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If you’re wondering if protein powder fits into a diabetic diet, the answer is yes. Adding protein powder to your diet can help lower blood sugar and A1c levels, improve insulin sensitivity, help you lose weight, and support better hormone function.
Protein powder also makes a great addition to baked goods such as cakes and cookies, used to make delicious protein shakes, can be taken as a meal replacement, and even consumed as a liquid snack.
But like most foods, all protein powders aren’t created equal. Some are poor quality and won’t provide health benefits, while others with high quality ingredients can help improve diabetic health.
Let’s explore the nutrition facts of protein powders so you can choose the best diabetes protein powder for optimal results.
Ingredients
It goes without saying that whenever you buy a food that is packaged – always read the label!
If a product has an ingredient list as long as your arm or contains many ingredients you can’t pronounce or recognize, then it’s not a good quality product.
Make sure the protein powder you purchase doesn’t contain any more that 7-10 ingredients, even less is better.
You want to avoid a protein powder that has a long list of ingredients and especially when those ingredients are fillers like silicon dioxide and cellulose, emulsifiers or artificial colors and flavors – these ingredients just aren’t necessary for optimal nutrition.
Sugar and Sweeteners
Be sure to check what type of sugar or sweeteners the product uses.
Steer clear of products that contain sugar and fructose. Always look for a sugar-free protein powder.
But, when doing that, be aware that many protein powders contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and these are not good for diabetics to eat.
You certainly want an aspartame free protein powder, and avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose, ace-k, and saccharin.
Instead, look for safe diabetes sweeteners that support better blood sugar, such as allulose, monk fruit or stevia-based protein powders, or second to that, erythritol or xylitol.
These are sugar-free but are science-backed to be safe for people with diabetes to eat/drink.
Proprietary Blends
When a supplement company claims their product is a “proprietary blend” that offers benefits above and beyond other products, don’t believe it.
Often they won’t list the ingredients of their “proprietary blend” on the label, which means you really have no idea what’s in the product.
Also, when they make claims that certain ingredients are included in their “proprietary blend,” often they are not at a dose that provides any benefit anyway.
Protein Type
While there are plant-based proteins such as soy proteins, rice proteins and pea proteins, the best protein powder for diabetics by far is whey protein. Whey is one of two proteins found in milk, the other being casein.
Whey protein concentrate contains around 35%-80% protein, and fat, lactose and minerals make up the remainder of it’s contents. This type of whey is absorbed at a moderate pace.
Whey protein isolate contains 85%-90% protein and very little fat or lactose. This type of whey is more rapidly absorbed and is often the type athletes or body builders take after a workout. But of course, you can consume it anytime.
There is a third type of whey called hydrolysate. You generally won’t find this type on its own but in blends. For instance, often all three types – concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate – are combined together in one product.
For you as a diabetic, both concentrate and isolate on their own are fine to consume as overall there is very little difference in the outcome. Or if you find quality blends, these are fine, too.
Whey protein contains super high quality amino acids, and it’s these amino acids that have incredible benefits for diabetes.
Research-Backed Benefits of Whey Protein for Diabetics
According to research, whey protein powder improves diabetic health in the following ways:
✔ Reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes – Enhances insulin secretion and slows digestion, leading to better glucose control.
✔ Improves insulin sensitivity – Stimulates GLP-1 and GIP hormones, enhancing the body’s ability to use insulin efficiently.
✔ Supports weight loss – Increases satiety hormones (PYY, GLP-1) and reduces cravings, leading to lower overall calorie intake.
✔ Preserves lean muscle mass – Prevents muscle loss during weight loss, crucial for maintaining metabolic health.
✔ Reduces inflammation – Lowers inflammatory markers like CRP and TNF-alpha, which are linked to diabetes complications.
✔ Improves cholesterol levels – Helps reduce LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and increase HDL (“good” cholesterol), supporting heart health.
That’s a lot of great science-backed benefits of protein powder to improve your diabetic health!
Nutrition Facts of Protein Powder for Diabetes
Now that we’ve shared some of the key elements to look out for in protein powder, let’s do a comparison between different options.
First we’ll look at protein powders that are not a good choice; then we’ll look at the best protein powder options for diabetes.
Is GNC Protein Powder Good for Diabetics?
GNC protein powder is not a good choice for diabetics, as it contains some ingredients that may impact blood sugar and diabetes health.
GNC PROTEIN POWDER INGREDIENTS: Whey protein concentrate, natural & artificial flavors, whey protein isolate, acesulfame potassium, beet powder (color), cellulose gum, citric acid, lecithin, maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, sucralose, whey solids, xantham gum, yogurt powder.
Maltodextrin is a highly processed carbohydrate with a high glycemic index, meaning it can cause rapid blood sugar spikes—the exact thing people with diabetes need to avoid.
The product also contains artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium, which some studies suggest may negatively affect insulin sensitivity and gut microbiome health. While they don’t directly raise blood sugar, they can still trigger a glucose and insulin response in some individuals.
Lastly, the inclusion of artificial flavors and additives like cellulose gum and silicon dioxide doesn’t add nutritional value. These are just fillers and may contribute to unnecessary inflammation or digestive discomfort.
Are Premier Protein Shakes Good for Diabetics?
While Premier Protein Shakes are marketed as a convenient high-protein option, several ingredients make them less than ideal for people with diabetes due to potential impacts on blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic health.
PREMIER PROTEIN SHAKES INGREDIENTS: Water, Premier Shake Protein Blend (Milk Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Whey Protein Concentrate), Cocoa Powder (processed with alkali), Contains 1% or less of the following: High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Inulin, Cellulose Gel and Cellulose Gum, Magnesium Phosphate, DATEM, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Carrageenan, Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Sodium Ascorbate [Vitamin C], dl-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate [Vitamin E], Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Biotin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, Potassium Iodide, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Chromium Chloride, Cyanocobalamin [Vitamin B12], Phytonadione [Vitamin K], Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Cholecalciferol [Vitamin D3], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2]), Ferric Orthophosphate, Manganese Sulfate, Tripotassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Polyphosphate.
Look how long that ingredient list is!!
These shakes contain sucralose and acesulfame potassium, two artificial sweeteners that, while low in calories, have been linked to potential disruptions in insulin sensitivity and gut microbiome imbalance.
The use of cellulose gel and cellulose gum—processed thickening agents—adds no nutritional value and may contribute to unnecessary gut irritation. Artificial flavors are just unnecessary in a healthy shake.
Carrageenan, a thickening agent derived from red seaweed, has been linked to inflammation and digestive issues. Some studies suggest that it may contribute to insulin resistance, making it a questionable ingredient for people managing blood sugar.
DATEM (Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Monoglycerides) is an emulsifier, and while generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by regulatory agencies, some studies have raised concerns about its negative impact on the gut microbiome and metabolic health.
What is the Best Whey Protein Powder for Diabetics?
Remember, what we want to look out for in a quality protein powder are three key things:
- A short list of ingredients with no fillers and fluff
- Good quality safe diabetes sweeteners
- Whey protein for it’s proven health benefits
Bodylogix Natural Whey Protein Powder
First up is a great quality product from Bodylogix – Natural Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder, sweetened with stevia and contains no artificial ingredients, colors, flavors or fillers.
BODYLOGIX WHEY PROTEIN POWDER INGREDIENTS: Protein blend (whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, whey protein peptides), natural flavors, dutch cocoa powder, lecithin, stevia leaf extract, xantham gum.
As you can see when compared to GNC or Premier protein, Bodylogix is super clean — a short list of ingredients that provides quality nutrition to you!
Grass fed means the product comes from grass fed cows and overall that increases the quality of the nutrients it contains. It comes in both vanilla and chocolate.
Like most protein powders Bodylogix is low carb at just 4 grams per serve with 120 calories and 24 grams protein.
BlueBonnet Nutrition Whey Protein Powder
Another great quality product made with grass fed whey and sweetened with stevia. Bluebonnet Nutrition offers both vanilla whey isolate and chocolate whey isolate, along with a dual action protein.
Bluebonnet Nutrition Protein Powder is a super clean product with just a few key ingredients: Whey protein isolate, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin and stevia extract. For one serve it is 125 calories, 3 grams of carbs and 26 grams of quality protein.
More Best Whey Protein Powders for Diabetics
As long as you know what to look for, you can find lots of good protein powders suitable for diabetes.
SDC Nutrition
This About Time Whey Protein Isolate product contains just 4 ingredients – whey, stevia, natural flavor and xantham gum. It contains virtually no carbs <1 gram per serve, with 100 calories and 25 grams protein.
Legion Whey Isolate
Legion provides another high quality whey isolate protein with just 7 ingredients. Coming in at just 3 grams carbs, 100 calories and 22 grams protein.
tera’s: Certified Organic
For a fully certified organic product of high quality with just 4 ingredients, go for tera’s: Organic Certified Whey Protein. At 4 grams carbs per serve, 110 calories and 21 grams protein, it contains just 4 fully organic ingredients.
Levels Whey Protein
Another good quality protein powder, Levels Protein Powder is grass fed with only 6 quality ingredients. It has 3 grams carbs per serve, 130 calories and 24 grams protein. It also comes in 8 different flavors, including coffee and strawberry.
All of the above options are high quality, sugar free protein powders that are perfectly diabetes friendly!
What is the Best Protein Powder for Prediabetes?
With prediabetes your objectives are the same as people diagnosed with diabetes – to optimize prediabetes blood sugar levels, balance weight and improve metabolic health.
What that means is you can use the same quality protein powders listed above. You want to be avoiding low quality protein powders containing sugars, artificial sweeteners and flavors and unnecessary fillers.
Always choose a quality protein powder to optimize your prediabetes health.
How to Use Protein Powders for Diabetes
The simplest way to use protein powders is to mix the powder in water or milk. The best time to take protein powder is before or with meals.
In fact, by taking protein at breakfast (30 minutes before or with your breakfast meal), you can reduce your postprandial (after-meal) blood sugar levels by up to 28%!
But of course, sometimes we do like things a little more fancy than that.
- You can make a chocolate milkshake by adding chocolate protein powder to it.
- Add vanilla powder to a delicious berry smoothie.
- Mix protein powder with your milk and pour it over a nut-based muesli.
- You can even add protein powder to cakes, muffins, pancakes and protein balls – get as creative as you like!
Conclusion
Protein powder is a fantastic addition to your diabetic diet plan. Protein powder provides many diabetes health benefits, but it is important to choose a quality protein supplement.
Your protein powder supplement should be sugar free and contain quality diabetes-friendly sweeteners, contain high quality nutrition and a short list of ingredients with no fillers and fluff (that’s just not necessary), and the best type of protein is whey, which is science-backed.
As long as you follow all these tips, you should find a good quality protein powder you can feel confident to enjoy everyday!
Eva Schwartz
This is available in Costco. Is it ok? Does have several ingredients and sucralose.
I’m ’borderline’ diabetic A1C 6.0-6.5
Is this acceptable?
I’d like to let you know that as soon as I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 – few yrs ago (5-7) – your website/emails have been invaluable and everything I know about diabetes and diet I’ve learned from you. I’ll always be grateful – this is what kept me from getting higher numbers and educated about this condition. thank you!
1243880
OPTIMUM GOLD
STANDARD 100% WHEY
CHOCOLATE 5.64 LB
• 24g Protein
• 120 Calories
• 5.5g BCAA’s
UNIT PRICE PER POUND
10.99
° rBST & Gluten Free
Amount per serving
120
Alories
% Daily Value*
3%
Total Fat 2g
5%
Saturated Fat 1g
18%
Cholesterol 55mg
6%
Sodium 130mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g
2%
Dietary Fiber <1g
Total Sugars 2g
48%
Protein 24g
10%
Calcium 130mg
6%
Iron 0.9mg
4%
Potassium 200mg
Not a significant source of trans fat, added sugars and vitamin D.
Nutrition Facts
80 servings per container
Serving size
32g (About 1 Scoop)
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
INGREDIENTS: Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Hydrolyzed Whey Protein), Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sunflower and/or Say Lecithin, Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate,
PS not concerned about weight gain
Dr Jedha
Hi Eva, this protein powder is moderately ok, certainly not a ‘clean’ option as there are better options available. Sucralose is okay but again, it isn’t the best sweetener either – more info on that here.
Vincent Louis Rohloff
I am not only battling diabetes, but I am fighting oral cancer as well and am currently undergoing Opdivo immunotherapy. Although the doctors are doing their best to keep my body chemistry in balance, I am having problems gaining weight.
Yesterday, my doctor recommended that I add either a prepared drink like Premier Protein or protein powder to a drink/smoothie. For weight gain, which protein powder would your recommend?
Thanks!
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
A protein powder itself will not lead to weight gain Vincent but it would be good to assist with nutrition and stop loss of muscle. You probably need to increase calories, so in addition, you could add oils like olive oil or flaxseed oil and use full fat milk or coconut milk to make the smoothie. You might also find this info helpful.
michael
do any of the whey products contan IRON? Do any of the whey products contain stevia without any products that contain a STARCH component? let me know
Malorie: Dietitian (MS, RD, CLT)
Hi Michael,
I am not familiar with any whey protein powders that meet your criteria but that doesn’t mean they don’t exists. You may just have to do some research to find the one you are looking for!
Pat Odoms
For my whey protein shake today, I used BioChem sugar free 100% whey protein with vegetarian Matcha tea. Product from grass fed cows, 90 calories, 1g carb, 85mg sodium, 0.5g fat, whey protein isolate 22g.
Richi
Hi Jedha, thanks for all your dedication an time for us..I have DBII, is this protein good for me??
Muscletech Nitro tech whey Gold,
thanks a lot!!!
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Based on the info available to me I see this product contains sucralose. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener and you are better off picking a different protein powder if possible.
VeggieNut
Pea protein powder is VERY low in carbs. Check out NOW Pea Protein Powder. One serving contains 24 grams of protein and only ONE gram of carbs! I called NOW Foods and was told that this is made using water only, no chemicals and it is non-GMO.
Piping Rock also makes a very low carb Pea Protein Powder that contains 16 grams of protein and less than one gram of carbs. It only contains one ingredient – pure, non-GMO pea protein isolate made from yellow peas. Piping Rock uses an enzymatic process to manufacture their pea protein powder.
Pea protein powder is very versatile. It has a mild yellow pea flavor which makes it ideal to add to dishes like vegetable soup or chille (vegetarian or meat based). I also like to use it in smoothies.
I am a 68 year old long term type two diabetic, drug free with lifestyle only control and I am a vegetarian.
Debbie
What about Garden of life RawOrganic Meal?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
In general we prefer whey protein products, the RAW Organic Meal Shake is made with pea and brown rice protein. On the plus side, this product is low in sugar, contains no artificial sweetener, and isn’t outrageously high in carbohydrates. If it’s something you already have and have been using without any blood sugar issues then it’s fine to continue using, but you may consider finding a whey based product in the future.
Gillian
If I am lactose intolerant, will the protein powereds you have recommended be ok for me or is there something else you would recommend?
Many thanks
Gillian
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
As far as I know, Legion is lactose free.
Haresh
How about muscletech Grass fed whey isolate and Mrm all natural whey? Its sweetened with stevia.Are these good quality product ?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
They both sound promising because they are whey based and sweetened with stevia. I couldn’t find information on the Muscletech product to double check for you, so I recommend checking the total carbs and length of ingredient list as discussed in this article. The MRM All Natural Whey appears like an acceptable product based on the info I gathered from their website.
Lori Weisman
Are any of the recommended powders good for Type 1s? I’ve been a diabetic for 51+ years. My appetite has changed and sometimes I don’t even want to eat. I’m also about 50 pounds overweight.
Thanks for your help, Lori Weisman
Jedha
Hi Lori, These protein powders are just generally good quality protein powders overall, so if you were to choose one to make shakes, these would be suitable.
Randolph Smith
Thank you I will buy them. Feel good to gain weight in good way and safe.
Jill
My son is at risk for Type 2 diabetes nut he also has Ulcerative Colitis. Would any of these protein powders be good for him. He is also allergic to soy and corn.
Jedha
Hi Jill, it’s hard to say 100% as each person reacts differently but the whey isolates are probably the best options to try, and if they are okay, can make a great addition to his diet. Whey does contain amino acids that can help soothe the gut, so fingers crossed. There are a couple of isolates listed above, or this one by Biochem is good, too.
Cheryl Abbott
I think i found another good one. It’s called Bluebonnet whey protein isolate. Per scoop, it has 3g total carbs, 26 g of protein, and uses only stevia for sweetening. I think it tastes good too. Yesterday i made a blueberry smoothy with it and my husband (who does not have blood sugar issues) thought it was delicious.
Jedha
Yes Cheryl, thanks for informing us about this one. Definitely a goodie to be added to the list.
Karen
Hi, what do you think of Spiru-tein?
Jedha
We generally don’t recommend rice or pea proteins because they are usually too high in carbs – the one you speak of has 19 grams of carbs per serve – that’s crazy high for a protein!
Jackie
So you recommend ViSilus V shape Protein powder? I have two packages. Should I use them or throw them away? Thanks, Jackie
Jedha
Hi Jackie, look at the nutrition label, that is the only way to tell if a product is good. Not because a company says so or from front-of-pack marketing tactics or advertising hype. The truth is most protein powders are crap.
This one you have is not one we’d recommend either, simply because you don’t need to consume unnecessary ingredients – artificial sweeteners/ sucralose (linked to increased weight gain and diabetes), soy protein (whey is better and ths one you have only contains 12 g protein), it’s also higher in carbs than other proteins 7 grams. Look no one is perfect all the time but if you’re trying to achieve weight loss or use a shake as a meal replacement, you definitely want a high quality one.
Gloria Martin Plummer
I purchased EAS Complete Protein Powder which according to the label is quite healthy….is it?????
Please let me know before i use it.
Gloria
Jedha
It’s not one we’d recommend Gloria. It’s quite high in carbs for a protein powder, 14g per serve. That’s because it contains some terrible ingredients – fructose (a bad type of sugar for diabetics), polydextrose, corn maltodextrin (more sugars), and artificial sweeteners – sucralose and acusulfame potassium. All of these ingredients are problematic for diabetics. Try to get a refund so you can purchase one that is better for your health.
NEVER trust front-of-pack labeling, NEVER! We are putting together a food label tutorial because people get conned like this all the time and it’s terrible.
Jane
What do you think about plant based protein powders? I use a brand called Nutiva .
Jedha
Overall that one is pretty good Jane, as all the ingredients are organic and it contains superfoods as well. Just be aware though that compared to whey, it is still a lower quality protein source, as far as bioavailability goes, and the carb count is at least double.
Jane
Ok, thanks! I didn’t even think about the carb count. I’ll check out some of your recommendations.