I should be planning to eat when I begin my Zepbound journey, scheduled to start in the next week or so. What I’ve learned so far is mostly about the suggestion that I increase my protein focus. I can’t say this is a surprise with all that I’ve read about that topic in general in American consumption trends. The focus on protein consumption has evolved through several distinct waves over more than a century. In the 1890s, the USDA recommended over 110 grams of dietary protein per day for working men, based on the idea that protein was the source of muscular energy and the observation that protein consumption was higher in more affluent groups. However, these recommendations were based on studying the eating habits of prosperous laborers rather than actual experiments on the human body. By 1905, academia challenged this thinking, demonstrating that people could maintain health on half the recommended protein intake, and argued that wealthy people ate more meat because they could afford it, not because they needed it. Protein received priority attention again in the 1950s and 1960s, with the “World Protein Gap” considered a major cause of infant mortality in developing countries. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that high-protein diets really took off, with the Stillman Diet focused on ultra-low-fat, high-protein eating for rapid weight loss, which laid the groundwork for the Atkins Diet phenomenon of the ’70s. New research in 2003 suggested high-protein diets could aid in weight loss, and protein quickly regained its nutrient superstar status. This has accelerated dramatically in recent years, with social media now driving the trend to new heights.
And then there’s the trend toward bariatric surgery over the last 25 years and in the last seven years due to Ozempic. GLP-1 use has significantly contributed to the protein craze. The connection is quite direct based on the muscle loss problem. A recent study by GNC found that 86% of GLP-1 users are not meeting their protein needs . This is particularly concerning because one of the unintended effects of weight loss on GLP-1s is the loss of not only fat but also lean muscle mass, and individuals on GLP-1 medications may experience accelerated muscle loss. Protein is the most important nutrient for GLP-1 users because it’s not something the body stores, and if people aren’t eating enough protein with each meal, their muscles will start breaking down. Has Pete Hegseth heard about this weakening of the American physique? To prevent muscle loss while taking a GLP-1, people should try to eat at least 60 grams of protein daily, and even more if trying to build muscle. So GLP-1 medications have created a specific medical need for higher protein intake that has amplified the broader protein consumption trend, particularly driving demand for easy-to-consume protein products like shakes, bars, and fortified foods.
But for old farts like me that would rather not go to protein shakes and sticky granola bars, we want meat or something like meat. Despite reading yesterday that the biggest beef producer in the world, the Batista family of Brazil, is concerned that they cannot keep up with the increasing demand for beef (sounds like a pricing promotion to me), the rise in demand for beef pales by comparison to the rise in demand for chicken. Chicken production is up much more than beef. Chicken consumption is expected to increase from 98.90 pounds per person in 2022 to 107.50 pounds by 2033 . Chicken and total poultry consumption in the United States has more than tripled since 1960, while beef has been declining. Beef consumption was 59.10 pounds per capita in 2022 and is expected to slightly decrease to 56.90 pounds by 2033 . In 1999, beef had more consumption than chicken or pork, but there has been a switch in consumption across the three major meat categories. The strongest gains are forecast for chicken meat due to its versatility and price-competitiveness compared to other animal proteins. Additionally, consumers view swapping beef out for chicken or turkey as a way of combating climate change and improving their health, and from a farmer’s perspective, chickens are ideal because they grow so quickly. So chicken has experienced dramatic growth over the past 60+ years and continues to rise, while beef consumption has been trending downward.
I know I opt increasingly for chicken over beef these days even though I do like an occasional steak. I’m not sure how much of that is my age or how much is just the whole national trend and all the causes stated. What I do know is that I have become a bit more finicky about the quality of my chicken. My favorite restaurant in NYC used to be Spice Market down, strangely enough, in the old meatpacking district. They served a lemon chicken which was to die for. It was so tender and so juicy that it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Chicken does not usually evoke that feeling in me. I tend to think of it as either tasteless (“tastes like chicken!”) or dry and gritty/stringy. I very much dislike shredded chicken for that very textural reason. I want all my chicken to taste like Spice Market. When I was in CostCo this week (Kim hates it when I go because she thinks we cannot handle bulk goods), I saw the famous rotisserie chicken rack and grabbed a bag of roasted chicken, hot off the rotisserie. It sure smelled good. When I got it home, Kim ripped it apart for me (I am a bit squeamish about food handling) and gave both Buddy an I a lunch of warm and flavorful roast chicken that was almost as tender and juicy as Spice Market.
I don’t know exactly how this Zepbound is going to affect my taste for foods, but I’m betting I will be picking up more CostCo roasted chicken as I try to increase my protein content of what I eat without inflicting dry and stringy chicken into my otherwise dry and getting stringier life.