Blending blackberries and apples has a lower glycemic response than eating whole apples and blackberries, possibly due to the pulverized blackberry seeds.
“I increased my protein to at least 100 grams to sometimes up to 150 and I lift heavier weights now. I’m 68 and I’ve definitely increased my muscle mass. Most older women do not eat enough protein. I lifted weights for years with not much progress until I increased protein.“
Whey protein isolate is the gold standard of protein powders, and it’s the only one I take besides collagen, but it’s not the only one out there. There are reasons for branching out beyond whey into other types of protein powder. Maybe you’d like some variety once in awhile. Maybe you’re just curious about what else is out there, or perhaps you don’t want any animal protein at all. Whatever the reason, I figured I’d give you some info on some of the more popular types of protein powder, including whether or not they contribute meaningfully to our intake of essential amino acids.
Before we begin, let’s talk about how we can measure a protein’s usability.
The BV (biological value) is one way to measure a protein’s “usability.” Biological value testing measures the amount of nitrogen that appears in the urine and feces after eating it to determine how much was retained and utilized by the body. If very little nitrogen appears in the toilet after eating a given protein, that protein has a high BV. If a good amount appears in the toilet, that protein has a lower BV.
The higher the BV, the greater the proportion of available protein that can be synthesized by the body’s cells. Higher BVs usually indicate a greater amount of essential amino acids—those amino acids that the body cannot synthesize or convert on its own and must instead obtain from the diet—but it doesn’t measure them specifically.
Note, though, that biological value does not refer to the amount of protein in the powder; it only refers to the usability of the protein in the powder. A particular powder might be 60% protein, and the biological value would tell you exactly how much of that 60% is usable by the body. Different powders have different protein contents. Hemp protein, for example, is often about 50% protein, but it varies by the manufacturer. A quick glance at the nutrition facts should clue you in.
There’s also the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which is the method by which the World Health Organization and FDA evaluate protein value. It’s a newer model, and it’s based on the amino acid requirements of humans, specifically children, as well as digestibility and absorption. To determine the PDCAAS, they measure fecal nitrogen and track the amount of essential amino acids in each protein powder. Most promotional materials use the BV, but the PDCAAS is more accurate for what we care about. Whey protein isolate (both isolate and concentrate) has an optimum PDCAAS of 1.
A newer method of quantifying protein quality is the DIAAS, or Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score. This is similar to PDCAAS, but instead of measuring nitrogen in the feces, it measures nitrogen in the ileum after it has left the small intestine and before it descends into the large intestine. This is more accurate than measuring fecal protein, because fecal protein may be lower due to protein metabolism by gut bacteria. Measuring it in the ileum reflects only what the body has absorbed.
Whichever method you use to quantity protein quality—BV, PDCAAS, or DIAAS—animal proteins like whey outperform plant proteins. So as a good general guideline, it’s safe to assume that animal-baed protein powders are going to be higher quality than plant-based protein powders. That said, let’s get into the specific powders ranked according to overall quality and usability.
The Top 9 Types of Protein Powder
1. Whey Protein Powder
BV: 104-159
DIAAS: 1.09-1.13
PDCAAS: 1.00
The gold standard against which everything else is compared. Whey defeats all. It’s rich in essential amino acids and has a host of benefits for immunity, muscle-building, performance, cognitive function, and overall robustness. Read more about whey for a discussion of its benefits.
2. Egg White Protein Powder
BV: 100
DIAAS: 1.13-1.16
PDCAAS: 1.00
Egg white protein powder is another highly bioavailable protein choice. In fact, it’s so bioavailable that it represents the BV against which all others are compared (that’s why whey can have a BV exceeding 100). All the amino acids are represented. If you’re concerned about oxidized cholesterol, stay away from whole egg protein powder. You may be able to get a hold of a minimally processed whole egg powder with very little oxidation, but you’ll probably end up spending a ton of money. Just eat actual eggs or stick with egg white powder instead.
3. Casein Protein Powder
BV: 77
DIAAS: 1.08-1.12
PDCAAS: 1.00
Derived from that other fraction of milk protein, casein protein powder doesn’t absorb as quickly as whey. It’s a complete protein with the full range of amino acids (including ample amounts of glutamine, which transports nitrogen to tissue), just like whey, but it may be problematic for people with casein intolerance. Those with dairy allergies should probably avoid it. Bodybuilders swear by casein; they dig it for the slow absorption rate and tend to take it before bedtime. One (industry funded) study found that casein was inferior to whey protein in terms of body composition and muscular strength outcomes, so I wouldn’t replace whey with casein just yet. There may be some benefit to taking both, since both casein and whey are a package deal in nature. Milk is certainly a popular post-workout recovery drink, and it contains both casein and whey.
4. Soy Protein
BV: 74
DIAAS: 0.91-1.00
PDCAAS: 1.00
Soy protein is actually one of the more complete plant proteins, and it can definitely fill in some nutritional gaps for people who don’t eat any animal products at all, but there are downsides. One big one is that soy protein supplementation has been shown to depress testosterone production in men.1
5. Potato Protein
BV: 70-75
DIAAS: 0.87-0.93
PDCAAS: 0.92-0.96
Potato protein is my favorite plant protein of all. The protein powder isn’t very economical or widely available, but potatoes have almost complete protein, about as good as soy without the negative effects on testosterone. If this becomes more common I’d recommend it to any vegan dieter.
30 grams of potato protein compares favorably to 30 grams of milk protein in resistance trained individuals looking to gain strength and size.2 Note, though, that 20 grams of milk protein will be more effective than 20 grams of potato protein. The lower the value of the protein, the more absolute protein you need to eat to get the same effect.
6. Pea Protein
BV: 65
DIAAS: 0.82-0.90
PDCAAS: 0.89-0.93
I’m generally down on vegetarian protein powders. In my experience, they just don’t work as well as the animal-based ones. We’re not meant to get all our protein from vegetable sources, and our absorption of vegetable-based protein isn’t as efficient, so you have to consume far more pea protein powder just to get enough—and this stuff can get pretty pricey. Furthermore, pea protein powder tends to be lower in protein by weight than animal-based protein powders. No protein powder is perfectly Primal, but pea protein powder is even less so. If egg and milk protein powders are off limits for whatever reason, though, give pea protein a shot.
Compared to whey’s huge effect, pea protein has an intermediate effect on post-workout muscle damage.3 And that was taking pea protein 3x a day. So it’s better than nothing, but still not as good as whey.
7. Wheat Protein
BV: 64
DIAAS: 0.25-0.42
PDCAAS: 0.25-0.45
If you refuse to use whey protein, egg protein, or casein, you have the option of eating pure wheat gluten. Of course, gluten activates zonulin, which regulates intestinal permeability and increases leaky gut in everyone who eats it.
8. Rice Protein
BV: 59
DIAAS: 0.47-0.64
PDCAAS: 0.47-0.70
Rice protein powder is created by isolating the protein from the brown rice grain. Rice is already one of the least offensive grains out there, so a smattering of rice-based amino acids will work okay. You’re not going to absorb or digest the rice protein with as much ease as with animal-based protein, but that’s fine.
There is a study where rice protein supplementation had similar effects on muscle strength and gains as whey supplementation, but it took a heroic dose to get there: almost 50 grams.4 You could get the same effect on muscle protein synthesis with just 20 grams of whey isolate or 30 grams of potato protein.
9. Hemp Protein
BV: 48-53
DIAAS: 0.46-0.51
PDCAAS: 0.46-0
Hemp is another option for vegetarians (or nutrition explorers). Like the other vegetarian protein powders, hemp is quite a bit lower in protein content than the animal protein-based powders (or even other vegetarian powders). It’s generally loaded with tons of fiber and a bit more fat than other powders, but fiber-free versions do exist. Again, not my first choice, and it’s fairly expensive, but hemp powder does taste relatively good and usually comes with some minerals like magnesium.
However, there are no published studies on hemp protein and muscle protein synthesis. The closest I could find was one where hemp protein lowered blood glucose compared to eating an equivalent dosage of carbs, which should come as no surprise.5
Choosing the Right Protein Powder for You
When selecting which protein powder is right for you it’s important to keep these three elements in mind.
Protein quality: Choose protein powders that hit high marks on all three measurements—BV, DIAAS, PDCAAS
Protein percentage by weight: Choose protein powders that have a high percentage of protein by weight. If 100 grams of whey powder contains 90 grams of protein and 100 grams of pea gluten soy rice protein powder contains 70 grams, the whey is far more concentrated in the stuff we actually care about—protein. You don’t want to eat a half cup of powder just to get 20 grams of protein.
Protein efficiency and economics: You’ll need about 30-50 grams of plant protein in a single sitting to get the same effect as 20 grams of whey isolate. That will get expensive, fast.
Do You Need Protein Powder?
Whey protein powder is proven to be the most effective. Protein powder in general can help athletes recover from training, and it doesn’t have to be dairy-based, if you’re sensitive. There’s nothing wrong with dabbling (or even throwing yourself into) in alternative protein powders, and in the case of casein and egg whites, you might even see added benefits by incorporating them into your whey regimen.
But that doesn’t mean you need protein powder.
Take your time and evaluate your diet. You may find that you don’t need powder supplements. I certainly don’t need any myself, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a big whey shake after an intense workout session from time to time, just for the anabolic effects as well as the convenience and taste. If you’re not getting enough protein, or you can’t find the time to cook every single meal, try some protein powder. Otherwise, eat a steak.
I hope you don’t mind if I share a personal story?
My teenage years were spent in Germany and Germany, I might add, has the best indoor and outdoor pools in the world. While in high school there in the 1980’s, every Friday, our last two periods were devoted to mandatory swimming where the instructor would teach us proper swimming techniques the first hour and allow for a free play after that. My passion for swimming was born and I have not stopped swimming since. I love it! Like you said, swimming is not just about cardio but also about strength training & has many, many cognitive benefits, too. I swim 4 times a week- 45 -60 minutes.
“I find my sun resistance varies more by region than diet.
In the Persian Gulf areas, I’d tan, but I don’t recall ever getting a sunburn (my ancestors were Vikings – my blond hair is darker than my skin, and I cook like a lobster). Further inland, in northeastern Iraq (Zagros Mountains), I developed a minor tan but only burned a little when some of my buddies got the bright idea to suntan on the roof of a bunker and fell asleep. Even in the Empty Quarter of Abu Dhabi, we’d spend hours on quads or trying to snowboard down sand dunes… no burn.
There’s a lot of dust and other particulate in the air in those regions – I don’t know if that made the difference, but there was a noticeable difference in how little I’d burn in 120° sun in the ME vice the scaly hell from the 65° sun at the Ren Faire near Phoenix last week.”
“I wonder if the massive demand for students in the STEM fields has led to a decrease in academic rigor. More students means more research, which leaves colleges with relatively fewer/less-qualified reviewers to oversee and troubleshoot.
Plus, there is little short-term incentive for universities to chase away paying students. Long-term, allowing sub-par students to succeed only hurts the sciences – but academia today is very compartmentalized and ethics is about as far from STEM as any discipline can be.
I’m not suggesting that STEM professionals are any less ethical than anyone else; just that ethics have become a legal checklist rather than true moral principles. There are, no doubt, truly ethical professionals out there who remain uncompromising in their standards; I just worry they’re the academic equivalent of the northern white rhino – old and infertile, just waiting to see which is the last of a once-proud breed.”
When most people think about whey protein, they think about building muscle. Protein shakes at the gym. Meal replacement drinks in lieu of real food.
The six-meal-and-three-snack-a-day bro who keeps a whey shake on his bedside table to maintain those 2 AM gains.
The up-at-dawn-to-beat-rush-hour woman who drinks a shake in the car in lieu of a pastry.
As most people see it, whey protein’s just for people who want more protein in their diets, people who don’t have the time to cook, or people who hate to cook and also need more protein. It’s for weight lifters and athletes. It’s a “poor replacement” for real food. It’s a compromise when life happens. If you can cook and eat real food regularly, the popular story goes, you don’t need whey protein. Just eat real food—right?
But there’s actually much more to whey than just building muscle.
What is Whey Protein?
Whey is a protein-packed byproduct of cheese production. It’s that pseudo-clear liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Cheese makers used to toss it aside as waste material, turn it into ricotta cheese, or feed it to livestock until food scientists started to understand its value as a protein supplement for humans.
Today, we know that whey protein is the single best supplementary source of complete essential amino acids. It contains all the essential amino acids we need to promote muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. is far more than a byproduct of cheese-making. It’s also more than just a single protein. Instead, it houses an impressive array of components with a wide variety of biological effects: beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, and immunoglobulins.
Beta-lactoglobulin:
Promotes glutathione synthesis and reduces allergic disease incidence.
Improves retinol/vitamin A absorption and uptake.1
Those are just a few of the components found in that undigested whey powder sitting in your pantry. Once the whey hits your GI tract, it forms even more bioactive peptides with their own unique effects. Some improve blood lipids, lower blood pressure, or act as opioid receptor agonists (if you’ve ever seen a milk-drunk baby bliss out after nursing, his opioid receptors are likely being severely agonized by bioactive whey peptides). Others induce satiety and improve metabolic health biomarkers.
Is Whey Protein Good for You?
Yes. Whey protein can help you gain muscle and improve many health conditions, like obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and more.
Muscle: Regardless of your age, gender, or when you take it, combining whey protein with strength training consistently produces better results and larger muscles.5 It isn’t necessary to gain muscle and build strength if you’re eating enough protein through food, but whey protein certainly helps you add high-quality animal protein to your diet.
Obesity: Whey tends to reduce fasting insulin levels in the obese and overweight (but not healthy prepubertal boys, who could use the growth promotion), increase satiety, reduce food intake, and improve resting energy expenditure.678910 If you’re trying to lose weight or prevent obesity, increasing the amount of energy you burn at rest and decreasing the amount you consume—by manipulation of satiety and fat-burning hormones—are indispensable effects.
Diabetes: Eaten before a meal, whey reduces the glucose spike from the subsequent meal in non-diabetics and type 2 diabetics alike. It achieves this by “spiking” insulin, but transiently; the insulin area under the curve improves even as the immediate insulin response increases.111213 Plus, as seen above, fasting insulin tends to lower in people consuming whey protein.
Fatty liver: In obese women, a whey supplement reduces liver fat (and as a nice side effect increases lean mass a bit).14 Fatty liver patients also benefit from whey, enjoying improvements in glutathione status, liver steatosis, and antioxidant capacity.15 Rats who supplement with whey see reduced fat synthesis in the liver and increased fatty acid oxidation in the skeletal muscle.16
Stress: In “high-stress” subjects, a whey protein shake improved cognitive function and performance by increasing serotonin levels.17 The same shake had no effect on “low-stress” subjects. And dietary whey also lowers oxidative brain stress, at least in mice.18
Cancer: Both the lactoferrin found in whey and the glutathione synthesis whey promotes may have anti-cancer effects. Lactoferrin shows potential to prevent cancer that has yet to occur and induce cell death in existing cancer cells.1920 In a recent human study, oral lactoferrin suppressed the formation of colonic polyps.21 And in animal cancer studies and human cancer case studies, whey protein has been shown to increase glutathione (“foremost among the cellular protective mechanisms”) and have anti-tumor effects.22 Whey protein can also help cancer patients stave off muscle loss and maintain strength.23
HIV: HIV is characterized by a drastic reduction in glutathione levels. And even if whey doesn’t always increase body weight in HIV patients, it does improve CD4 (a type of white blood cell) count, lower the number of co-infections, and persistently increase glutathione status.242526
Heart disease: A review of the effect of whey on major cardiometabolic risk factors found that whey protein improves the lipid profile, reduces hypertension, improves vascular function, and increases insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.27 Whey peptides that form during digestion actually act as ACE-inhibitors, reducing blood pressure similarly to pharmaceuticals without the side effects.28
Sarcopenia: Muscle wasting, whether cancer-related or a product of age and inactivity, is a huge threat to one’s health and happiness. Studies show that whey protein is the most effective protein supplement for countering sarcopenia, especially compared to soy.2930 A buddy of mine can attest to this; a couple months back, his grandmother hadn’t eaten for a few days, was suffering from diarrhea, mental confusion, and basically appeared to be on her deathbed. He started making her whey protein-based milk shakes and the recovery was rapid. She grew alert, active, and regained her appetite and control of her bowels. She’s not out of the woods, but at least her remaining days will be much better than the direction they were heading.
Gastrointestinal disorders: Contrary to concerns about dairy and gut health, whey can actually improve gut health and gut barrier function, even in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. In human Crohn’s disease patients, a whey protein supplement reduces leaky gut.31 In rodent models of inflammatory bowel disease, whey protein reduce gut inflammation and restore mucin (the stuff used to build up the gut barrier) synthesis.32
Is whey protein dairy?
Whey comes from milk products, so yes, whey protein is dairy. it’s a major bioactive component of dairy. And, as with other forms of dairy, we have to consider the issue of dairy intolerances and allergies. Dairy just doesn’t work for everyone, whether it’s the lactose or the proteins.
Lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is a sensitivity to a form of sugar in dairy products.
Casein sensitive. Casein sensitivity is an intolerance of one of the proteins in dairy products
Whey sensitive.
Luckily, most people can tolerate whey without issue. You’re far more likely to be allergic, sensitive, or intolerant to lactose or casein than to whey. And whey may even be downright anti-allergenic, as whey-based formulas have shown efficacy in the prevention of allergic diseases like asthma and eczema in susceptible children and infants.3334
The exception to this may lie in geography and ethnicity: In East Asian countries like Taiwan, whey sensitivity appears to be more common than casein sensitivity. In western regions like the United States and Europe, casein intolerance is far more common than whey.35 However, that’s just one study in people with atopic dermatitis. It might not apply to everyone.
I’ve found that most people with “dairy intolerance” can usually handle whey protein isolate, which has little to no lactose and almost zero casein.
Why eat whey protein when we could just eat yogurt, cheese, or drink milk?
In most mammalian milk, casein protein predominates and whey is a minor fraction of the total protein content. Cow, goat, horse, sheep—very high in casein, low in whey. But in human breastmilk, this ratio flips. As much as 80% of the total protein in human breastmilk is whey protein, where it plays important roles in immune system regulation and programming, cellular growth and differentiation, and overall physical and mental development. Infants raised on formula higher in casein end up with less lean mass and more fat mass than infants raised on formula higher in whey (and closer to the composition of breastmilk).36
You could make the argument that whey protein is one of the most ancestrally consistent dairy foods a person can eat.
Overall, whey protein is much more than just a protein supplement. It builds muscle, improves glucose control, regulates immune function, lowers stress, and confers a ton of beneficial effects on people who consume it. Real food is the foundation for a healthy diet. But whey protein is much more than a muscle-builder and meal replacer. I’d argue that it deserves a spot on the “supplemental foods” list alongside egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, and all the other foods that are powerful and vital in small doses.
I feel comfortable recommending its use for almost everyone, given that it’s one of the best-studied and oldest dietary supplements around.
Let’s hear from you guys. Do you take whey? If so, what kind and why? How have you benefited?
Sometimes folks who are interested in losing weight or getting healthier get so focused on the minutia of ”optimizing” their diet, supplements, exercise, and lifestyle that they gloss over the basics. This is a mistake. No matter your goal, you have to lay a good foundation before worrying about the finishing touches. When starting a keto diet, that means gradually reducing carbs to build a base ofmetabolic flexibility and get into ketosis.
To be clear, you can slam your body into ketosis by dropping from several hundred grams of carbs per day, typical in a modern diet, straight to the very low carb intake required for keto. I don’t recommend it, though.
For one thing, jumping from a high-carb diet into keto sets you up for the world of hurt known as keto flu. When you suddenly deprive your body of glucose, you can expect to experience headaches, lethargy, brain fog, and an inability to perform your typical workouts. Gradually reducing carbs gives your body the opportunity to upregulate its ability to burn fat for fuel, a necessary prerequisite of ketosis.
Not for nothing, a gradual transition also gives the people in your life time to get on board. You might be excited about your big lifestyle change, but I hear all the time from people who are struggling because their partners, kids, or roommates aren’t exactly supportive of them tossing all the junk food and refusing to go through the drive-thru on the way home.
Even if you’re already following a moderate-carb Primal way of eating, I still recommend taking the time to make your transition as seamless as possible. No matter where you’re starting, the best way to reach ketosis is to gradually and systematically reduce your carb intake. This is the same approach that I describe in The Keto Reset Diet, and it’s worked for the thousands of people who have participated in our Keto Month challenges.
What Is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your liver is making ketones, which are molecules that any mitochondria-containing cell can use for energy. Your brain and heart especially thrive on ketones. To get into ketosis, you must deplete liver glycogen (the glucose stored in your liver) and keep insulin levels low. Very-low-carb diets and fasting, or a combo of the two, will get you there. Glycogen-depleting exercise helps, too.
Ketogenic (“ketone making”) diets are popular for everything from losing weight to lowering insulin and blood sugar to augmenting traditional cancer treatments. Inflammation is at the root of every chronic illness, and ketones are anti-inflammatory. They are also an efficient fuel source, and athletes across the sport spectrum are experimenting with using low-carb diets to burn fat and ketones during exercise.
The Primal Blueprint qualifies as a low-carb eating style, especially in comparison to the high-carb Standard American Diet, simply by virtue of the fact that it eliminates the major sources of carbs in the typical modern diet: grains and sugar. The version of keto I recommend is an offshoot of the Primal diet you know and love, but with fewer carbs—below 50 grams or so per day. That’s orders of magnitude less than the average person eats, and maybe half or a third of what a typical Primal person consumes. So how do you get there?
How to Gradually Reduce Carbs and Get Into Ketosis
Step one: Start with the big offenders, grains and added sugars
That means no more sugary breakfast cereal, cupcakes, soda, or donuts, but it also means no “heart healthy” whole-grain bread or pasta. Instead, build your meals andsnacksaround Primal fare—meat, produce, eggs, nuts and seeds, optional full-fat dairy and “sensible indulgences” like very dark chocolate (not the super sugary stuff). For those of you accustomed to the Primal Blueprint, this should be familiar. In Keto Reset lingo, we call this the metabolic reset phase. It’s the first step toward becoming fat-adapted, meaning that your cells can efficiently burn fat for fuel in place of glucose.
At this point you aren’t counting carbs, nor are you worried about the carbs that naturally come along with fruit, vegetables, dairy products, or any other Primal food sources. Depending on where you start, it can take a while to completely eliminate grains and added sugars and get comfortable eating Primally. Stay at this step for as long as it takes. There’s no rush here.
Step two: Eat less fruit and higher-carbohydrate vegetables, tubers, and legumes
Next, take a look at the foods you’re currently eating and start to notice their carbohydrate content. Most people don’t have any idea how many carbs, or how much fat or protein, they’re taking in on an average day. A nutrition tracker like Cronometer is useful here. You don’t need to meticulously weigh and measure your food at this stage, but you want to pay attention to what’s on your plate.
Start limiting the portion size of your highest-carb foods or swapping them out for lower-carb alternatives. There aren’t any rules about how exactly to do this, but aim to be in the range of 75 to 100 grams of carbs, give or take, on a typical day. (If you were eating Primally to start, this might already be your norm.) If you’re eating two or three servings of fruit per day, maybe you decrease it to one and trade grapes (27 grams of carbs per cup) for strawberries (12 grams of carbs per cup). If you’re still eating a cup ofblack beansthree times per week, try half a cup twice per week, then once.
The final step is to tighten the reins and get your carb intake below 50 grams per day. I don’t worry about carbs that come from above-ground green vegetables and avocados, so you have some wiggle room there, but 50 grams per day is a good target to keep in mind.
Whereas the first two steps were somewhat laid back, here you need to be strict. Ketosis only occurs when the metabolic conditions are right. There is a distinct on-off switch. Too many carbs, and you won’t be in ketosis. For that reason, it’s often necessary totrack your food carefully for at least a few days to see where you’re at. You may also want tomeasure your ketone levelsto ensure you’re hitting your goal. That’s not mandatory.
At this point, there won’t be much room in your carb allowance for fruit, below-ground vegetables, or legumes. Prioritizing the mostketo-friendly fruitsandvegetableswill allow you to enjoy the biggest, most satisfying meals.
What Else You Should Do To Encourage Ketosis
The transition to keto is all about developing new metabolic pathways. That’s largely about what you eat, but there are other things you can do to help the process along.
Increase your electrolytes. When you drop into ketosis, your kidneys start flushing electrolytes. Mindfully increasing your sodium intake especially, but also potassium and magnesium, is key to staving off keto flu.
Adjust your exercise. During the transition, you’ll probably have a hard time accessing top-end speed and power. Dial back the intensity and/or duration, then gradually work back to your normal volume.
Mind your stress. Stress activates the fight-or-flight response, which will increase the body’s demand for glucose.
Reversing the Process – Backing Out of Keto
Transitioning out of keto to a more moderate-carb approach is as simple as gradually increasing your intake of the fruit, higher-carb vegetables, and perhaps tubers and legumes you reduced in step two. Add maybe 25 grams of carbs per week until you find your personal carb tolerance sweet spot—the point at which you feel the best mentally and physically.
Why would you want to stop eating keto? You don’t have to. I know people who have been happily and successfully keto for a couple of decades. But I don’t thinkconstant ketosis is necessary. For optimal metabolic flexibility, I prefer to cycle in and out of keto. This also gives you the freedom to enjoy holidays, meals out with friends, and fresh summer fruit without concerning yourself about staying in ketosis 24/7.
That’s it, pretty simple really. Comment below with any questions or topics you’d like me to cover next!
“What do I believe that most people don’t? I believe in ghosts. Ghost believers only make up 45% of the US population. I never believed in them myself until we bought a 200 year old New England farmhouse and lived there for 9 years. It was a harmless ghost though somewhat mischievous.”
Whey protein isolate is the gold standard of protein powders, and it’s the only one I take besides collagen, but it’s not the only one out there. There are reasons for branching out beyond whey into other types of protein powder. Maybe you’d like some variety once in awhile. Maybe you’re just curious about what else is out there, or perhaps you don’t want any animal protein at all. Whatever the reason, I figured I’d give you some info on some of the more popular types of protein powder, including whether or not they contribute meaningfully to our intake of essential amino acids.
When most people think about whey protein, they think about building muscle. Protein shakes at the gym. Meal replacement drinks in lieu of real food.
Sometimes folks who are interested in losing weight or getting healthier get so focused on the minutia of ”optimizing” their diet, supplements, exercise, and lifestyle that they gloss over the basics. This is a mistake. No matter your goal, you have to lay a good foundation before worrying about the finishing touches. When starting a keto diet, that means gradually reducing carbs to build a base of
In the Persian Gulf areas, I’d tan, but I don’t recall ever getting a sunburn (my ancestors were Vikings – my blond hair is darker than my skin, and I cook like a lobster). Further inland, in northeastern Iraq (Zagros Mountains), I developed a minor tan but only burned a little when some of my buddies got the bright idea to suntan on the roof of a bunker and fell asleep. Even in the Empty Quarter of Abu Dhabi, we’d spend hours on quads or trying to snowboard down sand dunes… no burn.
There’s a lot of dust and other particulate in the air in those regions – I don’t know if that made the difference, but there was a noticeable difference in how little I’d burn in 120° sun in the ME vice the scaly hell from the 65° sun at the Ren Faire near Phoenix last week.”