In rural southwest Kansas, high-flying fighters are working to spread lucha libre, traditional Mexican wrestling. The sport carries cultural history and uses wrestling to address modern challenges in the world. Plus: From Starbucks lattes to new dietary guidelines that prioritize it, protein is everywhere. But what do nutritionists have to say about it?

Homegrown athletes are popularizing lucha libre across the Great Plains, and it’s more than just entertainment. Traditions, preserved and shared through wrestling, are woven into the sport, down to the masks and conflict. Calen Moore of the Kansas News Service reports.

Protein is having its moment in the spotlight. Companies are adding more protein-enhanced products to their lineups as demand grows. The new federal dietary guidelines unveiled earlier this year also put the nutrient front and center. Harvest Public Media’s Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval reports on whether Americans actually need more of it.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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