What drinks should I avoid on a keto diet?

The Ketogenic diet - or Keto for short - is a low carb and high fat diet. The keto diet has gained massive amounts of popularity in recent years, including being one of the most searched diets on Google in 2019. It works by minimising carbohydrate intake and increasing fat intake in order to make the body utilise fat as a form of energy, leading to weight loss.

As the key element of the diet is to restrict your carb intake, it can be difficult to know what type of alcohol you can drink. Many alcoholic drinks contain high amounts of sugar and carbs. In this blog, we will look at what drinks you should avoid if you are following a keto diet and provide some suggestions of alternatives so that you don’t have to give up alcohol completely.

Can I drink alcohol on a keto diet?

There is good news if you are thinking of following a keto diet - unlike many other diets, alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation on a keto diet. There are many low carbohydrate alcohol options available, and pure forms of alcohol such as gin, tequila, rum and vodka are all completely carb free, providing a great option for when you are following a keto diet. However, it is important to remember that the body always burns alcohol first before anything else, meaning that drinking any kind of alcohol will slow down your weightloss - so moderation really is key.

How many carbs can you eat on a keto diet?

The amount of carbohydrates that you can eat whilst still reaching a state of ketosis depends very much on the individual as well as a range of other factors. The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day, but for some the number is as low as 20 grams. Generally speaking, to be following a keto diet, you would need no more than 5 - 10% of calories should come from carbohydrates.

What drinks should I avoid on a keto diet?

It is important that you avoid drinks that are high in carbs when following a keto diet. Unfortunately, many popular pre -mixed alcoholic drinks are made from high-carb, sugary ingredients like juice, soda, sweeteners or syrups. Similarly, beer is normally made from starch, which contributes to a high carb count per can. And although, as we have already mentioned, straight spirits do not contain any carbs, most of us are guilty of mixing these with sugary soft drinks that are a big keto no-no.

The table below shows the average carb counts of many supermarket brands of alcohol as well as some cocktails. At these levels, these are certainly some of the drinks that you should avoid drinking when following a keto diet.

What drinks at DrinkWell are suitable for a keto diet?

DrinkWell is committed to sourcing and providing the tastiest low carb and low calorie alcoholic drinks on the market. Our range offers a keto friendly alternative to many supermarket brands of beers, wines and spirits. We have an ever increasing number of products available, all of which are of the highest quality, truly innovative and something you would be delighted to share with your friends and family.

Importantly for those following a keto diet, we display the exact amount of carbs and calories found in a serving of every drink available so that you can be sure the drink you are choosing is suitable for your diet. Below is just a taster of some of the keto-friendly drinks we have on offer - you can read more about our recommendations here.

Hard Seltzers

Hard seltzers are a delicious lower-calorie, fruit flavoured alcoholic sparkling water drink. These refreshing drinks are simply made from carbonated water, alcohol and natural fruit flavouring, making them the perfect choice for anyone looking for a lower carb or lower calorie drink, including those on a keto diet. DrinkWell are one of the first retailers in the UK to offer hard seltzers, and are pleased to have a number of options on offer. For example, Bodega Bay hard seltzers contain no carbs and just 72 calories, and are available for £26.99 for a pack of 12. Other brands we have on offer include Mike’s Hard Seltzer, DRTY hard Seltzer and Long Shot Hard Seltzer.

SkinnyBrands Premium Lager

The ultimate keto lager in the UK. With just 3 grams of carbs per can, this is a refreshingly malty premium lager that’s full flavour. It is also suitable for vegans, gluten free and kosher, whilst containing only 89 calories per can. A 24 pack will cost you just £28.99 when purchased from the DrinkWell website.

Piattini Pinot Grigio

This Italian dry white wine contains an amazing zero grams of residual sugar and zero carbs - perfect for any Keto diet!! With a zesty citrus and lightly floral aroma, this Pinot Grigio is crisp and lemony with a dash of sweet honeyed fruit that is the perfect refreshment on a hot Summer's day. It can be purchased from the DrinkWell website for £9.99 per bottle.

Rose 500

Another 0g sugar and carb offering, this wine is the lowest calorie rose wine that we have available at DrinkWell. Suitable for vegans, this wine is made for the way we want to live today: healthier, happier but without compromise on quality, flavour or strength. In every bottle you find the passions that the exceptional winemakers have dedicated to the cultivation of their grapes. You can pick up a bottle from the DrinkWell website for £13.99.

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