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As women, it’s easy to fixate on making sure we’re eating enough protein. You’ve probably heard that most women aren’t consuming enough, and that protein is the key to staying full, building lean muscle, regulating appetite and hormones, and so much more.
And so you do it: You add protein powder to your smoothies, and snack on boiled eggs, and buy cottage cheese like it’s going out of style.
But have we become too fixated on hitting those protein goals? And are we prioritizing protein to the point that we’ve been forgetting to incorporate enough of all the other things our bodies need?
A viral social media message suggests that this may be the case. A few creators have shared this message, which encourages people to think more about hitting their fiber goals as opposed to their protein goals. “Young people aren’t dying of protein deficiency, they’re dying of colon cancer,” one creator writes.
Is there any truth to this?
Should people think less about protein goals and more about fiber goals? Have we become too obsessed with protein to the point that we’ve forgotten all the other foods and macros our bodies need? And could this ethos (and the lack of emphasis on fiber consumption) be affecting rates of colon cancer in young people?
We asked our go-to registered dietician, Anna Bohnengel, to weigh in.
Do we need to be prioritizing fiber goals over protein goals?
In short? No. Or, more accurately, it’s just not that simple.
The reality is, both protein and fiber are incredibly important, and putting them in competition with one another isn’t productive.
“Both protein and fiber are essential, and framing them as a competition misses the bigger picture,” says Bohnengel. “It’s not about choosing one to prioritize over the other — it’s about understanding the why behind each nutrient’s role and how they work together to support hormone health, digestion, metabolic health, and energy.”
So…what is the why behind each?
You’ve heard that protein is the key to staying full, while fiber is the key to…er, keeping things moving. But both macronutrients do much more than those summaries suggest.
“Protein is critical for blood sugar regulation, hormone production, and tissue repair,” says Bohnengel. “Fiber, on the other hand, is essential for gut health, heart disease prevention, estrogen metabolism, and reducing chronic inflammation.”
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Because of all those functions, both protein and fiber are incredibly important…and the reality is, most women in the United States aren’t consuming enough of either.
The conversation around prioritizing fiber gets one thing right
“It’s not either/or — it's both/and,” says Bohnengel. “If someone is eating a standard American diet, chances are they need more of both protein and fiber.”
However, the standard American diet is ever-evolving, especially with cultural messages at play. And right now, there are plenty of cultural messages about the importance of protein, but perhaps less messaging around the importance of fiber.
“From a public health perspective, fiber might be the more neglected nutrient. We know that most of us do not eat enough fruits and vegetables,” says Bohnengel.
“That said, the context matters,” she adds. “For a woman trying to balance hormones and preserve strength as they age, protein may be the more immediate priority. For someone struggling with bloating, constipation, or insulin resistance, fiber could be the game-changer. The best approach is personalized — and rooted in adding more of both, not restricting.”
Is the importance of protein overhyped?
Protein might feel over-hyped on social media, but there’s scientific grounding behind its importance.
“The emphasis on protein isn’t just hype — it’s rooted in solid science, especially for women in their reproductive years. Protein supports balanced blood sugar, helps regulate appetite and cravings, and provides the building blocks for hormone synthesis and the antibodies that make up our immune system.”
The social media conversation around protein doesn’t always get it right, though, according to Bohnengel. She points out that content online makes us feel like we need to be incorporating expensive protein powders into everything, but that’s not typically necessary. According to Bohnengel, incorporating things like eggs, dairy, fish, legumes, and pasture-raised meats at each meal can get you there.
The reality is, most women aren’t eating enough protein
“Research shows that women often under-consume protein, especially at breakfast, which can set the stage for blood sugar imbalances and low energy later in the day,” says Bohnengel.
Over-thinking it isn’t the healthiest approach, but being conscious of your protein intake and fiber intake does matter. Finding that line between conscious and overthinking is hard, and ultimately, it’s an individual process.
“For women struggling with hormone imbalances, fatigue, or fertility challenges, macro awareness can be a helpful tool — not to restrict, but to rebuild nourishment and stabilize blood sugar,” says Bohnengel.
“Many of my clients come to me under-eating protein. Simply paying attention to macronutrient balance, like getting 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal and adding fiber-rich carbs and fats can radically improve energy, mood, and cycles.”
For the average, healthy woman who isn’t dealing with worrisome symptoms, though? “Overly fixating on numbers can become overwhelming or disordered,” says Bohnengel. “I always recommend starting with food quality, then using macro guidance if needed to fine-tune from there.”
Let’s get back to fiber
In some of the online discourse encouraging women to prioritize their fiber intake over their protein intake, creators say that young people are dying of colon cancer. And there’s something to that: Colorectal cancers are on the rise among young people.
But does fiber intake play a role here?
“There is growing evidence that low fiber intake may be contributing to this [rise], particularly with colorectal cancer,” says Bohnengel. “Fiber plays a critical role in gut health, supporting a diverse microbiome and promoting healthy bowel movements that help clear out excess hormones and potential carcinogens [and] a 2022 study in Cancer journal linked lower fiber intake with a significantly increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer.”
The data is clear: Fiber is important. The social discourse gets one thing right: Many of us are not getting enough of it in our diets.
“Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans meet the recommended daily fiber intake (around 25–30 grams per day), especially in younger populations who may rely more heavily on ultra-processed, low-fiber foods,” says Bohnengel.
Listen, we get it. Grabbing a frozen dinner is sometimes the only option, especially when you’re completely zapped at the end of the day. That’s why, instead of suggesting you completely overhaul your approach to eating, it may be a good idea to find easy ways to add some fiber to the foods you already eat and enjoy.
Adding chia seeds to yogurt or smoothies, swapping whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, etc) for refined grains (like white bread and pasta), snacking on fresh fruit, and adding legumes and beans to meals whenever possible can all be helpful ways to do this. Bohnengel shares a tip: Prep veggies every week. When they’re cut up and ready to eat, you’re more likely to actually eat them.
TL;DR? You need protein. You need fiber. It’s not either/or, it’s both/and
And you don't need to choose one over the other or put them up against each other in competition. Most Americans aren’t getting enough of either. So throw some chicken on your salad, add a hard boiled egg to your breakfast, enjoy dairy AND eat more fruit, snack on veggies, and sprinkle some chia seeds into your smoothies.