For individuals adhering to a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic (keto) diet, protein powders can be a valuable tool to supplement dietary intake. While meeting protein needs through whole foods is ideal, protein powders offer a convenient and efficient way to increase protein consumption. However, navigating the vast array of protein powder options and selecting one suitable for a low-carb or keto lifestyle can be challenging. Many protein powders, while generally low in carbohydrates, may contain hidden carbs from their source ingredients or added sugars.
Understanding Protein Powders and the Keto Diet
The key to incorporating protein powders into a keto diet lies in understanding their composition and potential carbohydrate content. "Most protein powders are lower in carbohydrates; it often depends on the source they come from, such as dairy, pea proteins, or soy, along with added sugars to increase palatability," explains Cari Riker, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Therefore, careful label reading is essential to identify powders with minimal carbohydrates and no added sugars.
Key Considerations for Choosing Keto-Friendly Protein Powders
When selecting protein powders for a low-carb or keto diet, several factors should be taken into account:
Third-Party Testing: Opt for protein powders that have undergone third-party testing to ensure purity, potency, and absence of contaminants. Look for certifications such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice Certified.
Total Carbohydrate Content: Adhere to the carbohydrate limits of your specific keto diet by choosing protein powders with less than 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving, ideally under 5 grams. "Some of those carbohydrates can come from added sugars, so looking for a powder that has minimal to no added sugars can help to minimize carbohydrate intake," Riker advises.
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Protein Source: Select a protein source that aligns with your dietary restrictions and preferences. Options include animal-based proteins like whey, casein, and egg, as well as plant-based proteins like soy, pea, and rice.
Allergens: Carefully review ingredient labels to avoid protein powders containing allergens such as milk, soy, tree nuts, or wheat if you have any sensitivities.
Cost: Consider the cost per serving to ensure the protein powder is financially sustainable for long-term use.
Types of Keto-Friendly Protein Powders
Several types of protein powders are well-suited for low-carb and keto diets:
Whey Protein (Isolate and Concentrate)
- Source: Dairy
- Pros: High-quality protein, easily digested and quickly absorbed. Whey protein isolate has the highest percentage of protein and the lowest number of carbs per serving of any whey protein. It contains few - or even zero - carbohydrates per scoop.
- Protein Volume: Whey protein isolate must have at least 90% protein by weight, whereas whey protein concentrate is required to have at least 79.5% protein by weight.
Casein Protein
- Source: Dairy
- Pros: Slower to digest, which may benefit overnight muscle protein synthesis. The two most popular forms are micellar casein and calcium caseinate, and either one will work before bed.
- Protein Volume: Many casein protein powders have at least 80% protein by weight. Casein powders has few carbs and generous amounts of protein. They can also be a source of calcium, an important mineral your body needs for bone health, muscle contractions, and blood clotting.
- Additional Benefits: Notably, they found that the slow-acting casein protein increased key measures known as muscle protein synthesis and net protein balance. Greek yogurt or other dairy protein sources: Like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt is high in casein, plus it’s probiotic.
Egg Protein
- Source: Eggs
- Pros: Eggs are nutrient-dense; they’re a source of protein, choline, vitamins A, D, and E, and multiple B vitamins. Egg white protein powders are manufactured by removing the yolks and dehydrating the remaining whites to create a powder. The egg whites are then pasteurized to deactivate avidin, a protein that inhibits the absorption of biotin, an essential B vitamin.
- Protein Volume: Protein makes up roughly 12% of the weight of a whole 100 g egg; the protein percentage of egg-based protein powders varies depending on whether they’re made from egg whites, yolk, or both. Most egg-based protein powders are made from egg white.
Collagen Protein
- Source: Usually cowhide, cow bones, chicken bones, eggshell membranes, and fish scales.
- Pros: May aid in injury prevention when taken prior to exercise; plays a role in skin aging and wound healing.
- Protein Volume: Many collagen supplements are 90% or more protein by weight.
- Considerations: However, it’s lacking in tryptophan, an essential amino acid, making it an incomplete protein and not optimal for muscle protein synthesis.
Soy Protein Isolate
- Source: Soybeans (a legume)
- Pros: Aids in muscle protein synthesis after resistance training. Soy protein powder is created by grinding soybeans into a meal and then into soy protein isolate, which is high in protein and very low in carbohydrates.
- Protein Volume: Greater than 90% protein by weight.
- Considerations: Manufacturers sometimes add sugar or other additives to plant-based protein powders like soy, which increases total carbohydrates. However, this isn’t always the case, which makes it important to check labels carefully.
- Additional Benefits: Studies have shown that soy protein can be as effective for muscle protein synthesis as animal-based protein, including whey. Soy protein is a high quality protein alternative for people allergic to milk or anyone looking for a plant-based protein.
Pea Protein Isolate
- Source: Peas (legume)
- Pros: Allergy-friendly, high quality protein that may have similar muscle repair and growth benefits to animal protein when eaten after resistance training.
- Protein Volume: <85% protein by weight Peas naturally have between 20% and 25% protein. Like soy protein isolate, pea protein powder is made by grinding dried peas, which naturally contain protein, into a powder and extracting the carbs.
- Considerations: However, manufacturers sometimes add sugar - and therefore carbs - to increase palatability, so you’ll want to carefully review ingredient labels.
Rice Protein Isolate
- Source: Rice
- Pros: Rice is hypoallergenic, so it’s unlikely to cause allergic reactions; plus, this type of protein is plant-based.
- Protein Volume: 90% of protein by weight. Rice protein powder is typically made by treating brown rice with enzymes that cause the carbs to separate from the proteins. All whole grains, including rice, are made up of three parts: bran, endosperm, and germ. The endosperm is the largest part of the grain and is made up of starch and protein
- Considerations: Rice is a source of essential amino acids, but some concentrations are higher than others. For this reason, it’s often used as a blend with other plant-based proteins to improve the amino acid profile.
Enhancing the Flavor of Unflavored Protein Powders
If you opt for an unflavored animal- or plant-based protein powder, you can enhance its flavor while staying within your daily carbohydrate range:
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- Add small amounts of cocoa powder.
- Stir the powder into low carb beverages.
- Drizzle in sugar-free syrups.
- Spoon in artificial sweeteners like Splenda or natural sweeteners, including stevia or monk fruit extract.
- Use unflavored protein powders in baking.
- Stir in sugar-free, flavored pudding mixes.
- Add natural flavor extracts or spices, such as cinnamon.
Benefits of Protein Powders for Low-Carb Diets
Protein powder can be a good choice for those on a low carb diet if you need a convenient way to boost total protein intake. Many protein powders are very low in carbohydrates, especially those made without added sugar or other carbohydrate sources.
Muscle Building and Repair
Building muscle requires following an exercise training regimen incorporating strength training while meeting daily energy and protein needs. Protein powders can help ensure you’re getting sufficient protein to support muscle maintenance and repair, but your total energy needs must also be met. Low carbohydrate protein powders made from high quality protein sources that contain the essential amino acids required to promote muscle growth and maintenance are similarly effective as regular protein powders that contain more carbohydrates.
Post-Workout Recovery
Many sports nutrition experts recommend a 2-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein for post-workout recovery, especially for athletes. Some research indicates that eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates after exercise is more beneficial for muscle protein synthesis than eating just protein or carbohydrates alone.
Overall Protein Intake
Before you consider a pre-bed protein shake or high-protein meal, make sure to dial in the rest of your diet. If you aren’t sleeping well, overall protein intake is one of many factors you may want to experiment with for better sleep. Ultimately, though, the solution is simply to consume enough protein during the day.
Whole Foods vs. Protein Powders
Protein powders can be a convenient addition to the diet, but they shouldn’t be used as the primary source of protein. “Although protein powders can be a convenient way to help meet increased protein needs, trying to meet your protein requirements from whole foods can help ensure you are consuming other nutrients your body needs and can be more satisfying than replacing a meal with a protein powder,” said Riker.
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