Drinking Alcohol on Keto

Are you new to Keto and want to learn more about whether you can drink alcohol on Keto? You don’t want to derail your progress but you also don’t want keto to impact your social life? If you’re interested in throwing back a drink or two occasionally, continue reading for a few tips for drinking alcohol safely on Keto.

First and foremost, alcohol will not necessarily set you back entirely but it can still have some impact on ketosis for several reasons:

Your body will burn alcohol before burning fat/ketones, so regularly drinking alcohol will stall your weight loss efforts on the keto diet. Drink in moderation to minimize impact on your weight loss goals.
The effects of alcohol will hit you quicker and harder on the keto diet because you have no carbs in your body. Carbs tend to reduce the effects of alcohol. So go slow when you drink on Keto and try to eat a meal beforehand to slow the effects. You’ll likely need less alcohol to feel tipsy and the recovery may take longer than you’re accustomed to.
After consuming alcohol, some are more likely to cheat by binging on non-Keto friendly (Carb-heavy) foods like pizza and french fries, which will most definitely kick you out of ketosis. So stay strong, and keep Keto friendly snacks on hand to minimize the temptation to cheat after a night of drinking.

That said, please ensure if you’re going to drink you do so in moderation and stick to the Keto-friendly beverage recommendations below:

CLEAR LIQUOR (such as vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, brandy and tequila) is your best bet on the keto diet as they contain zero carbs and sugars when drinking straight. Just ensure you are extremely cautious with mixers as most of them contain a lot of sugar. Either drink the alcohol straight as a shot, or stick to club soda or even diet soda if you are making a cocktail. Lime, cucumber, and mint garnishes are also ok.

Avoid tonic, regular sodas, and sugary juices as mixers as they’re all loaded with sugar and will knock you out of ketosis immediately. Also be cautious of flavored liquors as some of them contain sugar additives.

SPIKED SELTZERS such as White Claws or Trulys are also another great beverage option for Keto (as long as you stick to the low-Carb varieties). Most spiked seltzers range anywhere from 2-5 net grams of carbs per drink, but check the nutrition labels if you’re interested in experimenting with another brand as some spiked seltzers are loaded with sugar.

DRY WINES or CHAMPAGNES are also OK for Keto as long as you drink them in moderation. A 5 ounce serving of wine typically has around 5 grams of Net Carbs, so anything more than a glass or two will likely set you outside your carb limit for the day. Avoid sweet wines entirely!

LOW CARB BEERS are not technically ‘Keto-approved’ (as they do contain grains which is on the ‘Avoid’ list) however given the low carbs some are able to get away with one or two drinks and remain in ketosis. Examples of low-carb beers include Michelob Ultra, Budweiser Select, Miller 64, Beck’s Premium Light, Miller Lite, and Busch Lite. Check the carb count and stick to beers with 5 grams of Net Carbs or less, but even then you should limit your consumption to a beer or two to remain in ketosis.

Finally, it’s important you keep your body well hydrated to minimize the effects of drinking alcoholic beverages on a keto diet. Both dehydration and electrolyte imbalance may occur after a night of drinking which will lead to a terrible hangover. Supplementing with extra electrolytes and throwing back a couple extra glasses of water after drinking will help reduce the likelihood and impact of a hangover (See my Supplementing Electrolytes on Keto post for more info.)

Hope these alcohol tips helped! Before you go, check out these other Keto resources:

Having trouble remembering all these Keto rules? Problem solved! Get your Keto cheat-sheat now at KetoHealing’s Etsy Shop.

Want to model your Before & After Keto photos in style? Browse our fabulous Keto T-shirts at KetoHealing’s Etsy Shop. Available in multiple sizes and colors.