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The David brand, which makes the alleged “idealized” protein bar (I still have not tried), is now selling cod. It’s $55 for four, six-ounce filets. For reference, you can get a bag of 32 ounces of wild-caught cod filets from Whole Foods for $24.991. From :
This one most definitely gagged the ingredient purists, in an iconic plot twist, David is now selling cod, or what can be considered a frozen protein bar. Cod has 92% calories from protein while David’s actual bar only has 75%—that is still 20% more than most of the protein bars out in the market. You may be thinking this is a spoof, considering just how much backlash David has gotten for using EPG2 and “non-clean” ingredients—I see this as a triumph on their part, a way to silence the haters but also contributes to what looks to be their goal of “protein-as-a-platform.”
Despite the packaging looking like “a box of antidepressants” or “like they’re selling human flesh filets cut from a guy named David3,” according to Instagram comments, I, too, think this is a pretty brilliant marketing strategy. David is making a point and here we are, paying attention to it. Most people aren’t going to buy this and David doesn’t care. It’s not about actual sales business, it’s about standing on business.
But.
Things like this are yet another brick in the backlash wall that’s about to come crumbling down. People are already sick of protein overexposure and pressure now that every brand from Sweetgreen to Ballerina Farm to Khloe Kardashian is touting their protein bona fides or ramming 20-plus grams of protein into random snack foods.
It’s already starting; I see a lot of Protein Content lately with comments and reposts about how ACTUALLY what we should care about is FIBER!!!, as if we shouldn’t care about both, as if the most health-supporting and sane way to eat is, and has always been, about keeping things pretty much in balance.
And I see a lot of Protein Content with comments and reposts about how everyone’s lying to you and you ACTUALLY don’t need more protein at all, the RDA is just fine!!!!, which is also not true if you’re seriously strength training a few times a week. Even if you are, it’s true that you’ll be fine if you can’t get one gram per pound of body weight, but you almost certainly need some more than you’re used to getting if you never paid attention to protein before. Everyone’s being insane about this! Listen to me instead, since I’m not selling you programs or products, I’m not an extremist, and I’m pretty good at building muscle without giving up everything that’s good and fun in this life.
I’m on Team No One here. I’m not on the side of the companies and influencers capitalizing on a trendy moment to sell what is essentially overpriced junk food injected with whey protein isolate, and I’m not on the side of the people who are quick to dismiss moderately increased protein intake as something only for lunkhead bros, wellness freaks, or women who secretly have eating disorders, just because they feel besieged by ads for protein crap and social media content about it.
I’m of like five different minds on this, because it’s a complex conversation (as is so much in the body culture space). It’s true that the trendy protein moment is happening largely because people want to lose body fat, so I get why it’s starting to feel exhausting and maybe a little fat-shamey to so many people.
Everywhere you turn, the trendy/pricey/cool/aspirational brand/influencer/social media account is yapping about protein and maybe it makes you feel left out/dumb/pressured to cut fat/start lifting/change your whole life to align with the ostensibly correct way of eating and moving. Annoying, but there’s a time clock on this, I guarantee it. The protein bubble is about to burst. The second you get a text from your mom about how there was a segment on Good Morning America about the silly company selling $55 fish even though no one really needs more protein anyway4, you’ll know it’s done.
I want the hollow marketing nonsense and the histrionics about all this to be done, certainly. But I don’t want the increased understanding of the importance of a vital macronutrient to be done. We do not need to throw the damn baby out with the damn bathwater. You need to eat protein just as you need to eat fat, carbs, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Frankly I am just so, so tired of trends and brands and influencers and TikToks confusing the narrative and draining everyone’s wallets when eating is, and has always been, a matter of common sense and personal values.
Eat as much “real”5 and nutrient-dense food as you can, that you like, that is supportive of the goals you’ve established for yourself and the lifestyle you want to have. If you don’t know what those things are, get off all social media for a week and think very carefully about it. Read this during your hiatus:
That is it, my friends. Common sense and personal values. Everything else should be considered as irrelevant to you as protein gum6.
Also from Snaxshot: “The fish is sourced by Kyle Lee, a commercial fisherman with Alaskan Salmon Company, the price for 4 filets is $55 including expedited shipping, which comes out to be around $13/cod filet which is in line with what ASC sells theirs for, so although its a lot more pricier than what you’d get for the private label brand at Whole Foods, ASC uses personal fishermen to catch your fish, so I’m assuming it's worth the premium.”
Well now I can’t fucking unsee that.
Bonus points if she’s never lifted a weight in her life; the “no one needs more protein anyway” people are always non-lifters.
I.e., meat and/or plant products that come almost directly from the animal and the earth. You know what I mean: poultry, beef, seafood, beans, eggs, etc., not bars and powders and snack foods injected with whey protein isolate on top of erythritol and xanthan gum and a bunch of other random crap.
MAN Sports. Because protein is only for MEN, ya dig???
Oh yes, I now think that that's a filet of David on the box. Not going to believe it's fish again.
I am personally very grateful for the protein trend bc it makes life a lot easier on me (the center of the universe) bc of my dumb dietary requirements. But I _do_ find it funny when I see something boasting like six grams of protein or whatever. Friends… that's an egg. Just go eat an egg.