Are Pure Protein Shakes Keto Friendly
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Protein is an essential nutrient in our daily lives. Without it, we can’t build bones, tissues, and muscles.
Protein also participates in our cell processes, so its importance can’t be underestimated.
Because of this, many companies have been offering protein-heavy foods and drinks.
You might have heard about Pure Protein, a company that manufactures and sells protein-rich products like shakes and bars.
But are Pure Protein Shakes keto-friendly?
We talk about what is in Pure Protein Shakes and if they are keto-friendly and good for weight loss.
See our picks for the best keto-friendly protein powders you can also try.
What are Pure Protein Shakes?
Pure Protein is a company that produces foods and drinks that are rich in protein. Their main products include Pure Protein bars, Pure Protein powder, and Pure Protein shakes.
Pure Protein claims that their products are all gluten-free and made with 100% whey protein.
Pure Protein Shakes claim to be full of protein, an essential nutrient for overall body function, lean mass, and strength.
You can drink them before or after a vigorous workout session for extra energy and stronger muscles.
The primary ingredients of Pure Protein Shakes are calcium and protein which strengthen bones and make sure that your body is working optimally to fuel your active lifestyle.
Pure Protein is one of the leading manufacturers of effective protein supplements.
Pure Protein Shake Ingredients
Pure Protein’s bars, powder, and shakes provide protein using different blends of ingredients. All of them have at least 18g of protein to help supplement your existing diet.
Pure Protein shakes contain a blend of calcium caseinate and milk protein concentrate.
They also include the following ingredients:
- cocoa
- soybean oil
- dipotassium phosphate
- carrageenan
- sucralose.
Cocoa, soybean oil, and sucralose help to add flavor to the shakes.
Pure Protein Shake Nutrition
With only 116 calories and 2.9g net carbs in a serving, Pure Protein may seem like a healthy, low-carb drink.
It also contains the following:
- 9.7g fat
- 15mg cholesterol
- 165mg sodium
- 252.2mg potassium
- 22.3g protein
- 680mg calcium (69% of DV based on a 2000-calorie diet)
- 0.8mg iron (10% of DV based on a 2000-calorie diet).
Protein helps you increase muscle mass and strength. If you are physically active, you need to make sure that you are getting enough of this nutrient.
It’s also good for your bone health. People who eat more protein tend to maintain bone mass better as they age.
They have a much lower risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
Eating more protein is one of the best ways to reduce age-related muscle deterioration.
If you are lactose-intolerant, however, a Pure Protein shake may not be for you.
What’s more, constipation and nutritional deficiency may be a result of drinking more protein shakes than fruits and vegetables.
Despite their nutritional benefits, protein shakes should not be replacements for whole foods.
Pure Protein’s website clearly states this. Pure Protein shakes are not intended to be a replacement for an entire meal.
They are best used in between meals to satisfy your body’s need for protein.
Are Pure Protein Shakes Good for Weight Loss?
Yes – under the right circumstances.
Pure Protein shakes can help with weight loss if you eat fewer calories than you burn.
Protein as a macronutrient is the most filling, helping you feel more satiated with less food.
This is because protein reduces your levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. It also boosts the levels of peptide YY.
Protein also reduces cravings and desire for late-night snacking, but only if it has little to no sugar.
A food craving is all about your brain needing a reward, which is why it’s so hard to control. One way to prevent this is by increasing your protein intake.
Studies show that increasing protein to 25% of calories reduced the cravings of overweight men by 60%.
Remember that your protein shake should have very little sugar content as sugar does the opposite when it comes to cravings.
Lastly, protein may help with weight loss because it boosts metabolism and increases fat burning. Your body uses calories to digest and make use of nutrients in foods.
In short protein intake leads to a reduction in calorie intake and cravings, so can help with losing weight.
However, when consumed in large amounts without enough exercise, protein shakes like Pure Protein may make you gain weight and can even kick you out of ketosis.
This is why many fitness enthusiasts rely on protein shakes only to help with muscle growth.
Are Pure Protein Shakes Keto-Friendly?
Pure Protein shakes are indeed a great way to increase your protein intake. Drink them before working out to improve your strength or after your session to help with muscle repair and growth.
However, despite being high in protein Pure Protein shakes usually score poorly when it comes to keto diet standards.
On the keto diet, your carb limit varies but it’s usually between 20 and 50g of carbs per day.
While Pure Protein shakes only have a few net carbs, consuming these sweetened drinks can make you crave other foods.
Sweetened foods can increase the levels of a hunger-promoting hormone called ghrelin.
Here’s how much net carbs each Pure Protein shake flavor includes:
- Cookies n cream: 2g net carbs
- Banana cream: 2g net carbs
- Strawberry cream: 3g net carbs
- Vanilla cream: 2g net carbs
- Frosty chocolate: 2.9g net carbs
- Rich chocolate: 2g net carbs
- Vanilla milkshake: 2g net carbs.
As you can see, Pure Protein shakes are very low-carb. So, they are technically keto-friendly.
But be aware that too much protein can also kick you out of ketosis!
One can or two will not kick you out of ketosis, but they can increase your sugar cravings, which can lead to over-eating.
Some of the shakes also contain Maltodextrin, a hidden carb with a high glycemic index.
Sucralose is another problematic sweetener on the keto diet and there are other sugar alcohols like stevia and erythritol that are more suitable for those on keto.
Lastly, you want to limit your Pure protein shake intake because it has carrageenan, an additive that thickens and preserves drinks.
Degraded carrageenan is a carcinogenic version of the ingredient that also induces inflammation.
Others also associate it with digestive problems, although human studies are still lacking in this area to be conclusive.
Remember to maximize your daily carb limit on the keto diet by consuming healthy and nutritious whole foods.
Best Keto-Friendly Protein Shake
Pure Protein Shakes are acceptable on the keto diet. But if you want the best for your keto journey, why not go for a keto shake with MCT oil and collagen peptides?
Perfect Keto’s Grass-Fed Protein Powder is made with collagen peptides and MCT.
Collagen peptides on the keto diet provide amino acids for your hair, skin, and nails. They also help repair muscles, joints, and tissues on keto.
It is the most common structural protein in the body that is found in your skin, nails, bones, ligaments, and tendons.
MCT oil is considered the best type of fat on the diet. It increases your energy levels while also controlling your appetite and brain function.
Perfect Keto has less than 2g of net carbs without the artificial flavors, chemicals, and ingredients!
FAQ Keto Diet and Protein Shakes
How Many Pure Protein Shakes Can I Have on Keto?
One Pure Protein Shake is enough.
You also don’t want to drink these daily unless you have an active lifestyle on the keto diet.
Consuming too many protein shakes can upset your stomach, especially if you are lactose-intolerant.
Pure Protein shakes have a net carb count of about 2g. Remember not to exceed your daily carb limit so you won’t get kicked out of ketosis.
What is the Best Protein Shake for Keto?
The best protein shake for the keto diet is one that can give you your protein needs without kicking you out of ketosis.
To do this, you have to make sure that the product has little to no carbs and sugar.
Ideally, the best keto protein shake on the diet will have 4g of net carbs at most.
What is the Best Drink on Keto?
The best drink, as always, is water.
But if you want to spice things up a little, you can enjoy a few different drinks on the keto diet. For example, you can have sparkling water, flavored water, and keto soda!
You can also have coffee or tea if it does not have any sugar or flavorings.
Check out other keto drinks you can have aside from water.
Are Pure Protein Bars Keto-Friendly?
Pure Protein also manufactures protein bars for those on the keto diet.
Unlike the shake variety, Pure Protein bars are not keto-friendly because they have 9.5-15.5 g net carbs per serving.
That’s too high for someone who has a daily carb limit of 25-50g net carbs.
Pure Protein bars come in a variety of flavors like chocolate deluxe and birthday cake. They can also be classified into two types – meal bars or snack bars.
Learn what happens when you eat Pure Protein bars while you are in ketosis.
Get the Best Protein Shake for Keto!
Pure Protein shakes are considered somewhat keto-friendly because they only have about 2g of net carbs per serving.
They are great for fitness enthusiasts who want to lose weight, maintain their weight, or build muscle.
2g may be nothing on your daily carb limit, but you still want to choose high-quality carb sources like fruits and vegetables to make the most out of your intake.
It also contains maltodextrin and sucralose, sweeteners that are not great for those on keto.
Look for a good ketogenic protein powder instead. Aside from being low-carb, these protein shakes contain keto sweeteners and MCT oil for higher energy levels while staying in ketosis.
