This Sweet Drink Combination Will Help You Reach Your Protein Intake Goals

There’s a new way to increase your protein intake: combine a protein shake with a Diet Coke.

While diet sodas are often criticized for being unhealthy, nutritionists say this TikTok drink concoction may be a worthy choice, especially if you’re struggling to get enough protein.

“Diet soda vilification often occurs without any facts or evidence to back it up.” Abby Langer, RDnutritionist from Toronto, told Verywell. “There are a lot of rumors surrounding non-nutritive sweeteners, but the reality is that they have never been proven safe in moderation.”

If you decide to try a protein diet coke, experts say you should consider your overall nutrition goals and make sure you’re getting a balanced diet.

Health experts generally recommend getting protein from whole food sourcessuch as lean meats, eggs, tofu and yogurt.

While protein diet cola may be a good option for those who like the taste, whole food forms of protein are cheaper and contain more nutrients than the processed drink, experts say. Alyssa Ramsey, MS, RDauthor of Unapologetic Nutrition and founder of Rumsey Nutrition Consulting.

However, a protein diet cola may be just as effective as consuming protein from other sources. “Mixing protein with Diet Coke does not change the efficiency of your body’s ability to digest protein,” Rumsey said.

Last year, the World Health Organization classified aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke and other zero-sugar carbonated drinks, as as a possible carcinogen. This may raise Diet Coke safety concerns, but you would have to “drink more than nine cans of diet soda a day to reach unsafe levels of aspartame,” Rumsey said.

You should also think about how much protein you add to your Diet Coke compared to how much you typically get each day, according to scientists. Leah Barron, RD, LD, CPTnutritionist from New York.

“Most protein shakes contain between 20 and 40 grams of protein. Depending on your individual needs, a low or high protein option may be right for you,” Barron said.

There are no major downsides to this trend as long as your overall protein intake meets your needs. Sometimes adding extra protein can be overkill, says Barron. She typically recommends supplements when her patients can’t get enough protein from whole foods.

If any of the individual ingredients in protein drinks or diet colas tend to bother your stomach, you may want to skip this combination.

“If you have sensitivities to certain types of protein, non-nutritive sweeteners, caffeine or carbonation, this trend may not be for you,” Barron said.