# Which protein powders are safe for kidney stone formers? Source: https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/which-protein-powders-are-safe-for-kidney-stone-formers/ Published: 2021-02-09 --- [![Kidney Stone Diet Podcast](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kidney-Stone-Diet-Podcast-1-1024x1024.jpg)](https://kidneystonediet.com/podcast/) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Ccixy--aU)[Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/which-protein-powders-are-safe-for-kidney-stone-formers/id1528474326?i=1000508335847&uo=4)[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nLO62t1YvfFWQEFe8EpOi)[Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0868148d-adfd-411d-b3f2-71a0ad1461ec) February 9, 2021 --- ![Jeff Sarris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Jeff-Sarris-150x150.jpg) Jeff Sarris Host ![Jill Harris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Kidney-Stone-Diet-Jill-Harris-150x150.jpg) Jill Harris Host In this episode of the Kidney Stone Diet Podcast Jill Harris answers a listener question about protein powders.\ \ • [Kidney Stone Diet](https://kidneystonediet.com/)\ • [Kidney Stone Prevention Program](https://kidneystonediet.com/kidney-stone-prevention)\ • [Oxalate Food List](https://kidneystonediet.com/oxalate-list/)\ • [Free KSD Resources](https://kidneystonediet.com/resources/)\ \ Find the full transcript at [BYLT.co/show/kidney-stone-diet](https://bylt.co/show/kidney-stone-diet) ## Chapters - 00:00:00 Protein Powder Safety for Kidney Stone Formers - 00:02:44 Protein Requirements and Overusing Protein Powders - 00:05:32 Checking Sodium, Sugar, and Oxalate Content - 00:08:52 Post-Workout Protein Alternatives and Timing - 00:11:41 Kidney Stone Prevention Course and Group Calls - 00:15:09 Kidney Stone Resources and Community Support ## Transcript ### Protein Powder Safety for Kidney Stone Formers 00:00:00 Jeff Sarris Welcome back to the Kidney Stone Diet Podcast. The show about reducing your risk for kidney stones and living your best life. I'm your host and fellow student, Jeff Sarris. 00:00:21 Jill Harris And I am your friendly nurse, Jill Harris. And I am somebody who teaches kidney stone prevention, especially diet and nutrition regarding kidney stone prevention, but not only just diet. I like to talk to people and teach them how to change habits, what's making them choose the foods they are, and changing the way they think about what they're putting in their mouth, cause it's a really serious business. Okay, that's it. Yeah. 00:00:50 Jeff Sarris Serious. Yeah. This week, we are taking another question. So this one is: "A huge part of my diet included a protein shake. I'm realizing a lot of the ones I have include ingredients that I now shouldn't have. Are there any protein powders that, as a kidney stone former, I can safely consume?" 00:01:12 Jill Harris Okay. I know everybody is married to their protein powders. Here's- I'm just going to go off on a little- I'm going to just talk about protein powders. I know that every personal trainer, and I'm getting certified right now to be a personal trainer, and I know they want you to use their protein powders. Everybody wants a protein powder. Here's the problem I have with them. So, well first of all, sometimes I'll have a protein powder. If I have not gotten enough protein in my day, I will use one. I- and people, I get no nickels ever endorsing any products. If I do get a nickel, I will say, "This is a product I get nickels. Boop, pa-pa-pa-pa." I get no nickels. I don't endorse products. 00:01:58 Jeff Sarris Yeah, we do no sponsorships, nothing. Everything we're talking about is just the products within that Jill has created within the Kidney Stone Diet. Those are the only the only things. 00:02:07 Jill Harris Yes, exactly right. Yes, but the but there will be times that I say, "Well, this is what I use." I'm not telling you to use it, but I'm telling you to be fully transparent, that's why I will also. Or I'll say, "Look, I have this, I have this." Just because this is what I have. Do what you need, people. Okay, so sometimes I'll have this egg protein powder. It is vanilla. And when I- so I will do that if I am on the phone for 11 hours that day, and I have not had any protein, I will I will have a protein shake. Maybe twice a week. 00:02:38 Jeff Sarris And is that egg whites? Is it, is it just egg whites? 00:02:40 Jill Harris It's just egg whites. Okay. Egg whites,. ### Protein Requirements and Overusing Protein Powders 00:02:44 Jill Harris So, here's the deal. More so for kidney- it's not so much for kidney stone prevention I'm going to talk about this, it's how I feel about protein shakes in general. Most of you are getting way enough protein, okay? It's very rare. And I know there's someone in the background that's going to be, " well, I don't get enough protein." Okay, I hear you. For most people, most people, you get plenty enough protein. Plenty. I work out with weights 5 days a week, so I get it, you're lifting weights, blah, blah, blah. But even that, look, you don't need to overuse protein. I'm just going to say that, okay? Some people take a walk around the block, "Holy braciola, I just walked the block. Honey, get the protein shake!" What the hell, you didn't do nothing! I mean, it's overused like nobody's business. There's that. The second thing is, I have a few things to say about this. The second thing is, a lot of people will want to lose weight quickly, so they're drinking shakes 3 times a day. Do you remember Oprah with the wagon of fat? Okay, remember when she did her shakes every day? We are meant to chew our food. Chew Our food. Do not be drinking shakes in lieu of food. And now you're going to say, "Well, you just said you did it." Sometimes I do, but I'm de- I'm not happy that day that happened, okay? And it's not something I do a lot, okay? So, there- I'm not doing that because I didn't get any food in. I got food in, but maybe my protein was low that day and I am going to work out. So, I do want to get normal amounts of protein. I'm saying sometimes I don't, so that's why I will do it once, twice top a week. Usually it's once a week. Okay. So, most of us get more than enough protein. We need to chew our food. Why? Because then we're not going to feel deprived. When we don't feel deprived, we can stay on our healthy diet long-term. When you start feeling deprived because you're not eating any of your favorite foods anymore as treats, you're never going to stay on your diet. I mean, there's a reason we're going up and down with our weight all the time. We start a diet, we fall in love with it, we've lost a lot of weight. Then, one day, you're like, "God, if I don't chew something, I'm going to lose my mind!" And you go right back to your old habits. You need to learn how to You need to learn how to change your habits for the long haul. These kinds of things are temporary fixes, okay? So, the other thing about protein shakes, this one works well because it's lactose-free and I have lactose problems, so that's why I've chosen this one, okay? It does not bother me. ### Checking Sodium, Sugar, and Oxalate Content 00:05:32 Jill Harris But, I want you to pay attention to this: the serving size of this has 295 milligrams of sodium. Everyone's going to look at this label and just look at protein. You got to look at sugar, there's zero sugars in this, okay? So, that's important to me. But the sodium is high. So, I know, when I'm having this, that I should watch my sodium, okay? It's 300 for the serving, So I know now that I've just spent 300 out of my 1500 allotment because I'm I hover around the 1500 mark, sometimes lower, but I'm used to doing that. I suggest people on the Kidney Stone Diet 15 to 2,300 milligrams a day, start there. Don't have to go lower than 1500. I've been on a low salt diet for years and years, so it's easy for me to do. But I know, "Well, holy braciola! That's a lot of sodium in this." So, I'm going to pay attention to the my sodium throughout the day. The ingredients on your protein shakes, look at them. Is it filled with junk? Is there a lot of added sugar? Chocolate, stay away from because of the oxalate. They have not been measured, but you should stay away from chocolate, obviously, because it's higher in oxalate. And the protein shakes, in general, I just don't want people Most people get enough protein, and also most people, Need to chew their food. You can't do these long-term. You can't just have shakes every day and expect to keep losing weight. You're going to, at some point, need to eat your food. Does that make sense? 00:07:01 Jeff Sarris Oh, it definitely does. And as you mentioned with, other like tags like, like "fresh" or "organic" or "gluten-free" or whatever, like your, anyone listening, the jar that you have says 100% egg protein on the front. But when you turn it around, there are additional ingredients, right? Even though the front says 100%. 00:07:19 Jill Harris Of course! Right. So, what's in it? It has, let's see. There's an a stevia herb extract is in there, sunflower lecithin to give it, you know, volume, bromelain. I mean, yeah, th- there's a there's stuff in there. But mostly this one is a pretty natural one, I have to say. 00:07:38 Jeff Sarris Oh, yeah. But, yeah, it's just important to always turn it around and not just take the marketing label, like what how they're selling it as, "Oh, this is 100% X." 00:07:49 Jill Harris Yep, turn it around, Buster Brown. Look at your ingredient label, look at, you know, it says non-GMO, soy, gluten-free. They tell you all the trigger the trigger words are on the front of the label, okay? All the trigger words right there. So, no one Everyone's like, "Oh, it's got everything I need." So, no one turns it around. When I first got this, cause this works for my lactose issues, when I look before I bought it, I'm like, "Yep, look at all that sodium, almost 400 300 milligrams of sodium for, you know, three-fourths of a scoop." So, you know, you have to make that allotment, but that works for me. I do enjoy it too, I have to say, cause I Sometimes I'll use it to get my calcium needs met. So, I'm putting it in with my kefir. So then it tastes like, if I don't eat ice cream, because I'd be fraud if I ate things like that really, and it doesn't work with my body, the lactose and ice cream, so I will have that, the scoop of this, cause it's vanilla, and I'll have it with my kefir, which is a lot of calcium in there, and ice, and then it's really and with a frozen banana, and it's like a milkshake, my milkshake, you know, so it's a treat for me too. ### Post-Workout Protein Alternatives and Timing 00:08:52 Jeff Sarris Yeah, it sounds really good. So, for someone who is having a protein shake after a workout, would you recommend, anything, any sort of change, or I know you mentioned because it is the, the personal trainer, they a lot of times are selling the shakes as well, and then 00:09:09 Jill Harris Oh, yeah! There's a lot of money made! Oh, yeah, a lot of money made! Look at the protein bars, yeah! Go ahead, Jeff. 00:09:12 Jeff Sarris Oh, definitely! 00:09:16 Jill Harris I'm getting crazy. 00:09:18 Jeff Sarris But, yeah, if someone feels like they do need something after a workout, what would you recommend that they do? 00:09:22 Jill Harris I would say why don't you have some turkey, low-salt turkey and Swiss cheese, get your calcium and get some protein there. You can certainly have a protein shake, but I'm just I'm just pushing it saying, you know, first of all, there's not enough studies that say you have to get protein in right after your workout. That's ridiculous. You can wait an hour or two, too, by the way. You don't have to do that. I would say, you know, if you want a protein shake and that makes you happy, please get the one that has the least amount of junk in it. Pay attention to that. You want the purest form, that you can get. Whether it's whey protein, that may bother some stomachs, whether it's, you know, slow-acting protein, long-acting protein. There's all different kinds of things. Just pay attention to the ingredients, though. They're filled with junk and don't be overusing protein powders. You really don't need them. 00:10:16 Jeff Sarris Yeah, and I think 00:10:17 Jill Harris Cause most people are eating enough protein. 00:10:19 Jeff Sarris And I think the sodium part is something that a lot of people will miss, because it didn't even dawn on me that protein powders would have sodium in them, but, of course, they do. I mean, that's it has to be palatable, because I mean it is the constituent components of food without everything else that goes with it, so. 00:10:35 Jill Harris Right, and because sugar-free is such an important thing for people right now, again, you're going to have to put salt in it. You can't be salt-free, sugar-free, typically, unless that's lettuce, okay? I mean, you know, so it has to be something that people want to buy, and at the end of the day, food manufacturers have to answer to their board members. Look, it's not People are like, "Well, the food companies make crappy food." It's because we want to buy crappy food! You know, food companies have focus groups, and when they put Sally and Timmy in a in a room and they try to make a healthy food, Sally says, "I would never buy it. It tastes like crap, what the hell?" And the food manufacturers, "Okay, put salt or sugar," you know, so we can say it's sugar-free, but you're going to have to put something in it so Sally buys it, right? So, what I love about it, though, is we, as consumers, will drive What is sold. So, when everyone did keto and wanted to be low sugar, all the packages now have low sugar, right? But you better turn it around, Buster Brown, because they all have added salt in it now because of that, a lot of things, unless it's a fruit or vegetable, right? ### Kidney Stone Prevention Course and Group Calls 00:11:41 Jeff Sarris Yeah, the things that don't have labels because they're from the earth, from a plant, from whatever, yeah, those are pretty much good to go across the board. So, I think that's a good spot to wrap for this week. For more information, head over to kidney stone diet.com, where you can find the weekly email newsletter that Jill sends out to inspire you, to, keep you on track and further educate you. There's also the Kidney Stone Prevention Course, Which is, Jill's sort of that is the flagship product. I mean, that's where people go to learn through your video course what they're doing, what the Kidney Stone Diet is, how they can prevent future stones, and then you have your group calls, which you mentioned earlier having the protein when you're having 11 hours of calls. What are those calls that you're having? 00:12:28 Jill Harris You know, people call that a show because, so you have the Kidney Stone Prevention Course, which is a series of videos that people watch, they have a lifetime access to them, and it teaches them each aspect of the Kidney Stone Diet: low sugar, salt, all that. But then, also, testing, which is very important. But then, also, it comes with a month of free office hours. And it's a show, people! I mean, we're laughing, we're talking, it's a support group. You never know what's going to happen and, it's one of the greatest joys of my life. My son being number one, I always have to say that, but that is a it's one of the biggest joys of my career is that the course, the group calls in that course. I love it, I love it. It's a bunch of fun. 00:13:13 Jeff Sarris You're able to help people directly, then. 00:13:16 Jill Harris Yes, so, you know, videos, here's the here's what one does for Kidney Stone Diet, but how? You know, if you're gluten-free and this and that, you have Crohn's disease, colitis, you've had a gastric bypass, "Okay, I hear you, Sister, in the videos, but how am I going to implement this into my daily life?" And that's where the magic happens, because you can get specific help, and that's what's missing in healthcare, someone to actually look at you in the eye and say, "Look, I hear you. Let's come out with the plan for you." And then, every time I'm helping somebody in there, somebody else is learning. So, there's a lot of people in there, and we all learn from each other, too. And you also see that you're not alone, and that this is hard, and it takes work. So, for every all the diet industry people want to tell you it's quick and easy, it's not! They're lying! It takes time. You've got to figure out why you do what you do with food, and then change your habits, and that's where all the fun comes in, and that's where all the work comes in, though, too, to be honest, you know? It's life-changing. The calls are life-changing, and I know you're like, "Whatever, girl," but they are. We have so much fun, too. 00:14:22 Jeff Sarris Yeah, and you have a You've built a community. I mean, obviously, you have the Facebook community, which is completely free, you have the email newsletter and stuff, also completely free, but that group call is its own more tightknit community of people that you're able to work with and you can't because you can't necessarily do the direct consultation type stuff publicly, like through Facebook maybe. 00:14:46 Jill Harris No, you can't. 00:14:47 Jeff Sarris And some people also want the one-on-one, so that is it is an option, but, honestly, the group calls that is the way to go and it's, baked into the Kidney Stone Diet Prevention Course. 00:14:55 Jill Harris Look, we become friends, all of us together, and everyone's rooting for each other and look, it's just it's really special. It's a very, special part of my life, I will tell you that for sure. 00:15:07 Jeff Sarris Yeah, it's wonderful. 00:15:08 Jill Harris It's wonderful. ### Kidney Stone Resources and Community Support 00:15:09 Jeff Sarris I think we'll wrap there. So, head on over to kidneystonediet.com to learn more about everything we're talking about and, yeah, be sure to tell your friends if you're enjoying this podcast. Every new listener, it's it's help helpful, cause we really want to reach as many people as possible. We don't make any money directly from the podcast. We do talk about some of the products and direct people to the course and the meal plans and whatnot, but, yeah, this is completely free trying to reach as many people as possible. So, any way you can help, share it with someone who needs it. It means the world to us. 00:15:39 Jill Harris Yeah, and look everybody, I'll take a cab driver and they'll say, "What do you do for a living?" "I teach kidney stone prevention." "Oh, my Uncle Tom had kidney stones!" Everybody knows somebody who forms stones. So, please, subscribe, you people, because if you subscribe to the channel, other people will find incredible bits of information for themselves. So, the more people subscribe, too, we get we get into other people's homes, so that's helpful to us. So, and I want people to know that these can be prevented. It's super important. Kidney stone formers don't get the help they deserve, and so that's why I've dedicated my career to this. 00:16:16 Jeff Sarris Yeah, decades already. Decades of your life dedicated to it. 00:16:18 Jill Harris Yeah. Decades,. 00:16:21 Jeff Sarris So, yeah, thank you for listening. We'll wrap right here and we will see you next time. 00:16:26 Jill Harris Bye everybody! Thanks for being here.