How Much Protein Do You Really Need, Fiber vs. Protein & The Breakfast Foods That Will Change Everything | Rachael DeVaux

Registered dietitian Rachael DeVaux opens with a blunt observation: most people are eating roughly half the protein they need, and the deficit shows up first at breakfast. “I was having lunch and then an hour later I was grabbing a granola bar because I was still hungry,” she says. Once she personally increased her protein intake, especially in the morning, the food noise quieted, blood sugar stabilized, and cravings dropped. That experience became the backbone of her practice and her New York Times bestselling cookbook, Rachael’s Good Eats.

Why Protein Matters Beyond Muscle

Protein’s role extends well beyond building muscle, though that part is critical. After age 30, the body begins losing muscle mass, and older adults actually need more protein per meal because the same dose has a weaker effect on muscle protein synthesis. But DeVaux emphasizes that protein also governs blood sugar regulation, hormone production, and immune function. When people skip protein at breakfast and reach for carb-heavy options like toast and coffee, they set off a cascade: blood sugar spikes, then crashes, then irritability, brain fog, and cravings for more sugar and ultra-processed foods later in the day. “That leads to the sugar cravings and eating more sweets and carb heavy and ultra processed foods,” she says. The fix is straightforward: make protein the backbone of every meal.