A dietitian was shopping for pasta sauce when she spotted something on the shelf that made her stop in her tracks.
The product promised something she didn’t think pasta sauce needed. Now, commenters are split. Some say the health industry has gone too far with food fads. And others say it makes nutrition more accessible.
Dietitian Calls Out Pasta Sauce Brand
IHannah (@powerattheplate), a registered dietitian from Nebraska, shares her frustration with the latest trend in food products. Her video now has over 337,000 views.
Standing in front of a pasta sauce shelf, she looks at the camera with visible disbelief before flipping it around to show jars advertising 80 grams of protein per jar.
The text overlay reads: “Can we please stop protein-ifying everything.”
The sauce in question is Sturdy Sauce, a high-protein pasta sauce that costs about $13 per jar. According to the brand’s website, each jar contains 80 grams of protein, roughly the equivalent of eating three chicken breasts or 13 eggs.
“Pasta sauce does not need 80 grams of protein,” she wrote in the caption.
Her frustration appears directed at the fitness and gym community’s obsession with adding protein to every food imaginable.
Protein is an important macronutrient. However, Hannah’s point seems to be that not every food needs to be turned into a protein vehicle, especially something as straightforward as pasta sauce.
For context, a typical jar of regular pasta sauce contains 2-4 grams of protein per serving.
Sturdy Sauce achieves its high protein content by adding whey protein and bone broth isolate to the tomato base.
The Rise Of High-Protein Everything
Sturdy Sauce isn’t alone in the high-protein trend. Walk down any grocery store aisle, and you’ll find protein-fortified versions of foods that traditionally had little to no protein: protein cereal, protein pancake mix, protein ice cream, protein bread, protein chips, and even protein water.
The fitness industry has driven much of this demand. Influencers and bodybuilders are constantly emphasizing the importance of hitting daily protein targets. While adequate protein intake is important for muscle building and overall health, the “more is better” mentality has led food manufacturers to add protein to virtually everything.
The price point is also worth noting. At $13 per jar, Sturdy Sauce costs significantly more than traditional pasta sauces.
Even premium brands like Rao’s, which typically retail for $7-$10 per jar, are cheaper. Budget options like Prego cost $3-$5 per jar. That’s a significant markup for protein you could get from the meat, chicken, or beans you’re already adding to your pasta.
The Protein Craze Has Taken Over The Food Industry
Hannah’s frustration isn’t unfounded. The high-protein trend has exploded across the food industry, with major companies racing to add protein to just about everything. A
Protein has become one of the most sought-after nutrients, with Americans increasingly viewing it as essential for health, weight loss, and muscle building, NPR reported.
CNBC reports that major food manufacturers like General Mills, PepsiCo, and Kraft Heinz are capitalizing on the trend by launching protein-fortified versions of their products. The protein market has become so lucrative that companies are reformulating classic products to include added protein, betting that consumers will pay premium prices for the extra macronutrient.
The protein obsession has reached almost absurd levels. Even Starbucks has gotten in on the action. The coffee chain now offers protein lattes and protein cold foam.
Yes, even your morning coffee can now be “protein-ified.”
@powerattheplate Pasta sauce does not need 80 grams of protein
Commenters React
“We need FIBER,” a top comment read.
“It’s just the thing, used be low fat, then low carb, now high protein. people don’t grasp “balanced diet” so they have to have some extreme to follow,” a person said.
“Just buy the normal one and let me get my 80g of protein in my damn pasta,” another wrote.
“No i actually do like this because then i can get more protein into my diet without gorging myself on meat thats so fucking expensive,” a commenter added.
BroBible reached out to Hannah for comment via direct message and to Sturdy Sauce via email.