Are Atkins Shakes Keto Friendly?

The Atkins diet is another popular low-carb diet like keto that also promotes healthy eating and weight loss. 

You’ve probably heard about Atkins products, and their shakes are considered the most low-carb. If used correctly, these shakes are a good option for weight loss.

But are Atkins Shakes keto-friendly? 

We discuss the ingredients and nutritional information in Atkins Shakes and whether they make a good meal replacement.

Find out if these shakes are good for weight loss and whether they are suitable for the keto diet.

What are Atkins Shakes?

Atkins Shakes are ready-made protein drinks that are marketed as low-carb to help people with weight loss. 

These sweet and creamy drinks are said to make a perfect meal or snack, containing calcium, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals to keep you satiated.

The goal is to help suppress appetite, so you consume fewer calories and lose weight.

These shakes have only 1-2g of net carbs. 

Your carb intake is important on the keto diet to enable a fat-burning mode called ketosis. 

Atkins shakes come in two main types: regular Atkins shakes and Atkins Plus, a protein shake that also has a high fiber content.

In addition to these, you can also buy Atkins powdered shake mixes. 

Many users state that the taste of Atkins Shake is enjoyable. Aside from being appetizing and filling, it is sweet and creamy. It’s also not too chalky! 

Others report that it is much yummier to drink than the powder variant. 

Are Atkins Shakes a Great Meal Replacement?

Atkins Shakes do make a good meal replacement, but you shouldn’t consume them daily.

Even if they are a great source of nutrition, Atkins shakes are not meant to be used as a meal replacement on a regular basis. 

The brand was started by the cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins as a support to those people on the Atkins diet. 

The company offers a section on their website dedicated to Atkins diet recipes, including the best foods on the Atkins food list. 

You want to avoid consuming too many proteins shakes in one day. A 2013 study shows that consuming more than the daily requirement of protein may lead to kidney and bone problems.

Too much protein may also kick you out of ketosis! 

Drink Atkins Shakes alongside healthy whole foods that are keto-friendly to help you lose weight. Eggs, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables are all excellent options.

Atkins Shakes Ingredients and Nutrition

At a glance, the Atkins Shake looks okay for the keto diet, but have you checked the list of ingredients?

Protein

Protein is one of Atkins’ main ingredients. Aside from building muscles, it helps create hormones and enzymes that metabolize vitamins.

Isolated soy protein is one of the main ingredients of the Atkins shake. It’s simply soybean extract defatted to provide protein.

While this is a good ingredient, some people have concerns about soy because they contain antinutrients that reduce the availability of the iron and zinc in soy protein.

Most of the soy used today is non-organic, processed soy. And around 90% is genetically modified. 

Sadly, soy contains phytoestrogens, which mimic estrogen in the body, causing major health issues for males and females.

It also uses casein as a protein source, a slow-digesting protein that releases great stuff to your muscles.

Lastly, it includes milk isolate which digests much slower. However, this ingredient is only 90% protein since it has fats and sugars too. 

We love that Atkins Shakes use these three different proteins to help you achieve your fitness goals. 

However, the company does not show what kind of amino acids their protein shakes provide. 

This low-carb shake also contains Carrageenan, which is a thickener and stabilizer that has a carcinogenic effect.

Remember that you can meet your protein needs on the keto diet by eating good quality meat, dairy, and other whole foods. 

But protein shakes do offer a convenient way to increase your intake!

Fiber

The regular Atkins Shakes also contain 5g of fiber, an essential element in meal replacement shakes to help keep you full.

Fiber also minimizes digestive issues like constipation. Most keto dieters lack fiber, so consider adding more to your diet with fiber supplements.

Adequate fiber intake helps with bowel health and helps naturally remove toxins from the body. 

Fats, Vitamins, and Minerals

With 15g protein per 160-calorie serving, the Atkins shake has 24 vitamins and minerals that are all at 20 to 35% daily recommended value.

The shake also has nutrients that many people lack, like vitamin D, B12, calcium, and iron, which makes it an ideal meal replacement.

It also includes 9g of fat, 10mg of cholesterol, and 200mg of sodium. 

Are Atkins Shakes Good for Weight Loss?

Yes. 

A 2014 study in the Journal of Biomed Central Women’s Health and a 2018 research on the Journal of Obesity Surgery shows that liquid meal replacements help people lose weight.

Atkins shakes are an on-the-go drink that provides enough nutrients to substitute for a meal. 

However, shakes should not be your only source of nutrition. Drink them alongside balanced whole-food meals that are keto-friendly to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

And besides, you can’t rely on Atkins shakes long-term as meal replacements. 

Another thing you want to consider is that Atkins Shakes are higher in calories compared to other protein shakes, potentially making it harder to lose weight.  

Atkins Shake Carbs and Sugar Content

On the keto diet, you want your shake to have a good amount of fat, but you also want it to be low in carbs. 

The amount of carbs and sugar in Atkins Shakes depends on the flavor.

Interestingly Atkins Shakes usually have about 7g of total carbs and 2g of net carbs. You get the net carbs by subtracting the fiber from the total carb amount.

With 7g total carbs and only 2g net carbs, Atkins is a low-carb option for a protein shake.

The 2 grams of net carbs are mostly sugar and sucralose. While this amount will not harm you, overindulgence can lead to weight gain and obesity.

 Here’s a list of their flavors and net carb content:

• Vanilla Cream Shake: 3g net carbs
• Cafe Caramel Shake: 2g net carbs
• Milk Chocolate Delight Shake: 2g net carbs
• Atkins Plus Chocolate: 2g net carbs
• Atkins Plus Vanilla: 1g net carbs
• Mocha Latte Shake: 3g net carbs
• Dark Chocolate Royale Shake: 2g net carbs
• Creamy Chocolate Shake: 3g net carbs
• Chocolate Banana Energy Shake: 4g net carbs
• Cookies and Creme Shake: 2g net carbs
• French Vanilla Shake: 1g net carbs
• Strawberry Shake: 1g net carbs.

The only problem with Atkins Shake is that it contains an artificial sweetener called sucralose to sweeten the shake. 

Artificial sweeteners don’t give the brain the same “reward” sensation that sugar does. It doesn’t make you satisfied, making you want to eat other foods.

Other side effects of artificial sweeteners include:

• headaches
• mood changes
• digestive troubles.

Keto Diet Overview

The keto diet promotes the production of ketone bodies for energy when you’re low on carbs. 

It encourages a high-fat, low-carb diet to produce ketones in the liver once there’s not enough glucose in your system. 

Your brain can use ketone bodies for energy, too. 

It’s similar to the Atkins diet, except it’s a little stricter and is not composed of phases. 

For example, on the Atkins diet phase 1, you can only eat 20g of carbs per day for two weeks. 

Are Atkins Shakes Keto-Friendly?

Yes.

Atkins Shakes are a great way to increase your protein intake without getting kicked out of ketosis. It’s also a quick way to provide your body with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Out of all the macros, protein is by far the most satisfying.

However, sucralose does the opposite. Artificial sweeteners are 180 to 20,000 times sweeter than sugar despite having few to no calories. However, it can alter your taste buds to have a higher tolerance.

The sweetener may increase your appetite for high-carb foods and stimulate fat storage and weight gain.

This means that, despite the low carb count of Atkins Shake, the artificial sweetener in it may cause you to drink more. 

If you lack self-control, drinking more Atkins shakes may kick you out of ketosis, especially if you have consumed other foods and drinks as well.

To be fair, Atkins Shakes are keto-friendly. The sucralose content is not too high, so the craving effect may be minimal.

Another thing to look for when checking whether your food or drink is keto-friendly is its nutrient density. 

Atkins Shakes are high in fats, vitamins, and minerals without kicking you out of ketosis.

Try sticking to the lower-carb options, like: 

• Cafe Caramel Shake
• Milk Chocolate Delight Shake
• Atkins Plus Chocolate
• Atkins Plus Vanilla
• Dark Chocolate Royale Shake
• Cookies and Creme Shake
• French Vanilla Shake
• Strawberry Shake.

It should be noted that Atkins Shakes are not a long-term shake option. We also don’t recommend consuming them as regular replacements for whole food meals. 

FAQ Keto and Atkins Protein Shakes

Are Atkins Products Keto-Friendly?

Most Atkins products are low-carb, but the shake variant is the keto-friendliest of all.

Some of them may not kick you out of ketosis, but they also contain maltitol or sucralose, sweeteners that should be avoided on the diet.

The Atkins meal bars may also be unhealthy if you use them often as meal replacements. 

Learn more about eating Atkins Bars on the keto diet!

Are Collagen Peptides Better than Atkins Shake?

Collagen peptides are thought to be better than Atkins Shakes on the keto diet. Usually, they are lower in carbs as they only have 0-4g net carbs.

Aside from helping with building your muscle, collagen peptides also help with aging skin and weak nails & hair. Type 2 collagen also helps with joint pain and arthritis.

Try collagen peptides on the keto diet if you want another way to increase your protein intake on the ketogenic diet.

Is it Okay to Drink Protein Shakes on the Keto Diet?

Yes.

Protein shakes on the keto diet are acceptable if they contain only a few carbs.

They help increase your protein consumption for muscle repair and your overall body function.

However, you also want to look out for sugar alcohols.

Sugar alcohols may be great on keto, but they can upset your stomach.

Find out the best protein shakes for the keto diet now!

Can You Drink Protein Shakes without Working Out?

Because protein contains calories, too many protein shakes may slow down your weight loss efforts. 

This is especially true if you drink protein shakes along with eating your usual diet, keto or not. It becomes even worse when you do not exercise.

Learn how to exercise the right way on the keto diet! 

Atkins Shakes are Keto-Approved!

As it turns out, Atkins Shakes are keto-friendly! 

With only around 2g of net carbs and a lot of essential nutrients, this potential meal replacement will not kick you out of ketosis.

Atkins Shakes are made for people on low-carb diets like Atkins or keto to help them increase their protein intake while keeping their carb intake at bay.

Don’t overdrink Atkins Shakes and pair them with healthy, low-carb whole foods to make sure you don’t ruin your weight loss efforts.

Make sure to abide by your macro allocations at all times to stay in ketosis.