Increasing Protein Intake While On A Keto Diet

Increasing your protein intake on a keto diet is not only safe but also necessary. Protein is a building block of life and a necessary component of any diet. It is crucial for healthy brain function, skin, bone, and muscle health, building muscle mass, and recovering after workouts.

On a keto diet, it is recommended that you consume 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of reference body weight. This range has been shown to preserve muscle mass, improve body composition, and provide other health benefits.

- Eat your protein first. Eating protein first can help keep your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising too high after a meal.

- Replace cereal with eggs. Three large eggs provide 19 grams of protein, along with important nutrients like selenium and choline.

- Choose Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is a versatile, high-protein food. A 3.5-ounce serving provides 10 grams of protein, which is twice the amount in traditional yogurt.

- Have a protein shake for breakfast. Using protein powders makes it easy to create a healthy, high-protein shake.

- Include a high-protein food with every meal. Examples include soy products like tofu or tempeh, chicken, turkey, and lean beef.

- Choose leaner, slightly larger cuts of meat. This can help boost the protein content of your meal while keeping the calorie count low.

- Add peanut butter to your diet. Peanut butter is a delicious, high-protein food with a creamy texture that pairs well with a variety of ingredients.

Eat protein-rich foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese

Eating protein-rich foods is an excellent way to increase your protein intake while on a keto diet. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you include more of these foods in your diet:

Choose High-Quality Protein Sources:

• Opt for animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, and seafood. These are considered "complete proteins" as they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs.
• Include eggs and dairy products like cheese, plain Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese in your diet. These are also excellent sources of protein.
• If you are vegetarian or vegan, focus on plant-based proteins like tofu, soy products, nuts, and seeds. However, keep in mind that plant proteins may have lower amounts of certain essential amino acids compared to animal proteins.

Include Protein in Every Meal:

• Aim to include a serving of protein-rich foods at each meal. For example, a piece of meat the size of a deck of cards is roughly 20 grams of protein.
• Spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day. This will help you meet your daily protein goals and keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Be Mindful of Carbohydrates:

• When choosing protein sources, be mindful of the carbohydrate content, especially in nuts, processed meats, tofu, and vegetarian/vegan meat substitutes. These can add up quickly and take you out of ketosis.
• Space out your protein intake and combine it with healthy fats to ensure you stay satiated and don't overeat other macronutrients.

Calculate Your Protein Needs:

• Use a keto calculator or work with a healthcare professional to determine your ideal protein intake based on your body weight, activity level, and goals.
• Generally, aim for 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, this may vary depending on your individual needs and activity level.
• If you are trying to lose weight, you may benefit from a higher protein intake, such as 2.4 to 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Remember, it's important to listen to your body and adjust your protein intake accordingly. Increasing your intake of protein-rich foods can help ensure you're getting sufficient protein while following a keto diet.

Aim for 1.2-2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, but it's a common misconception that you should keep protein intake to a minimum. In fact, it's crucial to eat enough protein to support vital bodily functions. These include:

• Healthy brain function
• Skin, bone, and muscle health
• Building muscle mass
• Recovering after workouts

According to ketogenic diet experts Stephen Phinney, MD, PhD, and Jeff Volek, PhD, RD, the ideal way to calculate your protein needs is in grams per kilogram of body weight (g/kg body weight). They recommend a target range of 1.2-2.0 g/kg body weight, depending on your lifestyle. For example, a male who lifts heavy weights regularly should eat at the higher end of this range, while a smaller female who doesn't do much weight training may be better off with a lower protein intake.

First, convert your target weight to kilograms by dividing it by 2.2. Then, multiply that weight in kilograms by 1.2 to get the lower end of your target protein range and by 2.0 to get the higher end.

If your goal is to lose weight, increasing your protein consumption can be beneficial. Protein is more satiating than fat, so it can help you feel fuller for longer and prevent overeating. It's also more nutrient-dense, and your body needs to use more energy (calories) to burn protein than to burn fat.

Not eating enough protein on keto can have serious side effects, including worsened workout performance, neuron atrophy, a weaker immune system, and an increased risk of certain diseases. It can also lead to weight loss plateaus.

Spread protein intake throughout the day

Spreading your protein intake evenly throughout the day is the easiest way to meet your protein goals. This is because protein is extremely filling, so it can be difficult to meet your goal if you're trying to cram it all into one meal. This can be a real challenge for people following intensive intermittent fasting protocols like 20:4 or one meal a day (OMAD). If you're able, it's best to divide your protein intake evenly throughout the day to ensure you get enough.

A good rule of thumb is to aim for a dose of protein roughly every three hours (excluding the hours you should be sleeping). That's about six protein doses throughout the day. However, this much eating isn't for everyone as it requires serious planning. So, if protein every three hours isn't doable for you, try to aim for four high-protein meals throughout the day.

Each meal and snack should include protein. Getting a decent dose of protein in at every meal can help you stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which is the most important thing you can do outside of the gym to build muscle.

Research has suggested that we need at least 15-25 grams of protein at each meal to adequately stimulate MPS. This roughly works out to 0.4-0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, per meal. So, for example, a 70-80kg person should be aiming for 30-40 grams of protein in every meal.

• Add an egg on top of your morning toast, or have eggs instead of cereal
• Include some peanut butter
• Get on board with protein oats
• Include a high-protein food with every meal
• Choose leaner, slightly larger cuts of meat
• Add peanut butter to your diet
• Indulge in cottage cheese
• Munch on edamame
• Enjoy more whole grains
• Eat more legumes and beans

Choose leaner, larger cuts of meat

Choosing leaner, larger cuts of meat is a great way to increase your protein intake while keeping the calorie count low.

Take two steaks as an example. A 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of ribeye steak has 21 grams of protein and 250 calories. In comparison, a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of sirloin steak has 26 grams of protein and only 150 calories.

By selecting leaner cuts of meat and slightly increasing the portion sizes, you can boost the protein content of your meal. Your meal may even have fewer calories overall.

Meat is a keto-friendly source of protein, along with poultry, fish/shellfish, eggs, and dairy.

Include protein-rich foods in every meal

To increase your protein intake on a keto diet, it is important to include protein-rich foods in every meal. Here are some tips and recommendations to help you achieve that:

• Aim for a minimum of 20 grams of protein at each meal. This amount is important to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and promote muscle growth and repair.
• Spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day. Include a high-protein food with every meal to help you meet your daily goals.
• Choose leaner cuts of meat and slightly larger portions to boost the protein content of your meals. For example, a 3-ounce serving of a lean steak can provide 26 grams of protein.
• Eggs are an excellent source of protein. Replacing cereal with eggs at breakfast is a simple way to increase your protein intake. Three large eggs provide about 19 grams of protein.
• Dairy products such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and plain Greek yogurt are rich in protein. A 3.5-ounce serving of Greek yogurt provides 10 grams of protein.
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, peanuts, and chia seeds, can boost your protein intake. For example, 1 ounce of cheddar cheese contains 7 grams of protein.
• Include tofu, tempeh, and other soy products in your meals. They are excellent plant-based sources of protein.
• Consider using protein supplements, such as protein powders and shakes, to boost your protein intake. Whey protein powder is a popular choice and can help you feel fuller for longer.

Frequently asked questions