Keto With Alcohol
The Keto diet is a very effective diet when it come to losing weight. It also enables you to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, it also comes with some restrictions which are necessary to maintain a low carb intake. This means that you cannot enjoy all of the foods and drinks which you may have previously been used to.
Drinking alcohol may not be at the top of your list of priorities but it would still be nice to join your friends for a couple of glasses after work of for happy hour. There are also those special occasions like weddings and cocktail parties where its enjoyable to join in with the vibe. The Keto lifestyle does not strictly forbid drinking alcohol but you do need to beware of a few things all the same. Here we take a look at Keto with Alcohol.
Why Drinking Alcohol Is Not Encouraged
There are no rules in Keto which say that you can never have any type of alcohol drink. However, it does advise against doing so because it can stall your progress with losing weight. For this reason, it is important to stick with the correct types of drinks if you do decide to indulge. This should enable you to stay in ketosis. However, you might notice that it is affecting your weight loss progress. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep alcohol consumption for special occasions rather than doing it regularly.
Drinking anything with alcohol in it causes your liver to start processing it immediately. This is a process which burns fat. It also leads to the buzz factor you get when consuming alcohol. The problem is that it also interferes with the regular process of burning fat from the food which you are eating. This slows your metabolism down and therefore also your weight loss.
Low-Carb Alcohol
If you do decide to have a few drinks then you need to make sure you stick with low carb alcoholic drinks whether it be a glass of wine, a cocktail, a beer or a liquor. Lets take a look at more information in relation to the different types of drinks you can consume on the Keto diet.
Choosing the Right Low-Carb Alcohol
If you are going to have an alcohol drink, then you are going to need to know which ones are safe to drink on Keto and which ones to avoid. You will need to stick to the drinks which contain the lowest amounts of carbs. If you consume too many carbs then you risk of kicking yourself out of ketosis. Your daily allowance of carbs is around 20 – 20 grams. Remember that the carbs you consume by drinking reduces the amount of carbs you can have with the rest of your food for that day.
How to Have Your Liquor
When it comes to liquor you are best to keep to clear liquors. Clear liquors usually have the least number of carbs. These include liquors such as gin, vodka, and white rum. Ideally look for 40% alcohol. If you do not like these liquors then you can choose one of the darker liquors such as whiskey, scotch, brandy, and tequila. Make sure though that you know how many carbs they contain before you drink a shot or mixed drink.
Most of the drinks mentioned have zero carbs but only when talking about a single shot. If you drink more than that then the carb count may increase. The exception to this is Cognac which has 2 carbs. Sticking to straight liquor or with ice is the best choice because if you start adding mixers or chasers, they may contain extra carbs. Obviously beware of mixers which contain sugar such as coke.
Wine is Fine
Drinking wine on Keto is ok. However, you need to know how many carbs are contained in the type of wine you decide on. It’s a good idea to look up this information beforehand and remember it or note it down somewhere because most restaurant menus will not contain this information.
Champagne and sparkling wine contain the lowest number of carbs at just 1.5 carbs per glass of 5-ounces. Pinot Grigio comes in next at 3.2 carbs and then Pinot Noir at 3.4 carbs. Chardonnay and Merlot come in a little higher at 3.7 carbs each and then a Cabernet will come in at 3.8 carbs per glass.
At 5.5 carbs per serving you are probably better off avoiding Riesling. Dessert wines which are sweeter are also higher in carbs as are Sherries and Ports so you are best avoiding these too.
Choose Your Beer Wisely
You may be surprised to hear that some beers actually contain less carbohydrates than a glass of wine or champagne. Choose the ‘low carb’ or ‘lite’ version of your favorite beer. Make sure though to check the nutritional information first to make sure it meets all requirements.
The best choice in terms of carbs is Budweiser Select 55 which only has 1.8 grams per 12-ounce bottle or can. Miller MGD 64, Michelob Ultra and Rolling Rock Green Light are the next best all coming in at under 3 carbs. Anheuser-Busch Light Pale Lager, Natural Light, Miller Lite and Budweiser Select all have between 3.1 and 3.2 grams per bottle.
Beware as not all beers with ‘Light’ in their name are low in carbs. For example, Bud Light, Coors Light, Corona Light and Amstel Light all have 5 grams and over.
Mixers and Chasers You Can Have
As already mentioned, you need to be careful when adding mixers or chasers to your drinks because these will also likely contain carbs so if you have too many you risk kicking yourself out of ketosis. Mixers which contain sugar should be avoided totally. This means that soft drinks or fruit juices are out. However, if there are diet or sugar free versions of these drinks available you can add these in very small amounts. Seltzer water, diet bubbly water and diet tonic water are ok to add to your drinks.
Alcohol and Mixers to Avoid
You should have a good idea now about what you can drink. So, we will have a look now at what you should stay away from. It’s just as important to be aware of this so that when it comes to ordering a drink you already know what’s ok and what’s not.
Mixers
As already mentioned, you should not add any mixers which contain sugar, aren’t low carb, diet or water version of the mixer or chaser. Be particularly careful with cocktails which often have mixers added to sweeten them and add to the flavor. The following are some you should look out for:
Sweet Drinks
Any sweet alcohol including wines should also be avoided if you want to avoid risking consuming too many carbs. As mentioned already this includes dessert wine, Moscato, Zinfandel, Sherry, Port and Sangria.
Other things to look out for are juice or syrups such as coconut cream syrup, whipped cream, and chocolate. Fruit in your cocktails should also be avoided depending on the fruit.
Flavored Liquor
It is best to avoid flavored liquors as these usually contain a lot of sugar which means increased carbs. Therefore, instead of something like cherry-flavored rum, it would be better to choose regular white run instead. Similarly, plain vodka would be a better choice than the many flavored vodkas which are now widely available. Drinks like Malibu, Peach Schnapps and Baileys Irish Cream are definitely to be avoided due to their sweetness.
Drinking Tips While on a Keto Diet
Now that you know both what you can drink and what you shouldn’t drink on the Keto diet, there are some other things you need to keep in mind about consuming alcohol while on Keto.
Don’t Drink in the Beginning –
On average it takes approximately 21 to develop a new habit. Therefore, you are better off waiting until this first 3 weeks at least have passed before you consider drinking alcohol on your new Keto diet. This is to give yourself and your body time to adapt to the low carb lifestyle first. This way you will be less tempted to order the higher carb drinks you used to enjoy previously. The longer you can leave it after starting on your Keto diet before drinking alcohol the better.
Try to Avoid Hangovers –
Your body and brain become a lot more sensitive to stimulants such as alcohol when you are on the Keto diet. This means that you will probably feel the buzz faster than usual. However, on the downside, hangovers will also tend to be worse the normal. To try and counteract this beforehand make sure that you drink plenty of water. It’s a good idea to drink a glass of water before starting and then have another one between each drink and then finally after your last drink.
Avoid Temptations –
As we all know alcohol tends to have the effect of lowering our inhibitions. This will increase the risk of temptation to make an exception or two and something with high carbs or perhaps a mixer with sugar which is a no-no on the Keto diet. This will end up with you being knocked out of ketosis. This or course means that you will need to take the time to get yourself back into ketosis afterwards. If you make a habit of this then you will sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Drink On a Super Low-Carb Day –
As your daily carb allowance consists of both what you consume from food and drink, you should aim to consume minimum carbs from your food on days that you know you will be having a few drinks. This will reduce the risk of you going over your carb allowance for that day. If you know you have a party or event coming up then you should be able to plan for this.
Low-Carb Cocktail Recipes
If cocktails and mixed drinks are your thing then you might like to try out some of these recipes. Although each of the recipes is low carb, be sure to keep a track of the carbs as you go because they do add up.
Cosmopolitan
First up we have the cosmopolitan. This popular cocktail is ideal for any occasion whether its just having your girlfriends over or at a fancier party. For this cocktail you should replace the Triple Sec with Orange extract and be sure that the cranberry juice of diet or sugar-free. Do not use light because this still has sugar in it which means carbs. If you wish you can also add some keto complaint sweetener and a lime wedge.
So, to make the cosmopolitan combine vodka, lime juice, orange extract, and diet cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Strawberry Mojito
Another very popular drink it the Mojito. Many people like its minty flavor. If you are one of these people, then here is how to make a low-carb fruity strawberry mojito. Make sure you use a sugar-free strawberry juice. Alternatively, you can use a different strawberry mix. Just make sure it does not contain sugar or high carbs.
To make the mojito take some fresh mint and mash it to release the mint flavor. Add the white rum, strawberry juice and lime. Finally add crushed ice and soda water and garnish with some more fresh mint leaves.
Low-Carb Mudslide
You might be surprised to hear that you can drink a mudslide as usually it is considered off limits on the Keto diet due to all the sugar. However, there is a way to make it without the excess sugar. Use your preferred liquor and then unsweetened almond milk, heavy cream, and a sugar-free chocolate syrup.
To make, combine crushed ice, vodka, your preferred liquor (usually coffee liqueur), almond milk and chocolate syrup with a blender until smooth. Then pour into a glass and garnish with the heavy cream.
Irish Cream
Bailys Irish Cream is another drink that is usually off limits on the Keto diet. However, there is a copycat version you can make which is Keto friendly. You will need Irish Whiskey, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla and almond extract, expresso powder, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and a keto compliant sweetener.
To make use a blender and combine the heavy cream, almond milk, Irish Whiskey, expresso powder, cocoa powder, vanilla and almond extract and blend well for 20 – 30 seconds. You can sweeten it with the keto compliant sweetener if you wish. Store it in the refrigerator in a well-sealed container. Make sure you shake it well before serving.
Bloody Mary
Finally, in care you need a Bloody Mary the next day, it is quite easy to make the low carb version. Just make sure to use about half of the tomato juice that you would usually add to a Bloody Mary. Also make sure the tomato juice and sauces do not contain any added sugars. Although the sauces contain some carbs it is not a problem unless you are going to drink too many Bloody Marys.
To make, take the vodka and tomato juice and ice cubes, and add a teaspoon of sea salt, 2 dashes of worcestershire sauce, 1 dash of hot pepper sauce (Tabasco sauce), salt and pepper for taste and a celery stalk.
