I Was a Vegetarian. It Was Also When I Was the Sickest I Had Ever Been.
I remember standing in the kitchen one day with this random, overwhelming craving for a burger. Which was strange, because I had been a vegetarian for several years. I never particularly liked burgers.
I brushed it off. But my body was not being random. It was communicating. It was asking, in the most direct way it knew how, for protein.
Because underneath that craving, my health had been quietly falling apart for a while. My hormones were all over the place. I was exhausted in a way that sleep did not fix. I felt off no matter how clean I ate, and I genuinely could not understand why, because I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do.
What I could not see yet was that protein was barely on my radar. Some beans here and there, but never intentional, never a priority. I was eating whole foods, lots of plants, nothing processed. And I was still chronically under-nourishing my body without realizing it.
When I finally connected those dots, everything shifted.
Because protein does not just build muscle. It builds hormones. And once I understood what protein was actually doing inside my body, I could not un-know it.
I share this not to make a case for or against any way of eating. I share it because so many women I work with are doing a version of the same thing I was. Eating carefully, trying hard, and still not feeling well. And protein is often a missing piece nobody has pointed to yet.
A client asked me recently, mid-session, whether all this protein talk is real or just another wellness trend. It is a fair question. The wellness world does love a trend. And protein is everywhere right now. Protein pasta, protein crackers, protein oatmeal, protein cereal. At some point you have to ask whether you are genuinely supporting your body or just buying into well-branded marketing.
The answer is both. Protein is not a trend. The products selling it? That is where it gets murky.
In this post I am covering:
What protein actually does in the body, beyond muscle
Why so many women are under-eating it without realizing it
How to read a product label and spot the difference between real protein and processed filler
One product worth skipping and one worth keeping
The protein powder I personally use and why
Why Protein Matters for Women's Hormones, Energy, and Overall Health
When most people hear protein, they think gym. They think muscle building. They think athletes and meal prep and chicken and rice.
But protein is not just a fitness nutrient. It is a foundational building block your body uses to construct and repair almost everything.
What protein is made of: Protein is made up of amino acids, the raw materials your body uses to build tissue, produce enzymes, and synthesize hormones. There are 20 amino acids in total, nine of which are essential, meaning your body cannot make them on its own. You have to get them from food.
What protein builds and supports in the body:
Your skin, hair, and nails. The lining of your gut. The enzymes that run your metabolism and help you digest food. Your hormones, including the ones that regulate your mood, hunger, thyroid, and menstrual cycle. Your neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine included. Your immune cells and antibodies. Your connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments. Even the hemoglobin in your blood that carries oxygen through your body is a protein structure.
This is not gym talk. This is basic biology.
When your body is not getting enough consistent protein, it does not just stop building muscle. It starts pulling from itself to meet its needs. Repair gets deprioritized. Immune function takes a hit. Energy drops. Hair starts thinning. Hormones become more unstable. Blood sugar becomes harder to regulate. Healing slows down.
Worth noting: protein also plays a direct role in maintaining the lining of your gut. If gut health is something you are already paying attention to, this post on leaky gut connects directly to what we are talking about here.
Common Signs You May Not Be Getting Enough Protein
So many of the symptoms women come to me with trace back, at least in part, to chronically under-eating protein without ever realizing it.
If you are experiencing any of the following, protein intake is worth looking at more closely:
Persistent fatigue that does not resolve with sleep. Hair thinning or excess shedding. Afternoon energy crashes. Hormonal irregularities or PMS symptoms. Slow recovery from workouts or illness. Frequent cravings, especially for sugar or carbohydrates. Brain fog. Difficulty building or maintaining muscle. Feeling hungry shortly after eating.
If hormonal symptoms are a bigger part of your picture, this post on perimenopause is worth reading alongside this one. Protein and hormones are deeply connected, and that post goes deeper into what is actually happening hormonally for a lot of the women I work with.
None of these symptoms are definitive proof of protein deficiency on their own. But they are your body communicating. And protein is often one of the first things we look at together inside my coaching programs.
Are Protein Products a Gimmick? How to Read a Label
Some of them, honestly, yes.
Companies know that "high protein" on the front of a package sells. So they put it there, even when the product is bringing along a long list of other ingredients you would not choose on purpose.
The front of a package is advertising. The ingredient list is the truth.
Flip it over before you buy it. If the ingredient list reads more like a chemistry experiment than food, that matters. Especially if you are already dealing with gut issues, bloating, or inflammation, because some of those additives can actively work against the healing you are trying to support.
One ingredient to learn to spot: soy protein isolate. It is one of the most common ways companies add protein numbers to a product without using a whole food source. It is a highly processed extract that shows up in protein granola bars, protein cereals, protein crackers, protein oatmeal, and all kinds of products that look like real food until you flip them over.
If navigating labels and knowing what to actually put in your cart feels overwhelming, this post on grocery shopping walks you through it in a practical way. And if you are also wondering about supplements in general, this one on the truth about supplements is a good read too.
A Product Worth Skipping: Quaker Protein Instant Oatmeal
Quaker Protein Instant Oatmeal is a good example of what to watch for.
It feels like a wholesome, sensible breakfast. Oatmeal, a little extra protein, easy to make on a busy morning. But the extra protein comes from soy protein isolate. Add in the sugar and artificial flavors, and this is not the nourishing upgrade it looks like on the front of the packet.
Soy protein isolate is something worth learning to spot on labels. You will find it in protein granola bars, protein cereals, protein crackers, all kinds of things that look like real food until you flip them over.
Not fear. Just awareness. The vehicle matters as much as the macros.
A Product Worth Keeping: Explore Cuisine Edamame Pasta
On the other end of the spectrum, Explore Cuisine Edamame Pasta earns its protein claim honestly.
One ingredient: edamame flour. No protein isolates added in processing. No long list of additives. Just a pasta made from a whole food that naturally carries a solid amount of protein on its own. It is also gluten free and widely available.
The ingredient story is simple because the product is simple. That is the standard worth holding things to. Not whether the front of the package says high protein, but whether the protein comes from something real.
Whole Foods Protein Sources Come First
Before products and powders enter the conversation, I want to be clear about where I stand.
Whole food protein sources are always the first recommendation.
Eggs. Pasture-raised poultry. Wild salmon. Grass-fed beef. Greek yogurt. Legumes. Cottage cheese. Sardines. These foods come with amino acids, fat, micronutrients, and co-factors that work together in your body in ways no bar or shake can fully replicate.
If you are sitting down to a real meal, build it around a whole food protein source first.
But real life is real life. There are days when you are between pickups, running behind, traveling, or just need something fast that is not a full meal. That is where a good product or powder has a legitimate place, when it is chosen well.
The Clean Dairy-Free Protein Powder I Actually Use
When I want to add protein to a smoothie, overnight oats, a yogurt bowl, or a baked recipe, I reach for Equip Prime Protein. (Heads up: this is an affiliate link. I earn a small commission if you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you. I only share products I genuinely use myself.)
Equip is a beef protein isolate, which means it is completely dairy-free. For a lot of the women I work with, and honestly for me personally, whey protein causes bloating, skin flare-ups, and digestive discomfort even when it is technically a quality product. Equip sidesteps that entirely.
The ingredient list is short. Grass-fed beef protein isolate, coconut milk powder or cocoa depending on the flavor, and natural flavoring. No gums, no fillers, no artificial sweeteners, no paragraph of additives.
It mixes well, digests easily, and does not have the chalky aftertaste that follows most protein powders around.
I use it in smoothies, stir it into oats, and occasionally add it to baked recipes when I want to increase the protein without adding a lot of volume. It fits into real life without making meals feel like a supplement routine.
The Bottom Line on Protein for Women
Protein is foundational. Your body depends on it to build structure, regulate hormones, support your gut lining, fire neurotransmitters, and sustain your energy across the day.
If you have been feeling exhausted, dealing with hair thinning, crashing in the afternoon, or just not feeling like yourself, consistently under-eating protein is worth looking at seriously.
And when it comes to products, read the label. The front is marketing. The ingredients are what you are actually putting in your body.
Prioritize whole foods. Fill in the gaps thoughtfully. Your body is not working against you. It is just waiting to be properly supported.
Frequently Asked Questions About Protein for Women
How much protein do women need per day? General recommendations for women range from 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, depending on activity level, age, and health goals. Women dealing with hormonal imbalances, fatigue, hair loss, or those who are perimenopausal often benefit from staying toward the higher end of that range. Inside my coaching programs, we look at protein intake as part of a full picture rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all number.
Can low protein intake affect hormones? Yes. Hormones are synthesized from amino acids, the building blocks of protein. When protein intake is consistently low, the body does not have adequate raw materials to produce hormones efficiently. This can show up as irregular cycles, mood instability, thyroid irregularities, low progesterone, and worsening PMS symptoms, among other things.
What is soy protein isolate and should I avoid it? Soy protein isolate is a highly processed form of soy protein extracted through chemical processing. It is commonly added to packaged foods marketed as high protein. For women with thyroid conditions, hormonal sensitivities, or gut issues, it is worth being cautious with. It is not inherently dangerous for everyone, but it is not the same as eating whole food sources of protein, and it is worth knowing how to spot it on a label.
Is a dairy-free protein powder as effective as whey? Yes, when it is a complete protein source. Beef protein isolate, like Equip Prime Protein, contains all essential amino acids and is highly bioavailable, making it a strong alternative for women who experience bloating, skin issues, or digestive discomfort from whey. The key is looking for a product with a short, clean ingredient list regardless of the protein source.
What are the best whole food sources of protein for women? Eggs, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, sardines, lentils, and legumes are all excellent options. Prioritizing a variety of whole food protein sources across the day is generally more effective than relying on supplements or protein products alone.
Why do so many women under-eat protein? Several reasons. Protein-rich foods can feel heavy or time-consuming to prepare. Many women were conditioned by diet culture to prioritize lower calorie foods, which often means eating less protein. Vegetarian and plant-based eating, without intentional planning, can also result in chronically low protein intake. And the symptoms of under-eating protein, fatigue, hair loss, cravings, hormone disruption, are often attributed to other causes before protein is ever considered.
If you are ready to understand what your body actually needs, that is exactly the work we do inside my 12-week functional wellness coaching program. Book a Strategy Call with me.
About the Author Chrystal is a functional nutritionist, wellness coach, and the founder of Nourish Up, a functional nutrition and holistic wellness practice based in California. She specializes in helping busy women and families address the root causes of fatigue, hormonal imbalance, gut issues, and inflammation through personalized nutrition, nervous system support, and sustainable lifestyle change. Her approach combines functional nutrition principles with real-life practicality, helping clients build lasting habits that actually fit their lives.