Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is a fantastic Keto diet supplement! Whey isolate, unlike collagen and plant-based protein, is a “complete” protein with the fewest carbs per serving of any whey protein. Choose a grass-fed whey protein isolate devoid of hormones, chemicals, and heavy metals for extra health advantages.
We’ll look at how to include whey protein into your keto diet and why it’s a superior option than Collagen and plant-based proteins for achieving your health and fitness objectives. The first step in this procedure is to define “ketosis“.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis, or “keto,” is a condition of the human body in which carbohydrates are no longer accessible for useable energy conversion; as a result, the body begins to use fat reserves for energy production. The body is aggressively breaking down fat cells to create ketones, often known as “fuel” for energy, when it is in this “keto” condition.
Can You Take Whey Protein on the Keto Diet?
Yes, it is correct. Let’s start with the most important components of the Keto diet. The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, moderate-protein diet. The objective is to establish a state of ketosis by substantially reducing your carbohydrate consumption and replacing it with fat.
Carbohydrates, which convert to “glucose” and power the body and brain, are typically the body’s major source of energy. The body utilizes fat for energy instead of carbohydrates in a ketogenic state, and the liver generates “ketones” as a backup energy source. Many keto dieters may see a significant improvement in their capacity to burn fat by converting the body’s “fuel” source to nearly exclusively fat (like other low carb diets).
Many people use protein powder supplements to get the required protein consumption on the keto diet. Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is a low-carb, keto-friendly protein powder that is a great way to boost your regular protein consumption.
Why Is Protein Important?
Let’s look at how carbs influence your body first to discover why protein is vital in a keto diet. When you consume carbohydrates, your body turns them to sugar (glucose) in order to provide rapid energy. If you don’t burn those sugars immediately away, your body generates insulin, a hormone whose primary function is to store sugar in the form of fat for later use. As a result, a dish of spaghetti turns into sugar, which turns into belly fat.
Eating protein, on the other hand, does not increase insulin production, avoiding the sugar rush/crash cycle as well as the conversion to stored fat. Furthermore, consuming protein makes you feel fuller with less food, which means you’ll consume less calories in the long term — especially if you have late-night carb cravings. And, probably most significantly, protein aids in the development and maintenance of muscles, which aid in the burning of fat and the maintenance of a healthy metabolism.
How Much Protein Should I Take on Keto?
We’ve proven that whey protein isolate is keto-friendly; nevertheless, monitoring your macronutrients, including protein, is one of the most important elements of the Keto diet.
In general, a ketogenic diet should consist of 70-75 percent fat, 20-25 percent protein, and 5% carbs. If you exercise often, you should boost your protein consumption to 25%. A general rule of thumb for how much protein you should ingest, instead of using a macro calculation, is as follows:
- Minimum Protein (grams) = Weight x 0.6
- Maximum Protein (grams) = Weight x 1.0
If you weigh 150 pounds, you should consume 90-150 grams of protein per day (150 pounds x 0.6 = 90 grams; 150 pounds x 1.0 = 150 grams). To go into ketosis and stay there, you must keep track of your macros. You can lose ketosis if you eat too little or too much of each macro.
Can Protein Powder Kick You Out of Ketosis?
Protein supplementation is often associated with the risk of kicking you out of ketosis. You might lose ketosis if you consume too much protein in a single day or sitting. This is, however, no different than eating too many carbohydrates or not enough fats. Any combination of these things may knock you out of ketosis, which is why keeping track of all three macros is so important. The keto diet is, in general, sensitive and requires some dexterity.
The finest whey protein powders have a serving size of 25 grams of protein. Using the example above, 1-2 protein drinks (25g-50g protein) each day puts you well inside the required range. Consuming too little protein while on the keto diet is also a risk.
To stay alive, your body needs glucose.
Your body will begin to eat away at your lean muscle mass if you consume too little protein without carbs. Gluconeogenesis is the name for this process. Gluconeogenesis is the process through which your body’s metabolism produces glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. Protein/amino acids are converted to sugar by your body (glucose).
Protein deficiency can have a detrimental influence on your body composition, strength, and endurance.
Bottom Line: Keep track of your protein consumption in the same way you keep track of your carbohydrates and fats. Ketosis is maintained by staying within the 20-25 percent range, and protein powder supplementation is a fantastic, simple method to meet your daily consumption requirements.
Is Whey Protein Superior To Other Protein Powders?
Getting adequate protein is one of several elements in the recipe for maximizing muscle development. Supplementing protein might assist if you have a hard time eating. However, not all powders are the same. Protein supplements come in a variety of forms, ranging from plant-based pea, rice, and hemp powders to animal-based beef, casein, and whey powders.
Plant-based proteins are thought to be inferior to animal-based proteins because they lack certain essential amino acids. Unless you’re following a vegan diet, there’s no reason to buy plant-based protein powder.
Whey and casein are the two most researched animal proteins. They have a lot in common: they’re both complete proteins (meaning they have all of the essential amino acids) and they’re both made from cow milk. They do, however, have two important differences:
Rates of digestion: Whey protein is more easily digested by the human body and raises blood amino acid levels significantly, but only for around 3 hours. Casein, on the other hand, releases amino acids into the circulation over a longer period of time, about 8 hours.
Profile of amino acids: Both contain all of the necessary amino acids, although in different amounts. More leucine is found in whey powders, which is thought to be the most essential amino acid for muscle development. With that out of the way, let’s have a look at the research.
Short-term muscle protein synthesis was 93 percent higher after whey protein ingestion than after casein consumption at rest, and 122 percent higher after exercise in this research of young males. Casein appears to be the primary allergy in cow’s milk, whereas whey protein appears to be the minor allergen, according to this study.
Whey protein appears to be more effective and less allergic. However, when we look at the science, we can see that casein is actually better for reparative muscle synthesis and preserving muscle mass, whereas whey excels almost exclusively at muscle growth.
To summarize, based on the weight of scientific data, the true difference between proteins is minimal. What counts most in the long run is the overall amount of protein consumed. But, because there must be a winner, here’s one more item to think about:
In cow’s milk, 80 percent of the protein is casein and 20% is whey; in human milk, 40 percent of the protein is casein and 60 percent is whey. And what is beneficial for the cow is not always good for us. Whey protein, in particular, is less inflammatory, which helps to tilt the scales in its favor.
Can Keto Make Me Sick?
The Keto-Flu, well, there is such a thing. Not to be confused with a viral or bacterial ailment, the keto-flu is entirely self-inflicted and affects people differently or not at all as they begin a ketogenic diet.
Best Protein Powder for Keto
Whey protein isolate is one of the most effective supplements for Keto dieters. Plant-based and collagen protein have also risen in popularity, and numerous keto-friendly products are available.
With such a crowded market, deciding on the right protein to help you achieve your keto objectives might be difficult. The major distinctions between whey, Collagen, and pea protein are discussed here.
Whey Protein for Keto
Whey protein is a by-product of cheese manufacture and is an animal-based protein found in cow’s milk. It is one of the most widely accessible “complete” proteins because it includes considerable amounts of all nine necessary amino acids.
Over all other isolated protein macro powders, whey protein is the preferred option in the fitness world for building lean muscle mass and promoting strength growth.
In general, keto dieters aim to restrict their carbohydrate intake throughout the day. In terms of carbohydrate consumption, 50 grams per day is the most common intake level that provides ideal balance.
Weight reduction is accelerated, inflammation is controlled, and blood pressure is lowered, among other advantages. Concentrate and isolate whey protein are the two types of whey protein available. Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is the ideal option for keto dieters since it contains less carbs per serving than Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC).
The reason for this is the extra processing step for whey protein isolate, which creates a protein powder that is 90-95 percent protein by volume (filtering out the unnecessary carbohydrates).
Collagen Protein for Keto
Collagen is first among the most prevalent proteins in the human body in terms of quantity. Animal by-products are used to make collagen protein powder (peptides) (bones, skin, eggshell membranes, etc.). It’s a favorite option among Keto dieters because it’s naturally carbohydrate-free.
If you’re looking for a plant-based protein because of dietary limitations or preferences, pea protein offers the greatest amino acid profile compared to other plant-based alternatives, however flavoring and sweeteners are required for palatability.
The greatest low carb choice is unflavored pea protein, which is frequently criticized for its taste. Collagen is not a “complete” protein since it only includes eight of the nine necessary amino acids, while being naturally carb-free. It’s high in proline and glycine (for better joint, skin, and gut health), but you’ll need a complete protein for lean muscle growth.
MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) are lipids present in the oil phase of different foods, such as coconuts, and are commonly supplemented in collagen peptides marketed specifically to the keto community (coconut oil).
Though the additional fats make it a tempting keto option, the flavor typically masks the MCT taste with carbs, so read the nutrition label carefully.
Pea Protein for Keto
Pea protein is a dairy-free, plant-based protein. Extracting protein from yellow split peas and crushing it into a flour-like powder produces the protein powder. Water is then used to remove the fiber and starch from the pea protein isolate.
Pea protein isolate has a low carbohydrate content, making it an ideal keto option. Pea protein, like Collagen, does not contain enough of all nine necessary amino acids when compared to whey protein. It is particularly deficient in methionine, which is required for the production of cysteine.
Best Whey Protein for Keto
When looking for the finest whey protein powder to help you achieve your keto objectives, keep the following factors in mind:
- Low Carbohydrate – This should be your number one focus. Always choose for a whey protein isolate (rather than a concentrate) that has a low carbohydrate content (1 g or less) and a high protein concentration.
- Grass-Fed Sourcing — Keto recommendations don’t distinguish between healthy and harmful protein, however for health-conscious people, grass-fed protein is preferred over grain-fed protein. GMOs, hormones, chemicals, heavy metals, and other contaminants are absent in grass-fed protein. It’s also crucial to think about where the grass-fed whey protein comes from. Cows should be grassfed year-round on wide pastures for the best whey (and the whey should have certificates to prove it!).
- Protein Content – Choose a whey protein powder with a robust amino acid profile, including BCAAs, and a high protein content to get the most out of your protein shake.
- Unflavored – Unflavored whey protein powders allow you to eliminate the hidden carbs included in traditional whey protein powders. You’ll be able to analyze the whey protein quality more accurately if you use unflavored whey.
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can consume whey protein powders while on the keto diet. They have no negative effects and won’t knock you out of ketosis.
P.S. If you’re over 30, even if you don’t exercise, consider taking collagen supplements. It works wonders for your skin, bones, joints, and tendons, as well as assisting in the reduction of apparent aging. In our buyers’ guide, you’ll discover a good alternative.