What Is Protein Coffee and Is ‘Proffee’ Actually Healthy?

TikTok is the birthplace of many food trends, and it’s also home to an ever-evolving fitness culture. The convergence of these two themes has given rise to a popular new drink category: protein coffee. Sometimes called “proffee,” the trend is more like a type of drink than one exact recipe.

It’s also fueled by a wave of health claims about its potential benefits. But how much of that hype is actually backed by evidence? Below, we dig in on what protein coffee is—and what it can and can’t do for your body.

Protein coffee is typically made by combining coffee or espresso with protein powder or a ready-to-drink protein shake. It’s often served iced, as some protein powders don’t blend smoothly into hot coffee and most pre-made shakes are already cold.

You might’ve heard that protein coffee prevents cravings, helps maintain energy, and can aid in muscle growth. With these claims, it’s no surprise that proffee is taking social media by storm. But just how much truth is there to these assertions?

As far as cravings are concerned, it’s true that having protein in the morning (or really, at every meal) can help reduce cravings if they are caused by blood sugar fluctuations. While protein coffee can help curb cravings, you could just as easily manage by reaching for protein sources like eggs or yogurt with breakfast.

It’s also important to acknowledge that there are many complex reasons someone may be experiencing cravings and increasing protein intake is only addressing one of these potential causes: blood sugar fluctuations. Beyond this, cravings can also be emotional, a response to an overly restrictive diet, hormones, or a response to nutrient deficiency. In any of these cases, protein coffee isn’t a cure and additional help may be needed.

As for energy, regular coffee contains caffeine, which can boost alertness. But “energy” is a tricky term, since technically any food or drink with calories provides it. In that sense, protein coffee may provide more energy than regular coffee because it typically contains more calories.

Still, the way a person feels after drinking it may have more to do with blood sugar balance. Drinks or meals that lack protein and fat can cause a sharper rise and fall in blood sugar, which may leave some people feeling tired or hungry soon after. Since protein digests more slowly and helps moderate that rise, protein coffee may help promote a more sustained feeling of fullness and energy.

As with cravings, though, that effect isn’t unique to protein coffee. Any source of protein can help. For people who already drink coffee, protein coffee may simply be a fast and convenient option, and not necessarily a more effective one than other protein sources.

One thing to keep in mind is that our bodies fundamentally need food (a.k.a. calories) to have energy. It’s very common for people to skip breakfast in the morning. And if you forego the meal, it makes sense that switching from plain old black coffee—which contains just a couple calories per 8 ounces—to protein coffee is going to increase your energy. Think about it: You’d be going from having just coffee to coffee with protein (and calories.) But if you’re already eating breakfast (especially one high in protein, like an omelet) and you just swap your regular coffee for protein coffee, you may not notice a difference.

Fans of protein coffee also claim it aids with muscle growth, which is why it’s popular among the fitness crowd. It’s true; your body can use dietary protein to help repair damage to muscle tissue (like from weight lifting) and support muscle growth.

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For people who struggle to eat enough protein from their normal meals, a quick option like a protein shake or protein coffee can help support fitness goals like building strength and muscle, if paired with resistance exercise and an otherwise balanced and healthy diet.

But just like with the other supposed benefits of proffee, this is the case for any protein source. The advantage of protein coffee is simply that it’s a convenient way to get that protein.

The most important thing to remember about nutrition is that context matters. No one can say definitively whether protein coffee is healthy or unhealthy in every case, because individual needs, preferences, and overall eating patterns all play a role.

More broadly, protein is just one piece of the nutrition puzzle. It can help with fullness, support muscle repair and growth, and contribute to steadier energy, but it’s still only one part of what makes a meal or snack balanced. Whole-food protein sources, like eggs, may also provide nutrients beyond protein, including choline and vitamin B12. Other foods can contribute fiber, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals that matter too.

That’s why protein coffee is best understood as one option within the bigger picture of someone’s diet. It may be a practical choice if it helps a person fit in more protein, whether that’s at breakfast, as part of a snack, or simply during a busy day when a full meal isn’t realistic. But it isn’t automatically healthier than other options, and it isn’t a substitute for a varied diet overall.

In some situations, protein coffee may be an improvement, such as when the alternative is skipping a meal or going long stretches without eating enough protein. In others, it may add little if someone is already eating enough protein and a generally balanced diet. Its main advantage is convenience, not that it offers something uniquely beneficial.

Protein coffee isn’t a breakthrough. Instead, it’s just a convenient way to get protein. Whether it’s worth it depends entirely on who’s drinking it and what the rest of their diet looks like. For some people, it fills a real gap. For others, it may not add much. Either way, it’s best treated as one small piece of a much larger picture rather than a trend worth building your nutrition around.