Diet

Low Carb Keto Diet Alcohol The Best and The Worst Drink

November 04, 2022

Besides weight loss, the best thing about the keto diet is that you can enjoy alcoholic drinks. Here is the list of the best and worst alcoholic drinks for the keto diet.

The keto diet gained skyrocketed popularity for its weight loss effects. A low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein diet makes your body acquire the metabolic state called ketosis.

In this state, your body produces ketone bodies and burns fats. Besides weight loss, The ketogenic diet has several health benefits, such as:

Improve heart health.
Improved blood sugar control.
Increased mental clarity.
It may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Reduced inflammation.

Can I drink on the keto diet?

Yes. You can drink on the keto diet by carefully checking your calorie intake. Also, it depends on the quantity and type of alcoholic drink you choose. Alcohol has a lot of calories than the number of calories of protein and carbs. These calories can interfere with weight loss or cause unintentional weight gain.

Alcohol is a toxin that can affect your normal metabolism. Heavy drinking can interfere with the digestion and absorption of essential nutrients such as protein, fats, and carbohydrates. High alcohol consumption may lead to vital nutrient deficiencies. It also leads to poor decision-making and other health issues.

However, a moderate amount of alcohol is recommended on the keto diet. It helps to prevent the hazardous effects of alcohol on your weight loss and overall health.

Did alcohol affect ketosis?

The prime goal of the keto diet is to acquire this metabolic state of ketosis. It will make no difference to check your calorie count and drink occasionally. Alcohol consumption is related to low blood sugar levels and increased ketone production.

But this does not allow you to drink a lot on the keto diet to increase the ketone level. The excess alcohol can cause ketoacidosis and other chronic health issues like diabetes. But if you choose to drink, remember that moderation is the key. The recommended values are one drink per day for women and two for men.

What alcoholic drinks can you enjoy on the keto diet?

Here is the list of keto-friendly drinks you can consume in moderation while following the keto diet.

1. Spirits

Spirits are hard alcohol that contains zero carbs and are the best choice for the keto diet. These don't affect the weight loss and include:

Whiskey
Brandy
Vodka
Rum
Gin
Tequila

But mixers can add carbs and calories to your drink. Use sugar-free beverages like soda water, fresh citrus, and diet soda to mix hard spirits. They help you to keep your carb and calorie count low and aid in weight loss.

2. Wine

The good news is you can regularly drink a glass of dry wine on the keto. Dry wine is a low-carb drink. A single glass of dry red, white, and champagne provides 4g of carbs.

3. Beer

Beer is produced from grains that are high in digestible carbs. Most beers are bad for weight loss and should be avoided on keto. Only light beers can be used on the keto, which provides only 2g of carbs per serving.

4. Hard cider seltzers

You can choose a low-carb hard seltzer on the keto, which provides only 2gm of carbs per beverage. Ensure it is made with flavored seltzer or sparkling water and added liquor.

Best Alcohol Drinks for the Keto Diet.

Here is a detailed list of keto's best drinks with low-carb options.

1. Whiskey (Scotch and Bourbon)

Whiskey is produced from fermented grain such as rye, wheat, corn, or barley. It contains 35–50% alcohol by volume. All whiskeys have zero carbs, and it is a keto-friendly drink. Scotch, whiskey, and bourbon are types of these alcoholic drinks.

Scotch Whiskey: 105 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Bourbon: 105 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

2. Brandy

Brandy is a keto-friendly alcohol that contains zero grams of carbs. It is produced from juice, mash, wine, or grapes and has 35–60% alcohol by volume. Cognac is the most common brandy.

Cognac: zero grams of carbs and 64 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Brandy: zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

3. Vodka

You can drink vodka on keto because it is produced from a grain base such as potatoes, rye, or wheat. It contains zero grams of carbs and 35–50% alcohol by volume. But choose unflavored vodka cause many flavored vodkas have syrups and sugars, which can affect your weight loss process.

Vodka: offers zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

4. Rum

Generally produced from sugarcane or molasses, rum comes in wide varieties. It has zero grams of carbs and contains 35% alcohol by volume. But flavored rums have additives and sugars and are not good for keto. It can add carbs and calories to your drink.

Rum (light, dark, and spiced): zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz)

5. Gin

Gin is produced from a grain base and contains zero grams of carbs and 35% alcohol by volume. Citruses, such as lemon, orange, or lime, sweeten gin. But flavored or sweetened versions of gin have added sugars and are not good for keto such as Sloe gin. Also, do not mix gin with common mixers that have sugars.

Gin: zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

6. Tequila

Tequila is mainly produced from the agave plant. It contains zero grams of carbs and 40% alcohol per volume. Many flavored tequilas are available but contain added sugars. Choose tequila that is derived fully from the agave plant. Mezcal is an example of tequila derived from an agave plant.

Tequila: zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Mezcal: zero grams of carbs and 97 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

7. Low-carb Wines.

You can drink wine regularly in moderation on the keto diet. It is rich in polyphenol antioxidants and has several health benefits. Dry wines have the lowest sugar and are keto-friendly. It is made from not fully ripe grapes and has low sugar content. Usually, it does not use the chaptalization process (adding sugar to the fermentation process). Wide varieties of wines are available, but dry red and white wines are low-carb choices.

a. Low-carb red wine

Red wine is considered the healthiest alcoholic drink for keto. Moderate consumption of dry red wine has several health benefits. It can reduce heart disease and stroke risk. Studies on women suggest that 1-2 glasses of wine daily can reduce the risk of dementia, depression, and type 2 diabetes.

Dry red wine contains 4 grams of carbs and 120 calories per drink (5 fl oz).

b. Low-carb white wine

White wine is richer in antioxidants than red wine and will give less of a hangover. Dry white wine is low in carbs and a keto-friendly drink. Champagne is a famous white wine and is also low in carbs and sugar. So, next time you open the cork, don't worry about the extra calories and carbs that affect your keto diet.

Champagne: contains 4 grams of carbs and 120 calories per drink (6 fl oz).

Dry White Wine: contains 4 grams of carbs and 120 calories per drink (5 fl oz).

8. Low-carb Beer

Beer is everyone's favorite and common alcoholic drink, but it is not keto-friendly. It is made from grains like barley and wheat and provides a lot of digestible carbs. So, most beers are sour for weight loss and should be avoided on keto. While light beer is pale, larger can be used on the keto. It contains less alcohol than regular beer and makes it in carbs and calories. A wide range of light beer is available on the market. But we recommend drinking low-carb beer on rare occasions.

Light beer: contains 3+ grams of carbs and 100 calories per drink (12 fl oz).

9. Low-carb Hard Cider Seltzer

Cider is produced from the fermentation process of fruit juice (mostly apple) and is high in carbs. Most manufacturers will add extra juice or sugar to enhance after the fermentation and filtration. While hard cider seltzer is low in carbs, it contains seltzer water mixed with alcohol.

Hard seltzer: contains 2 grams of carbs and 100 calories per drink (12 fl oz).

10. Low-carb Chasers / Mixers

Some people use a mixer for their alcoholic drinks to make it go down easier. But choose a mixer wisely while on keto; it can add carbs to your drink. The low-carb choices are:

Sparkling water. It is one of the best choices, with zero carbs.
Diet carbonized water. It comes in many different flavors and varieties. Carefully read the nutrition labels.
Diet soda. Diet soda is low in calories and crabs. But it comes in many different brands that contain sweeteners, so carefully read the nutrition labels.
Sugar-free energy drinks. You can use low-carb energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull, and Bai5 with alcohol. They are sweetened with erythritol.
Water enhancers. You can use low-carb water enhancers from Mio, Stur, and Crystal Light brands.
Bitters. Bitters are a mixture of herbs infused into an alcohol base and may contain sugar. Making these at home to avoid extra calories and carbs in your drink is better.

Worst Alcohol Drinks for the Keto Diet

High-carb alcoholic drinks are the worst for the keto diet. Here is the list of drinks to avoid on the keto diet.

1. Liqueurs

Liqueurs made from spirits with fruits, herbs, and syrup are high in carbs and not good for keto. They can interfere with your ketosis. Some of the high-carb spirits are:

Aperol contains 15 grams of carbs and 103 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Bailey's contains 11 grams of carbs and 107 calories per shot (1 fl oz).
Coconut Rum contains 8 grams of carbs and 75 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Flavored Liqueurs contain 10 grams of carbs and 130 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).
Fireball contains 11 grams of carbs and 106 calories per shot (1.5 fl oz).

2. Sweet wine

Unlike dry wines, sweet wines contain 11-18g of carbs per glass. They are enjoyed with desserts mostly but can interfere with your ketosis. The high-carb sweet wines you must avoid on keto includes:

Dessert Wine contains 14 grams of carbs and 164 calories per drink (5 fl oz).
Port Wine contains 10 grams of carbs and 70 calories per drink (5 fl oz).
Sangria contains 15 grams of carbs and 175 calories per drink (6 fl oz).

3. Beer and Cider

Beer is a high-carb alcoholic drink and must be avoided on the keto. But light beer can be consumed on the keto diet. Some of the high-carb beers are:

Ale Beer contains 9 grams of carbs and 195 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Craft Beer contains 9 grams of carbs and 195 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Hard Cider contains 21 grams of carbs and 198 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Lager Beer contains 14 grams of carbs and 153 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Wheat Beer contains 11 grams of carbs and 164 calories per drink (12 fl oz).

4. Mixed drinks

Some of the famous drinks are high in carbs and must be avoided on keto, such as:

Gin and Tonic contain 16 grams of carbs and 207 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Margarita contains 22 grams of carbs and 225 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Pina Colada contains 87 grams of carbs and 655 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Rum Punch contains 25 grams of carbs and 231 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Rum and Regular Coke contain 12 grams of carbs and 178 calories per drink (12 fl oz).
Wine Cooler contains 34 grams of carbs and 227 calories per drink (12 fl oz).