Will Protein Shakes Kick You Out Of Ketosis? A Doctor Weighs In

It’s very common when you start any new diet to start thinking whether the things you usually consume on a daily basis are going to fit in the new diet or not. On Keto, it’s important to bear in mind that protein is a crucial part of the puzzle that shouldn’t be ignored. However, consuming it in large amounts also has its downsides. So the question of the day is..

Will Protein Shakes Kick You Out Of Ketosis?

What determines whether protein shakes will kick you out of ketosis is the total amount of protein you are consuming. If that protein shake will make you exceed your protein limit, it can trigger gluconeogenesis to the point that there is too much glucose in your blood that you’re out of ketosis.

In this article, we’ll go deeper into what makes a protein shake a problem on the Keto diet and intermittent fasting, the best types of protein shakes/powder you can drink on Keto and how much protein you need depending on your lifestyle.

Can You Drink Protein Shakes on the Keto Diet?

Protein shakes are allowed on Keto. However, you should 1) learn to pick the right types of protein, 2) make sure they don’t have added carbs, and 3) make sure that these protein shakes are not getting you over your protein limit.

As we mentioned earlier, the problem is not about protein shakes in particular, rather the total protein amount consumed throughout the day. Keto is a game of numbers. If you commit to the right numbers, you should be on the right track.

Whether you’re getting your protein needs from beef, eggs, chicken, dairy, or protein powder, it doesn’t really affect your state of ketosis. What really matters is getting the right amount and getting it from healthy sources.

Can You Drink Whey Protein on Keto Diet?

Whey protein can be a great addition to your Keto diet. It’s an easily digested protein that can also help you meet your protein requirements more easily. Usually, one scoop of whey protein has an average of 2g of net carbs and 24g of protein.

How To Know The Amount of Protein You Need?

When it comes to what should be eaten on Keto, there is no one set of numbers that apply to everybody. Each body is different. Nevertheless, to give you numbers, which I know you love, I did the research for you and the amount suggested can be broken down to 3 categories of people: Those of you with a sedentary lifestyle, active lifestyle and weightlifters. It goes as follows:

Those with A Sedentary Lifestyle: Should aim for 0.6-0.8g of protein for every pound of lean body mass.
Those with Regularly Active Lifestyle: Should aim for 0.8-1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass.
Weightlifters: Should aim for 1.0-1.2g of protein for every pound of lean body mass.

These are estimates. You should always try to find out what works for you.

You should focus on trying to hit these numbers on a daily basis. If you go just a little bit down or up, it won’t really matter. What matters is not depriving your body of the adequate amount of protein that it needs for various biological processes that are happening around the hour. Also, not going overboard with the amount of protein too much, to avoid glucose problems that can occur via gluconeogenesis.

You should also try to consider other factors that might require you to eat more protein than you usually should. Stress and growth are two important examples.

The Best Types Of Protein Powders To Drink On Keto

1- Whey Protein:

Whey protein is one of the two types of protein that get extracted from milk. It’s a high-quality protein that can quickly be digested in your body. It has two types: Concentrate and Isolate. The main difference is in the protein to carbs ratio. So, while generally, one scoop of protein has averagely 25g of protein, and anywhere between 0-5g of carbs, the fact that it’s concentrate or isolate determines where it belongs in that carb range.

If you don’t have a reason to stay away from it, whey protein should be your first protein powder choice. In fact, here’s my absolute favorite one on amazon.

2- Casein Protein:

This is the second type of protein derived from milk. The main difference between casein and whey is the absorption rate. While whey is an easy-to-digest protein, casein takes longer to be digested and absorbed. Which makes it perfect as a before-bed shake. Your body would be happy that you gave it something to chew on during all these hours. If you want to give it a try, I have found this one to be the best tasting, most soluble alternative.

3- Egg White Protein:

White egg powder is a relatively expensive protein powder alternative. It’s a high-quality protein that can be a great addition to your diet if you’re looking to add a good amount of protein to your day, and can’t consume milk-derived proteins, like whey and casein, if you’re lactose-intolerant, for example.

If you’re like me, you just hate separating egg whites and throwing away the yolks. Well, you don’t have to, there’s a product that is just egg whites.

I highly recommend this protein for anyone looking for a protein powder and has the budget to spend a little more to get something better.

4- Pea Protein:

The way this protein is prepared is by grinding dried peas and extracting the carbs out of the powder. Which makes it a perfect protein powder for those on a Vegan Keto diet. This protein powder is fantastic. It was of great help when I tried both vegan keto and vegetarian keto.

5-Soy Protein:

This is also made by grinding soybeans, and then isolating the soy protein so that the result is a high-protein powder that has almost zero carbs. If I have to recommend one for you, that one from Sports Now would be the one.

6-Rice Protein Isolate:

What makes this protein powder special is that it’s the least ever to cause an allergic reaction. So, if you’re someone who has given up on finding a protein that you’re not allergic to, then this might be the one for you. (Remember to consult your physician first.) This would be my first recommendation.

7- Collagen Protein:

It makes sense that since collagen is mostly part of

Can I Drink Protein Shakes While Intermittent Fasting?

Protein shakes will break your fast. While you can drink them in your eating window, drinking them while you fast will raise insulin levels in your blood and kick your body out of the fasting state.

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