Is the protein hype getting out of hand? A registered dietician weighs in

How much protein do you actually need, and is the social media obsession with it doing more harm than good? Sports dietician Rosey Lombard, who works with the Springbok Women’s rugby team, Cricket South Africa and the Emirates Lions, joins Woolworths Head of Trade for Protein and Dairy, Cecil Mitchell, to unpack the protein conversation.  In Season 2, Episode 3 of What is the Difference? A Woolies Food Podcast, we dig into why most people are eating more protein than they realise, how to build balanced meals without overcomplicating them, and what the 80/20 approach really looks like. Rosey breaks down the numbers from 0.8 grams per kilo for the average person to 1.6 grams for active athletes and explains why chocolate milk is a legitimate recovery drink.  Cecil takes us behind the scenes of Woolworths’ protein and dairy range: why biltong is a protein powerhouse at 40–60% protein, what goes into Woolies’ air-chilled chicken, how the team tests steak tenderness with science, and what’s coming next in the high-protein dairy aisle. From label-reading and supplement safety to the Informed Sport certification and why creatine isn’t just for bodybuilders, this episode separates protein fact from fiction. Subscribe for more conversations about food and tell us in the comments: are you team protein shake or team real food?   Episode Details What's the Difference? A Woolies Food Podcast Season 2, Episode 3 Brought to you by Woolworths. Produced by Pop24 Published by Woolworths TASTE Hosts: Sibongile Mafu and Steve Steinfeld Guests: Rosey Lombard, sports dietician, and co-founder of The Nutrition House (Springbok Women’s Rugby, Cricket South Africa, Emirates Lions); Cecil Mitchell, Head of Trade: Protein and Dairy, Woolworths #Protein #SportsNutrition #WhatsTheDifference Links The Nutrition House (Rosey Lombard’s practice): https://thenutritionhouse.co.za/pages/sports-nutrition  Woolworths: Our Quality Meat Difference: https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/5-ways/woolies-buying-guides/our-quality-meat-difference/\_/A-cmp207143  Woolworths: The Woolworths Difference Chicken (air-chilled, matured on the bone): https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/5-ways/chicken/the-woolworths-difference-chicken/\_/A-cmp202756  Woolworths: Fishing for the Future (sustainable seafood): https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/article/fishing-for-the-future/fishing-for-the-future/\_/A-cmp214480  Woolworths: Need to know — Free Range Chicken: https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/article/chicken/need-to-know-free-range-chicken/\_/A-cmp202758  Woolworths: Our Five Freedoms of Free Range: https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/howto/our-five-freedoms-of-free-range/\_/A-cmp210687  Show Notes In this episode, hosts Sibongile Mafu and Steve Steinfeld welcome sports dietician Rosey Lombard and Woolworths Head of Trade for Protein and Dairy, Cecil Mitchell, for a conversation about protein, sports nutrition and the science behind Woolworths’ meat and dairy products. Together, they unpack how much protein we actually need, why social media has created a protein obsession, and how Woolworths ensures consistent quality across its protein range. Who is Rosey Lombard and what does she do? Rosey Lombard is a registered sports dietician and co-founder of The Nutrition House in Johannesburg. She works with elite athletes including the Springbok Women’s rugby team, Cricket South Africa (the Proteas), and the Emirates Lions rugby team. She holds a BSc in Sport Science and a BSc Honours in Kinderkinetics from Stellenbosch University, and a BSc (Med)(Sci) Honours in Nutrition and Dietetics from UCT. Rosey is also a new mother and is passionate about helping people realise that nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with protein? Rosey explains that the protein conversation has shifted dramatically, driven largely by social media and the rise of fitness trends such as CrossFit and HYROX. People are now visiting dieticians fearing they’re not getting enough protein, even when they’re not athletes. The algorithm has made protein the answer to everything  from muscle-building to longevity but Rosey cautions that the opposite extreme is also unhelpful. You don’t need to be terrified of under-eating protein, and you also don’t need unrealistic targets that require handfuls of supplements to hit. How much protein do you actually need? According to the most recent research, the average person who is not doing specific training needs only 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. If you are moderately active, the range is roughly 1.3 to 1.6 grams per kilogram. Social media often tells people to eat 2 grams or more per kilogram, but Rosey says a safer range for most people is between 1.2 and 1.6 grams per kilogram and that target should be based on your actual training load, not a blanket number. Who is Cecil Mitchell and what does he do at Woolworths? Cecil Mitchell is the Head of Trade for Protein and Dairy at Woolworths, based in Cape Town. He has been with Woolworths for over 20 years, starting as a technical manager in dairy before moving through category management roles in protein. His team is responsible for everything from beef, lamb, chicken and pork to venison, ostrich, fish, biltong, and the full dairy range – sourcing, quality, supplier relationships and product development. How does Woolworths ensure consistent meat quality? Cecil explains that Woolworths’ meat quality is the result of science applied at every stage. Steak tenderness is measured using a shear force device that tests how much force is needed to cut through the meat – every cut must fall within specific parameters. The team controls the whole process from central packing facilities, ensuring full traceability and consistent ageing. For chicken, Woolworths uses air-chilling rather than water-chilling, which means no excess water absorption; customers pay for chicken, not water. Skinless breast fillets are matured on the bone for a minimum of 24 hours, allowing natural enzymes to tenderise the meat. The right cuts are used for the right products: tenderised meat for stir-fries, bone-in cuts for juicier results. How does Woolworths approach sustainable seafood? Woolworths’ Fishing for the Future programme ensures the retailer does not sell any red-listed fish species. All wild-caught seafood is either WWF-SASSI green-listed or MSC-certified, and Woolworths sometimes sources from fisheries on improvement programmes to help them achieve sustainability certification. The trout range is farmed locally in South Africa, while fresh salmon is flown in from Norway twice a week. Cecil highlights the trout sausage and trout patties as affordable, delicious ways to eat healthy fats and protein. What should you look for when reading protein product labels? Cecil advises that ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so whatever is the biggest component appears first. Look for products that are as natural as possible, with minimal added sugars. Rosey adds that for Woolworths’ marinated proteins, any sugar in the marinade is low on the ingredient list and is primarily for flavour – including a marinated steak as part of a balanced meal is still far better than grabbing a takeaway. On the protein side, look for products that are highest in protein and lower in fat and sodium. Also discussed: \- The Informed Sport certification: what it means and why it matters for supplement safety. \- Intermittent fasting and training: why Rosey doesn’t recommend it for morning exercisers. \- The evolution of protein bars: from gym-bro staple to mainstream snack \- Woolworths’ nose-to-tail approach: using every part of the animal, including drying cuts for biltong. \- Woolworths’ central packing model: full traceability from abattoir to shelf \- The 80/20 lifestyle approach: balanced eating without diet culture \- Creatine beyond bodybuilding: benefits for menopausal women, brain fog, and muscle preservation