Eat Your Greens with Dr. Black | From nutrition to everyday habits—health made doable
Protein Everything? The Problem With “Optimized” Food
Oct 5, 2026 · 21 min · 8 segments
Text Dr. Black your questions or comments. Protein water. Fiber brownies. Pickle juice hydration shots. Protein donuts with caffeinated strawberry…
Text Dr. Black your questions or comments. Protein water. Fiber brownies. Pickle juice hydration shots. Protein donuts with caffeinated strawberry milk. At some point, food stopped being food and became a wellness optimization project. In this episode, Dr. Black takes a slightly sarcastic trip through three nutrition trends that have gotten out of hand: electrolyte products, fiber maxxing, and protein-fortified everything. Hydration, fiber, and protein all matter—but that doesn’t mean every person needs expensive powders, supplements, and upgraded versions of ordinary foods. You’ll hear: - When electrolyte products are genuinely useful—and when plain water is enough - Why rapidly increasing fiber can lead to bloating, gas, and an unfair backlash against beans - Who may need to pay closer attention to protein and why most Americans aren’t protein deficient - How to tell whether a fortified convenience food solves a real problem or is simply junk food in a health-food costume - Why a plant-forward eating pattern may cost less than diets built around meat and highly processed convenience foods **Studies mentioned in this episode:** - Vegan Diet and Food Costs Among Adults With Overweight - Food Costs of a Low-Fat Vegan Diet vs a Mediterranean Diet - Food Costs Associated With DASH, Whole-Food Plant-Based, and Baseline Diets For more background, listen to The Science of Hydration: What Your Body Really Needs, Fiber Without the Fiasco: How to Boost Fiber Without Bloating, and Are We Eating Too Much Protein—or Not Enough?. Listen for a practical, evidence-aware approach to eating well without making it more expensive, stressful, or complicated than it needs to be. Be sure to subscribe to the **Health Made Doable** newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend! For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources. For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at **dr.black@healthmadedoable.com.** I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast. Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor. **Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!**
Text Dr. Black your questions or comments. Protein water. Fiber brownies. Pickle juice hydration shots. Protein donuts with caffeinated strawberry…
