This is your one-stop guide to drinking alcohol on the Keto Diet.
If you’ve been researching a ketogenic diet then you likely have come across no alcohol advice.
Generally, you’d be correct.
Alcohol and Keto don’t mix well and that’s because of the carb content of some alcoholic drinks along with the high sugar in others.
It’s not so much the actual carbs and sugar but it’s what your body does with alcohol.
The object of Keto is to use fat as fuel, not carbs and certainly not sugar.
Alcohol prevents your body from metabolising nutrients.
As soon as alcohol enters your system, your liver uses it for energy and this stops fatty acid oxidation (which is how the body breaks down fats for energy and thus puts the body into a ketogenic state).
When you drink alcohol your body uses the calories for energy so you immediately fall off the Keto diet wagon!
Bearing the above in mind, does that mean that when you choose Keto you have to completely avoid alcohol?
After all, everyone enjoys a glass of wine now and then!
Even more so when there’s a celebration and someone pops open a bottle of champagne – not many people want to miss out on that opportunity!
The truth is, you can have a drink every now and then.
It is not the worst thing that you can do but as long as it really is in moderation and you jump straight back onto the Keto wagon the very next day.
Also, don’t go mad!
The problem with one drink is that it usually leads to another – and if you’ve deprived your body for a while, that temptation can be difficult to resist.
Having said that, don’t drink alcohol initially, even if you do have a great family celebration!
If you’ve decided to go on a ketogenic diet, then time it.
There’s no point if it’s your best friend’s wedding or your brother’s bachelor or stag party, wait until afterward.
If you want to lose weight for a wedding or similar, start your Keto diet a few months before and then you can allow yourself that wedding champagne indulgence.
That way you’ll see results and the odd drink won’t make much of a difference.
So, it is very much about timing.
Some people do like a drink two or three times a week and if you’re one of those people you might think Keto isn’t for you.
Well, there is an alternative.
Actually, you can enjoy some low carb cocktails.
You do need a little fun every now and again and there are some drinks that are suitable (on occasion).
Here’s the best of what you can drink, but please remember, serious moderation is the key to a successful Keto diet.
1. Avoid Huge Amounts of Wine
OK, apart from that wedding celebration and promising yourself you will go straight back onto Keto the very next morning, wine and beer are simply not Keto-friendly at all.
It’s best to avoid them and stick to a spirit instead.
This is because of the carb content. Spirits don’t contain carbs.
Their calories come from alcohol rather than carbs.
As a guide, there are around 7 calories per gram of spirit.
Wine isn’t high in carbs so a small glass (5 ounces has around 6g of carbs) or a spritzer won’t do too much Keto-diet damage – don’t overload though!
2. Say No to Beer
Beer is a no-go area on Keto and that’s because it’s high in carbs so it really will ruin your ketogenic diet.
Did you know that a pint of beer contains up to 15 grams of carbs?
That’s more than your daily allowance?
If you really have to have a beer (maybe you’re out with the boys for a night!) then try a low-carb beer but check the ingredients.
Some low-carb beers just have around 2 grams of carbs per serving.
However, we are not saying go out and drink beer, it’s best to avoid it altogether unless you’ve been on the Keto diet for a while and you’ve seen great results.
Just promise yourself you’ll get straight back into your Keto eating routine the next morning and stick to it for a while before your next low-carb beer.
3. You Can Drink Spirits – Straight
Don’t mix your spirits unless it’s with plain soda (sugar-free).
Drink them straight and that also means that you’ll get merry quicker so will be less likely to have more than one or two.
Did you know that alcohol on a Keto diet makes you more susceptible to feeling tipsy or drunk?
So do go easy if you have to have an alcoholic drink.
4. Research Your Spirits and Alcoholic Drinks
Before you go to an event that serves alcohol, for example, that family celebration or a night out with your friends, why not do your research first?
That way you know exactly what the carb and sugar content is.
As an example, one serving of a spirit is just 1.5 ounces and zero carbs (around 95 calories).
If you’ve been strict while on Keto you’ve likely seen some great results and that research alone might put you off!
Even if it doesn’t, you will be aware of what you’re consuming and hopefully keep a lid on it.
Remember, while a vodka is fine (a small amount of this spirit occasionally), mix it with orange juice (full of calories and sugar) and you’re straight off Keto.
Stick to straight vodka if you feel you have no alternative but to have a glass of something naughty!
You could also order a whiskey or a Tequila shot.
While the shot slips down fast, the whiskey (with a little water added) could last you a while and won’t cause havoc with your body metabolizing fat.
5. Alcoholic Drink Ideas for Keto
Having a party?
Need a few good Keto alcoholic drinks?
Try some of these but remember, this is by no means an invitation to drink lots of them all night, then you will ruin your Keto diet!
- Vodka (2oz) with soda, a dash of lime and a couple of slices of cucumber served with ice.
- Rum, (2oz) with sparkling water (4oz) and a dash of lemon or lime served over ice.
- Vodka (2oz) with fresh mint and a squeeze of lime, add soda water and crushed ice – if you need sweetener, add a quarter of a teaspoon.
- White wine spritzer (3 ounces of dry white wine) – mix with soda water and you have a relatively Keto-friendly drink.
