Keeping protein intake high enough on a ketogenic or low-carb diet can be a struggle for some people, especially those that are active and trying to gain muscle on a ketogenic diet. Supplementing with protein shakes can help you reach your daily protein macros, but many protein shakes also have added sweeteners that can inadvertently knock you out of ketosis. I’ve spent a lot of time looking for inexpensive, great-tasting low-carb keto protein shakes, and it can be a little challenging to find a protein shake that fits that profile.
One option I found beneficial is from Premier Protein. Quickly, I fell in love with Premier Protein shakes. On the other hand, are Premier Protein shakes keto-friendly?
Short Answer: Premier Protein Shakes Are Keto-Friendly
In general, Premier Protein shakes are keto-friendly. So the Premier Protein drink is something that you should be able to have on a low carb or keto diet. Even though Premier Protein shakes do have a few carbohydrates, they should not knock you out of ketosis under most circumstances.
Long Answer: Looking at Premier Protein Shakes and the Keto-Diet
Before deciding if Premier Protein shakes are ok on the keto diet, it is important to take a closer look at the relationship between the keto diet and Premier Protein. Remember that the goal of the ketogenic diet is to consume few carbohydrates while also eating a higher amount of fat and protient. If you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will have to burn something other than carbohydrates for energy. Instead, your body will burn fat for energy, called ketosis. That is how you lose weight.
This fat-burning process takes place in the liver and produces called ketones, thus the name. Ketones can be used to power a variety of bodily functions, including the brain. If you are not consuming as many carbohydrates, you can improve your sensitivity to insulin, keeping your blood sugar under control. This provides a wide array of health benefits.
So, you have to limit your carbohydrate. How many carbohydrates are too many? Can you drink Premier Protein shakes on the keto diet?
The Carbohydrate Limit
If you are trying to lose weight on the ketogenic diet, you need to track your total carbohydrate count closely. In general, there is no limit when it comes to the number of carbohydrates you consume. You need to think about not only how many carbohydrates you are consuming but also how frequently you are consuming them. If you consume too many carbs, you will knock your body out of ketosis, inhibiting the fat-burning process. Some people try to limit the number of carbohydrates to eat on a daily basis to 50 grams. Other people may try to limit their carbohydrate and takes only 25 grams of daily. carbohydrates.
If you decide to follow the ketogenic diet, you have to count every carbohydrate you consume. This includes the carbohydrates in Premier Protein shakes, even if they are relatively low.
Premier Protein Shakes and Carbohydrates: Are Premier Protein Shakes Keto?
So, whether you are eating protein bars or Premier Protein shakes, you have to take a look at the nutrition facts. That way, you can see exactly how many carbohydrates you are consuming. Furthermore, if you drink more than one Premier Protein shake, you obviously have to multiply the number of carbohydrates in each Shake by the number of shakes you consume.
Of course, there are multiple flavors available when it comes to Premier Protein shakes. Even though they might have slightly different card counts, most of them are going to fall in an acceptable range. As long as you are not consuming a handful of them at the same time, you should be able to keep your body in ketosis.
Each Premier Protein shake is 11 ounces. The number of carbohydrates listed below pertains to one 11-ounce Premier Protein shake. The carb counts include:
- Vanilla: 4 grams of total carbohydrates (includes 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of sugar)
- Bananas and Cream: 3 grams of carbohydrates
- Pumpkin Space: 3 grams of carbohydrates
- Strawberries and Cream: 3 grams of carbohydrates
- Chocolate: 2 grams of carbohydrates
- Cookies and Cream: 3 grams of carbohydrates
- Peaches and Cream: 2 grams of carbohydrates
- Cafe Latte: 3 grams of carbohydrates
- Caramel: 3 grams of carbohydrates
Clearly, the carbohydrate count in each of these protein shake options is relatively low. If you drink multiple Premier Protein shakes, you do run the risk of knocking your body out of ketosis. Therefore, you have to keep all of this in mind.
Furthermore, you may decide to make your own shakes from Premier Protein powder. Fortunately, the carbohydrate count in the Premier Protein powder is also relatively low. On the other hand, you also need to be careful if you are putting multiple scoops into a single protein shake. If you consume too much protein powder, you could knock your body out of ketosis that way instead.
Is Premier Protein Good for You?
Carbohydrates and ketosis are not the only two things that will determine whether you are able to lose weight on the keto diet. You also have to make sure that you eat a healthy, well-rounded diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as maintain a calorie deficit. Therefore, a lot of people are wondering if Premier Protein is actually healthy. If you are trying to incorporate shakes and powders into your diet, then Premier Protein could be a solid option for you. They keep their carbohydrate counts low and are friendly to the keto diet.
The good news is that the ingredient list when it comes to Premier Protein is relatively healthy. It contains a lot of protein, numerous minerals, countless vitamins, and a lot of essential amino acids. Therefore, with only a few protein shakes, it is possible for you to access a lot of the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis without violating the rules of the ketogenic diet.
Keep in mind that not every flavor is going to taste good to everyone. That is why there are multiple flavors available. Try a few flavors, figure out what you like, and see if you can lose weight on the ketogenic diet with the help of Premier Protein shakes.