I always imagined my first taste of Michelin-starred cuisine would be in an elegant restaurant, enjoying perfectly seared scallops or a magnificent rack of lamb with a rich jus. Instead, I’m in a fitness studio with Doja Cat playing loudly, watching my “Michelin-starred” shake being blended. It contains a scoop of vanilla protein powder, the flesh of a guanabana—a tropical fruit with a spiky skin that tastes like a mix of mango and banana—and some almond milk. Saffron foam is sprayed into a plastic cup and sprinkled with blue spirulina before the pale protein mixture is poured over it.
The resulting shake, created by Michelin-starred chef Miller Prada for Hermosa, a luxury protein powder brand sold at Barry’s fitness studios, resembles a drinkable lava lamp, with white, blue, and yellow swirling gently in the cup. According to Hermosa’s founder, Erika Tamayo, it has only one comparison: “Everyone says it looks like Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night.” Before I can taste it, she sprays a coffee-scented liquid on the lid and instructs me on how to drink it for the “full Michelin experience.” Place the straw halfway into the cup and sip (it should taste like ice cream), then push it all the way down to get a hit of the “mood-enhancing” saffron.
So, setting aside the pomp, how does it taste? Pretty good. The texture is smooth and creamy, unlike many gritty protein shakes I’ve had before, and the guanabana adds a subtle sweetness. Would I buy it again? Maybe. The main drawback is the steep £11 price, though that seems to be the standard for a fancy shake.
“We made this shake as a statement. People are now realizing that health is a luxury, and everyone is investing in it,” says Tamayo. She’s not alone in creating “statement” protein shakes in the UK. Elevate, a “nutrition-focused beverage outlet” in central London, sells an £8.90 cacao shake with 21g of protein that claims to “support mood and provide a gentle, uplifting boost.” Similarly, Soho House members can enjoy a new range of colorful, “protein-based smoothies” priced around £9 each, with names like “The Berlin,” “The Shoreditch,” and “The Beach House” that sound like they belong on a cocktail menu.
These visually appealing, nutrient-rich health drinks gained popularity with the viral rise of Erewhon, a luxury wellness grocery store in Los Angeles. While shoppers there can splurge on a single Japanese strawberry for $20 or a bottle of “hyper-oxygenated” water for $26, it’s the highly viral smoothies, costing over $20 each, that have made the brand a social media sensation. Most aren’t protein-based, but their eye-catching look—ideal for Instagram—and use of ingredients that promise benefits like glowing skin or cognitive support have inspired many imitators. They’ve become so popular that celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Bella Hadid have collaborated on limited-edition Erewhon smoothies. As a result, Erewhon earned $171.4 million in 2023, despite having only 11 locations in California.
For Tamayo, taste, presentation, and spectacle are essential to stand out in the ever-growing protein powder market.According to the market research firm Research and Markets, the protein market is valued at $24.8 billion. Hermosa, for example, sells a “grass-fed whey protein” in an amber glass jar containing 14 servings for £38, alongside its Michelin-starred shake.
Protein is booming overall. A YouGov survey from earlier this year found that 25% of UK adults regularly drink protein shakes, including 37% of those aged 25 to 34. The industry has grown so large that there is now a shortage of whey, the liquid byproduct of cheese-making once discarded but now a key ingredient in most protein powders. This has also driven up its price. So how did the world become so enthusiastic about protein shakes?
Today’s protein powders and shakes often sound like dessert flavors—chocolate, Biscoff, even matcha—but their earliest versions were more like a meaty “sludge,” says Hannah Cutting-Jones, a food historian at the University of Oregon. The first protein product for consumers dates back to 1865, when German scientist Justus von Liebig invented a meat substitute called Extract of Meat, made from melted-down beef hides and carcasses. Consumers were advised to drink a small wine-glassful two to three times daily. Cutting-Jones notes that calling it a protein shake would be generous, but it was the first product promoted as high in protein. This sludge was later turned into solid cubes and became a household staple under the name Oxo.
Most protein powder today is made from whey, which has seen a sharp price increase.
Protein products soon gained popularity among men looking to build muscle. From the late 1890s, Plasmon, a milk protein powder packaged with images of Greek gods and muscular men, was sold in the UK and Germany. It was endorsed by bodybuilder Eugen Sandow, who later created his own product: Health and Strength Cocoa, the world’s first chocolate protein powder. However, Cutting-Jones says protein shakes truly took off after World War II, when food technology advanced significantly. Freeze-drying, turning milk into powder, and dehydrating eggs and cheese for lightweight rations normalized getting nutrients from powders.
The protein industry’s first major success came in the 1950s with Super Hi-Protein shakes, developed by Bob Hoffman, then head coach of the U.S. Olympic weightlifting team. Cutting-Jones describes this as the earliest shake resembling what we have today, though Hoffman simply added Hershey’s chocolate to make it palatable, unlike today’s nutritionally precise powders. By 1960, the product had surpassed $1 million in sales.
In the 1970s, protein shakes expanded beyond gyms with popular diets like the low-carb Atkins and the all-liquid Last Chance diet, which advised consuming only protein shakes for rapid weight loss. An estimated 2 million Americans tried the latter, leading the New York Times to note that sipping supplements instead of martinis had become common at cocktail parties. The diet lost favor when the U.S. government investigated whether it contributed to starvation-related deaths.
Cutting-Jones explains that the 1970s and 80s marked a key turning point as people began associating protein with weight loss, though shakes still primarily…Protein remained a staple in bodybuilding for years, but this started to shift in the early 2000s. Until then, dieters were advised to avoid fat to achieve their ideal body. That long-held belief was overturned when research showed that people on low-carb, high-protein diets lost more weight than those following low-fat, low-cholesterol, and low-calorie plans. The Atkins diet made a comeback, and protein’s popularity soared. The Economist reported that global sales of sports nutrition products, mostly protein-based, doubled from 2007 to 2013, reaching £260 million. According to Cutting-Jones, protein “really took off” from this point because it could be marketed to everyone. For example, UK company MaxiMuscle expanded its reach by launching a product line for women in 2006 and an ad campaign in 2012 targeting “real men,” featuring an office worker lifting a car with one hand while drinking a shake with the other. By 2011, its products were available in major supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Social media accelerated the protein trend. Fitness influencers with muscular physiques promoted the idea that buying their protein powder would help others achieve a similar look, which Cutting-Jones describes as “a marketer’s dream come true.” MyProtein, founded in 2004 with a £500 overdraft and now valued at over £400 million, became the go-to brand for influencers in the 2010s. While they may have genuinely liked the products, endorsements were also incentivized; the company’s ambassador program offers influencers with over 10,000 followers up to 8% commission on sales.
But how much protein do we actually need? The UK government recommends about 55g per day for men aged 19-50 (equivalent to roughly nine eggs) and 45g for women in the same age group (about seven eggs). Dr. Linia Patel, a nutritionist at Pure Sports Medicine, notes that these guidelines are more about preventing malnutrition and suggests that for optimal health, people should aim for about 1g per kilogram of body weight, or 1.2g if they’re active.
Protein helps keep us full longer because it’s a complex molecule that requires more effort for the body to metabolize and digest. However, too much protein can be harmful. Consistently exceeding 2g to 2.2g per kg of body weight—as might happen on an all-animal-product carnivore diet—can displace other essential nutrients like fiber.
When it comes to protein sources, Patel emphasizes “food first” because whole foods like meats, fish, and eggs contain nutrients, minerals, and compounds that supplements can’t match. Protein powders can be useful as a supplement but shouldn’t be the primary source. She recommends choosing unflavored powders to avoid sweeteners and emulsifiers and suggests adding ingredients like Greek yogurt, fruit, or nut butters to shakes to make them more balanced meal replacements.
The protein trend has expanded beyond shakes and powders. A 2023 study identified around 1,200 products in UK supermarkets making protein claims, including cereals, cheese, and even pancakes.Dr. Garcia, a public health nutritionist at the University of Glasgow who led the study, notes that most of these foods meet the nutritional criteria to be considered healthy. However, she advises shoppers to be cautious about how protein claims are worded.
Under EU regulations, which still apply in the UK, a product can be labeled a “source of protein” only if protein accounts for at least 12% of its energy content. For a “high protein” label, that figure must be 20%. But other phrases are less clear-cut. Garcia explains that manufacturers can use terms like “protein kick,” “protein boost,” or “rich in protein” without regulation, allowing them to include any amount of protein they choose.
The protein craze shows no signs of fading, but when does it become an unhealthy fixation? A survey by the Grocer last year revealed that 77% of people in the UK aim to eat more protein, surpassing interest in other nutrients like fiber (60%), probiotics (48%), and, predictably, fat (9%). Cutting-Jones observes that many are anxious about not getting enough protein, a concern that social media influencers often capitalize on.
TikTok is flooded with videos of young people “dry-scooping”—consuming protein powder straight without any liquid. Cutting-Jones warns that this risky practice, which health experts say can lead to choking or infection, illustrates how tracking nutrients has spiraled out of control. She emphasizes that food is more than just counting calories and macronutrients; it’s about our humanity, not robotic consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about the surprising rise of protein shakes
Beginner Definition Questions
1 What exactly is a protein shake
Its a beverage typically made from a powdered protein mix blended with water or milk designed to be a convenient and concentrated source of protein
2 I thought protein was in meat Why drink it
While meat is a great source protein shakes offer a fast portable and often lowfat way to get a high dose of protein especially after a workout or when youre on the go
3 What are protein shakes made from
The most common sources are whey casein soy pea and brown rice Whey is the most popular
4 Are protein shakes just for bodybuilders
Not at all While theyre popular in fitness theyre now used by a wide range of people including office workers seniors athletes and anyone looking for a quick and healthy meal replacement or snack
Benefits Reasons for Popularity
5 What are the main benefits of drinking protein shakes
They help build and repair muscles keep you feeling full and provide a quick and convenient nutritional boost
6 Why did protein shakes become a multibillion dollar business
Their growth was fueled by a perfect storm the mainstream fitness boom clever marketing that moved them beyond just gyms scientific backing for their benefits and the rising demand for convenient healthy products
7 How did they go from a thick meatlike drink to something tasty
Massive improvements in food science Companies invested heavily in flavoring sweeteners and textures creating shakes that taste like chocolate milkshakes strawberries and cream or cookies making them palatable for everyday consumers
Common Problems Concerns
8 Are there any downsides to protein shakes
Overconsumption can lead to digestive issues like bloating or an upset stomach Also some lowquality shakes are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients so its important to read the labels
9 Can I live on protein shakes alone
No Protein shakes are a supplement not a complete food replacement Your body needs a balanced diet with fruits vegetables healthy fats and carbohydrates for fiber
