Best Protein Powders For Diabetics

Protein powder is a great tool for anybody looking to build muscle, or just maintain a healthy, protein sufficient diet. If you choose the right protein powder, it will not only help you meet your fitness goals, but also improve your overall quality of life.

In this article we’re going to give our picks for the best protein powders for diabetics, taking into account quality, price, nutrition and more. Let’s get right into it!

Note: This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as medical advice. You should always talk with your healthcare professional before implementing diet changes or starting a new supplement.

Our Picks:

• Overall: Muscle-Tech Nitro-Tech Whey-Protein Isolate
• Best Value: Now Sports’ Egg White Protein Powder
• Best Unflavored: Naked Whey 100% Grass Fed Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
• Best Low Carb: Isopure Whey Isolate Protein Powder

Best Overall

Nutrition Per Scoop (46g)

160 Calories

30g Protein

2g Total Sugars

4g Carbohydrates

Overview

Muscle Tech’s Nitro-Tech Whey Protein Isolate is, in our opinion, the very best protein powder for diabetics. This is a whey isolate, as opposed to a concentrate, which means that the whey is processed more than usual. This extra processing reduces the amount of carbs and fat, giving it a higher percentage of protein, and making it the perfect choice for diabetics.

Nitro-Tech Whey Protein Isolate also tastes great, and mixes well in any liquid.

You really can’t go wrong with this product.

Best Value

Nutrition Per Scoop (28g)

100 Calories

20g Protein

0g Total Sugars

3g Carbohydrates

Overview

Now Sports’ Egg White Protein Powder has zero grams of sugar per serving, making it great for diabetics looking to get their protein fill. It’s flavored with all natural ingredients and it’s sweetened with stevia and xylitol instead of the usual artificial sweeteners.

This powder is also available completely unflavored and unsweetened as well! In that case, the powder has just one ingredient: egg white powder. It’s hard to get any more simple or straightforward than that.

And this powder’s best asset, perhaps, is it’s price!

If you’re looking for one of the best protein powders for diabetics at an amazing price, look no further than Now Sports’ Egg White Protein Powder.

Best Low Carb

Nutrition per scoop (33g)

110 calories

25 grams protein

0 grams total sugar

1 gram total carbohydrates

Overview

Isopure Whey Isolate Protein Powder has just one gram of total carbs per serving, making it safe option for diabetics and/or anybody following a low-carb diet. This is another whey isolate, which means the whey has gone through extra processing to make it as pure as possible. That means less fat, less sugar, and more protein in every serving.

This is also one of the best tasting low-carb protein powders on the market, with so many different flavors to choose from. There’s a lot to love here.

Best unflavored

Nutrition Per Scoop (30g)

120 calories

25 grams protein

2 grams total sugar

3 grams total Carbohydrates

Overview

Naked Whey 100% Grass Fed Protein Powder is our number one choice for diabetics looking to build muscle without lots of added flavors or ingredients. This powder has just one ingredient: whey. That’s it. No flavors. No preservatives. Nothing. Just whey. This product is as simple and natural as it gets.

Also, the whey comes strictly from grass-fed cows raised on US farms.

The downsides of Naked Whey are, of course, that it doesn’t taste very good by itself. Unless you’re made of steel, you’ll probably want to mix this stuff with something tasty.

Also, since it’s so unprocessed, Naked Whey doesn’t mix quite as easily as other powders on the market. These are all, however, necessary evils for such a natural product.

If you’re looking for something to throw in a bottle with some water, shake for a few seconds and be on your way, this isn’t the powder for you. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for the purest, healthiest protein supplement on the market, and you don’t mind taking the time to thoroughly mix in your own sweeteners, you can do no better than Naked Whey.

Features To Look For When Buying Protein Powders For Diabetics

Sugar Content

If you’re living with diabetes, you’ll definitely want to check the labels of your protein powders carefully before making a purchase. Obviously you’ll want to avoid products that are loaded with sugars. The exact amount of sugar that you should shoot for, however, can vary a lot from person to person.

While it’s certainly a good idea to look for low-carb protein powders, you don’t have to avoid sugar entirely. If you find a protein powder that you love, and you’re only going to use one scoop per day, you’ll probably be okay even if that powder has a few grams of sugar per serving.

If, on the other hand, you’re planning on using two or more scoops per day, or if you’re planning on mixing the powder with milk, fruits, or other sugars, then getting a powder with the lowest carb content is probably a good idea.

Finding protein powder with the right sugar content is a largely personal matter. You have to know your body and your own dietary needs. Just be sure to check the labels thoroughly and note the amount of sugar per serving, as well as how big that serving is. You should also always check with your doctor before starting a product if you’re unsure.

Taste

One of the most important things to consider when buying protein powder for diabetics, is the taste of the protein powder. You’ll find that almost every protein powder, especially ones that are flavored, taste different. It’s important to find one with a taste that you like or can at least easily tolerate.

Taste is obviously subjective, so it’s hard to really know if you’ll like something before you buy it. Obviously, if the majority of reviews are saying that the taste is bad, you might want to avoid it. It’s pretty common, however, to see half of the reviewers saying that a product tastes great, and the other half saying that it’s nasty.

The only way to know for sure is to try the powder yourself.

If you’re taste buds are hard to please, then I recommend buying smaller sized packages. In that case, it’s easier to switch to a different flavor if you don’t like the first one.

Another good option for picky eaters is to buy the unflavored stuff. With unflavored protein powders you can play around with the taste yourself by adding different ingredients.

Vitamins

Another thing to you might want to consider when buying protein powder for diabetics is the vitamin content of the powder. We all know it’s important to have a healthy balanced diet, full of enough macronutrients as well as micronutrients like vitamins. This can, however, be a bit harder to achieve for diabetics.

Luckily, protein powder can be great not just for helping you reach your protein needs, but also your vitamin needs. If you struggle to get enough vitamins through your diet, look for protein powders with added vitamins to help you balance things out. Isopure Whey Isolate Protein Powder with Vitamin C & Zinc is a great option.

Calories

When choosing protein a powder for diabetics, you’ll want to consider how many calories the powder has per serving. This is especially true if you’re trying to lose weight.

Most protein powders have between 100 and 130 calories per serving with an average serving being around 30g. Any more than that and you’re starting to get pretty high-calorie and might want to choose a different powder.

Amino Acids

One of the most important things to consider when buying protein powder for diabetics, is the amino acid profile.

The most important amino acids you’ll want to be getting from your protein powder are branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs You’ve probably heard the term mentioned a lot on fitness supplements. This is because amino acids in general are the building blocks for protein. And branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs are specifically important since they’re metabolized in muscle, and thought to have the most fundamental impact on muscle-growth.

The three BCAAs are leucine, valine, and isoleucine. So be on the lookout for those when scanning the labels of potential protein powders.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Protein Do Diabetics Need?

In general, diabetics need about the same amount of protein as non-diabetic people. Your protein needs will depend on multiple factors including your size and activity level. If you’re very active and looking to build muscle, you should aim for around 0.7 grams of protein per every pound of body weight. If you’re sedentary, however, you’re body will require much less.

One concern for diabetics on a high protein diet is that they might accidentally consume too many carbs while loading down on protein. This is why getting extra protein from supplements such as low-carb protein powder is actually a really good idea for diabetics.

Is Protein Powder Good For Diabetics?

Yes, as long as it’s low-carb and doesn’t contain added sugars, protein powder can be great for diabetics.

The general consensus is that protein itself doesn’t affect diabetes one way or the other. Getting extra calories from protein as opposed to other nutrients like carbs and fats, however, can be helpful for diabetics.

What Makes a Good Protein Powder For Diabetics?

A good protein powder for diabetics will be low in total sugars. It should ideally contain 2 grams or less of total sugar per serving. It should also be very low in added sugars. In fact, if a powder has any added sugar whatsoever, I wouldn’t recommend it for diabetics.

Whey isolates are usually great best protein powders for diabetics. As the name implies, the whey in these powders are processed more so that the protein is isolated. This means less carbs, and less fat for you per serving.

Another great option for diabetics are protein powders made from plant proteins. These powders are usually low in carbohydrates and sugars and are packed full of protein. Just make sure you get a protein with a complete amino acid profile such as pea or soy.

How Much Sugar Is In Protein Powder?

Sugar content can vary quite a lot from one powder to the next. Some protein powders are loaded with added sugars and others contain none at all. The average sugar content, however, is around two or three grams per serving.

What Ingredients Should Diabetics Avoid?

When shopping for protein powders, Diabetics should avoid ingredients that contain significant amounts of sugar. This includes the obvious ones like, well, sugar, but also some other sneakier ingredients like maltodextrin and glucose. In general, you should probably avoid any protein powders that contain lots of extra ingredients or fillers. You may also want to avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame.

You should avoid “mass gainer” protein powders at all costs. These are designed to help users gain weight are loaded with carbohydrates.

Conclusion

No matter your circumstances or goals, there’s a great protein powder out there for you. If you’re a diabetic looking for the best protein powder on the market today, you can do no better than Muscle Tech’s Nitro Tech Whey protein powder. If you’re looking for the best budget protein powder for diabetics, we recommend picking yourself up a container of Now Sports’ Egg White Protein Powder.

I hope this article has answered any and all questions you have about the best protein powders for diabetics. If not, drop a comment below, and I’ll be happy to answer it.