Why are we obsessed with protein? Is it a function of fad diets?

Our misguided compulsion with labeled diet foods is just a snapshot of our long history of conflicting information and ridiculous nutrition regimes. Low-fat or fat-free really means added sugar, flour or other high-calorie ingredients. Sugar substitutes are often harmful chemicals that screw with your metabolism.

Although the $5.7 billion diet industry's growth has slowed, our obsession with getting smaller has always been cause for senseless claims and quick fixes.

 Diets are hilarious

Around 1829, Sylvester Graham, the father of the beloved graham cracker, coined the "Graham diet," which consisted mainly of fruits, whole wheat and high fiber foods while excluding meat and spices. Not bad for a crack at a diet, except he believed it would also cure perversion and obsessive masturbation.

In 1864, the first diet book was written by William Banting, an obese undertaker who slimmed down by avoiding sugar, starch, beer, milk and butter. The 1900s brought Horace Fletcher. Nicknamed "The Great Masticator," Fletcher advocated chewing thoroughly, including liquids, as a way to gain strength and lose weight. He enjoyed analyzing poop and warned against eating while sad or angry, a practice I have yet to master.

I still cry over a bowl of Purely Decadent Turtle Trails ice cream and torture my jar of cashew butter when tempers flair.

In an effort to tap the female market, "Reach for a Lucky Instead of a Sweet" campaigned to suggest smoking to taper hunger in 1925. Maria Callas was rumored to have lost weight thanks to the beef tapeworm diet, although her love of raw steak and liver was probably the culprit behind the unwelcome critter.

In our lifetime, we have been exposed to the cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, Master Cleanse, Atkins diet, South Beach diet, the Zone diet, among a myriad of other lesser-known eating regimens. Some emphasize high-protein and low-carb foods, which is great considering that for most, carbs are generally grossly refined, particularly sugar and flour.

 Where's the protein?

So today, we worry about protein intake more than fiber and general nutrients. Although I feel like the days of choosing a steak loaded with cheese and cream sauce over an apple or banana are over, aftershocks of the protein-centric diet remains.

Yes, protein is important. It helps build and repair body tissue among other functions. But according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, through "the traditional Western diet, the average American consumes about double the protein her or his body needs. Most individuals are surprised to learn that protein needs are actually much less than what they have been consuming. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for the average, sedentary adult is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight."

To find out what your body needs, break out your calculator and input, while no one is watching:

 Body weight (in pounds) X 0.36 = recommended protein intake (in grams)

According to the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the average person ages 20 to 74 in the U.S. weighs 177 pounds and would need 64 grams of protein. One boneless chicken breast contains 44 grams of protein, almost 70 percent of the daily requirement. For those who think animal flesh is essential in meeting protein requirements, it is wise to remember that there is protein in many plant-based foods.

Benefit? Avoiding cholesterol, saturated fat and, of course, allowing the chicken to live.

Vegan protein is not an oxymoron.

Yes, we all know that soy is a protein power source and can be found in many forms: Tofu, tempeh, milk, edamame, burgers, cheese, yogurt, butter, nuts and more. But there is more to life than soy. If you are overdue for a protein overhaul, dump your regulars in favor of these robust sources and get a foodie makeover.

 Quinoa

Although most think and cook quinoa like a grain, it is actually a seed. Quinoa is related to spinach and beets and comes from the highlands of Peru. Known to the Incas as the "mother grain," quinoa is a superfood: A complete protein containing all essential amino acids while having the benefit of being gluten-free.

 Cook quinoa like rice, but be sure to rinse it well to remove any bitter tasting sasponins, a protective coating that naturally appears to protect the seed. A cup of cooked quinoa has eight grams of protein.

 Lentils

At 18 grams of protein per cup, this nutritional mighty mouse puts out with hordes of fiber and iron while being quite cheap. Lentils are essential in many international cuisines including Mediterranean, Indo-Pakistani, North African, Latin American, French and Spanish cuisine while the United States is the the seventh top producer of the legume.

Serve them in salads, soups, side dishes and main entrees. Combine them with other ingredients to make delicious burgers, or enjoy them with brown rice, onions, and a little vinegar.

 Almonds

I like these raw, naked and unadorned. Almonds are not only aphrodisiacs but they also seed you with vitamin E to improve your complexion as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

Half a cup of almonds yields 10 grams of protein. Snack on them mixed with dried fruit, sliver them into stir-fries, or grind them to use in butter and sauces.

 Broccoli

Broccoli is about 2,000 years old and has been popular since ancient Roman times. A great source of fiber, iron and calcium, broccoli is related to the mustard and cabbage family.

Yes, vegetables have protein and broccoli boasts 17 grams of protein per stalk. With a powerful blender, you can go to town and add them to your morning smoothie. Other than the color, you won't know it's really there.

 Spinach

A personal favorite, spinach is fabulous cooked, raw in salads and inconspicuously blended into your green morning smoothies.

High in vitamins A, C and K, one cup of our green friend provides five grams of protein. Spinach's iron content surpasses what is found in a hamburger patty.