Heather Collins

When was the last time you had or even saw tutti-frutti ice cream?

An engine larger than a house, powering a vessel. Ship engines aren’t small, they’re over 100 feet across.

This ship is designed to go underwater by choice, and change shape inside. Would you go on it?

You walk into the supermarket and the shelves shout at you: “high in protein!”. Social media is flooded with advice urging you to pack more and more protein into your diet. But do we really need that much? No. And this trend may be harming your health more than you realise. Proteins are essential, of course. They are the building blocks from which we construct muscles, enzymes, hormones, immune defences, skin, hair… Without them, the body simply cannot function. But here is the key point: they are the macronutrient we require in the smallest daily amount. A sedentary adult needs, on average, about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That means a 70 kg individual requires roughly 56 grams daily—easily achievable with a balanced diet. Not 150 g. Not 200 g. And certainly not 300 g. Here lies the issue: the body cannot store protein as a reserve. Excess carbohydrates are stored as glycogen or converted into fat. Dietary fats are deposited in adipose tissue. Proteins, however, are either used or degraded. This degradation process is known as deamination: the amino acid loses its amino group (–NH₂), which is toxic if it accumulates. The liver converts this ammonia into urea, a less toxic compound excreted in urine. This pathway is known as the urea cycle. Do not be misled—excess protein does not translate into more muscle. Instead, it becomes nitrogen that the liver must process into urea, which the kidneys must then filter and eliminate. This is metabolically costly. Breaking down amino acids, transforming them, eliminating nitrogen… all of this requires energy, effort, and physiological wear. The body expends more energy processing protein than digesting fats or carbohydrates. Some exploit this metabolic cost to promote effortless weight-loss diets: eat freely, avoid carbohydrates, feel satiated. This can indeed contribute to weight loss. But there is a price. This metabolic burden is borne by the liver, the kidneys, and the body’s internal balance. Increased urea production, greater fluid loss, higher risk of dehydration, renal strain, elevated uric acid… And if the protein source is processed red meat, cured meats, or poorly regulated supplements, the negative impact is amplified. Not everything labelled “protein” is healthy. Do you need more protein if you exercise? Yes—if you train intensely or aim for muscle hypertrophy. During ageing or recovery, requirements may also increase. But that does not justify the general population eating as if they were professional bodybuilders. Today, in most Western countries, protein intake already exceeds recommendations—even without supplements. Yet the industry has turned this nutrient into a marketing claim, despite widespread sufficiency. The paradox is clear: we are sold as scarce something we already have in excess. Marketing has transformed a basic, fulfilled need… into a profitable obsession. You do not need to add protein powder to your coffee, nor eat bars at every meal, nor drink post-workout shakes if you are not training. A varied diet already meets your needs. Protein is essential. But like all essentials: in the right measure. We are being misinformed—and relentlessly targeted by vested interests.