Many people want to know if whey protein is keto-friendly. This is a controversial topic because some people claim that it is, while others think whey protein will kick you out of ketosis. Whatever your stance is on this topic, you should scientific research that supports the latter position. Specifically, whey protein can cause significant insulin spikes in your body.
These research studies show that whey protein causes an increase in serum levels of leucine, isoleucine and valine, and it also causes increases in the insulin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). The study compared insulin levels after ingesting whey, white bread, and glucose. After 15 and 30 minutes, those that ingested whey had insulin levels nearly double that of those that ingested white bread and glucose!
Besides the insulin spikes, those on a keto diet should be wary of the high amounts of protein that these whey protein supplements contain. Keto requires that you maintain a moderate level of protein in your diet, because consuming too much protein will cause the excess protein to be converted to glucose, resulting in a loss of the state of ketosis. That’s why you should be either consuming all your protein through natural foods, or choosing a protein supplement that won’t spike your insulin levels and which contains a proper amount of protein, such as this special keto meal replacement smoothie: striveketo.com/strawberry-shake
So what is an appropriate amount of protein? Take your body weight in kilograms, and this number in grams is the amount of protein that you should be consuming each day. Besides containing too much protein and spiking your insulin levels, some of these whey protein supplements also contain other sneaky chemicals and ingredients that may wreak havoc on your diet. That’s why it’s important to examine the ingredients in your supplements and also do your research on whether a particular product is good for your diet and your overall health.
Choosing supplement products can be tricky, because many of these supplements are created in the same labs that manufacture all kinds of other supplements, so traces of different ingredients can be mixed together, giving you no idea of what you’re actually taking. We hear these stories in the news all the time of professional athletes testing positive for banned substances after taking tainted supplements. The bottom line is to be more cautious and judicious when choosing supplements. Try to buy from companies with good reputations and only buy products that you truly trust; and always inspect the ingredients carefully.