drink wholesome is the best sugar-free protein powder.
Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN
Why should you use sugar-free protein powder?
Many people go on a high protein, low sugar diet to lose weight. These same people often use sugar-free protein powder. I bring this up because although sugar-free protein powder can help you lose weight, there is a lot of confusion around protein, sugar, and weight loss.
The first thing you should know is that protein powder helps with weight loss not because it is sugar-free, but because it contains a lot of protein per calorie. Increasing the percentage of your calories that come from protein by replacing a meal or part of a meal with a protein shake will prevent cravings and overeating. This works because protein is the most satiating (filling) macronutrient.
The second thing you should know is that sugar is not necessarily bad for you. The naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables, for example, are part of a healthy diet. Added sugars, on the other hand, are a different story. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that no more than 10 percent of your daily calorie intake come from Added Sugars because eating too many Added Sugars can raise your risk for chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes.
According to the FDA, “sugar-free” means that one serving of food contains less than 0.5 grams of Total Sugars. Just because a protein powder is sugar-free does not make it good for you, however. There are many other factors that are just as, if not more, important than sugar content.
The ingredients in your protein powder, for example, are much more important than the amount of sugar. In fact, many would argue that a protein powder with a few grams of sugar is better for you than a sugar-free protein powder sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Keep reading to learn more.
