Is Whey Protein Keto Safe?

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Is Whey Protein Keto Safe?

The keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is one of the best and most popular weight loss diets around. It has provided fast and effective weight loss results for a lot of people, and has only increased in popularity in recent years.

But is whey protein keto-safe? Can you have whey protein if you are on a keto diet?

Keto diets are known for being strict diets. Being on a keto diet involves tracking macronutrients and limiting the consumption of a lot of foods.

Whey protein, however, is a dietary supplement, which can create some confusion around whether you are allowed to whey protein on a keto diet.

To fully understand the answer, we must first understand what a keto diet is exactly and what whey protein used is for.

What Is A Keto Diet, Exactly?

A keto diet (ketogenic diet) is a diet focused on high fat (healthy fats), moderate protein, and low-carb consumption.

To be specific, keto diets aim to divide daily food consumption into 70-80% fat, 10-20% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates.

Carbs are limited to around 50 grams per day, but can be as low as 20 grams for some people. For this reason, sugars are also limited on a keto diet.

What’s the point of a keto diet?

The goal of a keto diet is to put the body into ketosis. This is a metabolic state in which the body will burn body fat, as opposed to carbohydrates from food, for energy. The result is fast and effective weight loss in a short period.

Keto Benefits

The obvious benefit of a ketogenic diet is quick weight loss. For people wanting fast weight loss results, keto diets are one of the most effective methods.

At the same time, due to keto diet requirements, another benefit is a healthier overall diet (and lifestyle) that limits the consumption of unhealthy food – such as junk food, fast food, processed food, unhealthy fats, and sugars.

Summarized, the benefits of a keto diet are:

  • fast and effective weight loss
  • overall healthy diet
  • may improve heart health
  • may improve brain functions
  • may reduce the risk of certain diseases

What Is Whey Protein?

Is Whey Protein Keto Safe?

Whey protein is a widely used dietary supplement for increasing protein intake. It is used by weight lifters, bodybuilders, and athletes, as well as anyone who just wants or needs to increase protein in their diet.

Whey protein comes in powder form, diluted with water and/or milk to create a protein shake. It comes in a wide range of flavors and is widely available to purchase at reasonable prices.

Most popular whey protein supplements offer around 25 grams of protein per serving (scoop), with an average calorie count that is between 100 and 150 calories.

Whey protein is used to increase daily protein intake, as well as build muscle mass.

Whey Protein Benefits

The main benefits of whey protein are to increase overall protein intake and increase muscle mass.

For people who do not get enough protein in their diet, or people who want to build muscle, whey protein is a fast, convenient, and simple solution.

Whey protein is widely considered to be safe to use, with no real side effects, downsides, or disadvantages. Side effects of whey protein are rare and, in general, not serious.

In fact, whey protein is one of the most popular supplements on the market, used by everyone from casual weight lifters to world-famous sports athletes. It is widely available to purchase and typically affordable for most people.

Summarized, the benefits of whey protein are:

  • convenient way to increase dietary protein intake
  • increase muscle mass and muscle size
  • repair muscles after weight lifting or intense exercise
  • safe to use

Can I Have Whey Protein On A Keto Diet?

Is Whey Protein Keto Safe?

Keto diets can be strict, but ultimately nothing should stop you from having whey protein –  as long as it fits into your daily macronutrients.

Macronutrients, often called macros, are the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats you consume on a daily basis.

Macros are limited in a keto diet, which means that you need to keep track of your overall daily intake of protein, carbs, and fats. 

The good thing about whey protein is that it is typically low in carbohydrates and fat.

A single serving of a popular whey protein supplement contains around 25 grams of protein. So, you would just need to make sure that this amount of protein does not take you over the recommended protein intake of your keto diet.

Is Whey Protein Keto Safe?

Is whey protein keto-friendly?

The simple answer is yes, whey protein is keto-friendly and keto-safe – as long as it meets the requirements of your keto diet.

As mentioned above, whey protein is typically low in carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and sugar – three things that are limited for people on keto diets.

Whey protein supplements are used to increase protein intake. Therefore, as long as the protein consumed does not exceed your allocated macros, nothing should stop you from using whey protein as a supplement. 

At the same time, if you are worried about your daily calorie intake, you might want to consider taking whey protein isolate instead of regular whey protein. Whey protein isolate goes through additional filtering, lowering the amount of calories per serving.

Conclusion

Is whey protein keto-safe? The final verdict is yes, you can take whey protein on a ketogenic diet as long as it fits into your allocated macros.

Keto diets involve limiting protein, carbs, and fat intake to a specific amount. As long as the amount of protein consumed from a whey protein shake does not make you exceed your protein limit, there is nothing wrong with taking whey protein.

While whey protein does not contain a high amount of carbohydrates, fats, or sugars, a single serving of whey protein can include around 100-150 calories. For this reason, whey protein isolate might be a better option, having an average of 75 calories per serving.

About The Author

heydayDo author Greg Simon

Hi, I’m Gregory Simon. Fitness training & nutrition researching since 1982. ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition) Pro Member. MBA, B.Sc.

Author. Surfer. Organic food grower. Congenital heart disease survivor (so far).

heydayDo.com is my wellness blog that’s about encouraging a healthy lifestyle as we age. 

I share my fitness training experience as well as the sports science research I’ve done on the many benefits strength building, exercise, & good eating habits offer us. 

I also write review articles after product testing and evaluating home gym equipment & fitness supplements.

My hope is that you’ll find useful or encouraging information here on my website that will benefit your unique fitness journey.

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