How America Got Obsessed With Protein
The Daily
08/26/25
•31m
About
Comments
Featured In
Seemingly overnight, Americans have become obsessed with pumping as much protein as possible into every drink, snack and meal.
Elizabeth Dunn, a writer and contributor to The Times, explains the origins of this latest nutrition craze.
Guest: Elizabeth Dunn, a writer and contributor to The New York Times.
Background reading:
- The David bar, basically a protein Scud missile wrapped in gold foil, has had breakout success. But can the trend last?
- Read a fact-check about some of the big claims made about protein.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: David Chow for The New York Times
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Previous Episode
Inside the A.I. Talent Wars
August 25, 2025
•26m
The race to dominate artificial intelligence has become a scramble for talent, with tech companies offering pay packages of $250 million and poaching their competitors’ best employees.
Mike Isaac, who covers the tech sector for The Times, explains why all the hype is raising fears that A.I. could become the next big bubble.
Guest: Mike Isaac, a New York Times reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering tech companies and Silicon Valley.
Background reading:
- To navigate the recruitment frenzy, many A.I. researchers have turned to unofficial agents to strategize.
- Life for workers at Silicon Valley’s biggest tech companies has changed as the behemoth firms have aged into large bureaucracies.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Photo Illustration by Ihor Lukianenko, via Getty Images
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Next Episode
Trump’s Takeover of the Fed
August 27, 2025
•27m
President Trump’s decision to try to fire a member of the Federal Reserve’s governing board is his most audacious attack yet on the independence of the central bank.
Ben Casselman, chief economics correspondent for The New York Times, discusses why Mr. Trump’s route to controlling the Fed passes through the governor, an economics professor named Lisa Cook.
Guest: Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Mr. Trump’s move to fire Ms. Cook is a legally dubious maneuver that could undermine the independence of the nation’s central bank.
- Seeking to retool the Fed, Mr. Trump risks upending a pillar of the global economy.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted