Friday, April 26, 2024

Can You Have Vodka On The Keto Diet

Can Vodka Be Used On A Ketogenic Diet

Keto Alcohol Vodka Cocktails What to Drink on Keto

The ketogenic diet is often seen as a diet for people who are trying to lose weight. The diet involves eating a high fat, low carbohydrate diet and making sure to drink plenty of water. However, the ketogenic diet can be useful for people who want to prevent or manage other health conditions. There are a number of foods that are typically used to help people follow a ketogenic diet, including eggs, butter, coconut oil, bacon, cheese, cream and cream cheese. Some of these foods are high in calories and people who are following a ketogenic diet will generally reduce their daily calorie intake. But, vodka and other alcohol can often be used on a ketogenic diet. This is because alcohol is high in carbohydrates and is often seen as a fattening food. While you are on the ketogenic diet, alcohol will have the same effect on your body as it does when you are not on the ketogenic diet. This is because alcohol is converted into glucose by your liver, which can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels. This increase in blood sugar levels can cause a rapid rise in your blood pressure and make you feel tired. A side effect of alcohol is that it can lead to an increase in uric acid levels in your blood. This will can affect your kidneys, potentially leading to kidney stones. The alcohol also interacts with other drugs that people might be taking, including some prescribed medications, which may increase the side effects of those drugs. This can also have a negative

Worst Alcohol To Drink On Keto

So, thats what you can safely drink while on the keto diet. Now lets look at what you should definitely avoid!

The worst alcohol to drink on keto is anything that is high in carbs and sugar. This includes:

  • Mixed drinks with fruit juice or soda
  • Anything else that contains a lot of carbs or sugar

These drinks will quickly kick you out of ketosis and are best avoided altogether.

What Cocktails Can I Drink On Keto

Knowing that most pure spirits, or hard alcohol, can fit into your low carb lifestyle is the first half of the battle. If you prefer a mixed drink, youll have to be sure to choose your mixers carefully to avoid sugary juices, sodas, and store-bought cocktail mixes.

For example, if youre a fan of tonic water, make sure to choose diet tonic, as regular tonic water has upwards of 25 grams of sugar per serving. You could also choose to drink your keto friendly alcoholic straight or on the rocks to keep things simple and free from additional carbs. But, for those looking for a cocktail to sip, here are a few keto alcohol drinks ideas to get you started:

  • Vodka soda. This cocktail is the king of keto vodka drinks, made simply with vodka, club soda and a lemon or lime wedge. Easy, refreshing, and zero carbs whats not to love?
  • Old Fashioned. Traditionally made with whiskey, a dash of orange bitters, and a sugar cube, this cocktail can be made even lower carb with your favorite low carb sweetener.
  • Sangria. Depending on the keto friendly fruit involved, a red or white sangria can be a refreshing, low carb beverage to enjoy on a patio or porch.
  • And more! Check out cocktails in our New Years article, and browse our Recipes page to find even more adult beverages that can fit into your low carb and keto lifestyle

Evidence Based

Read Also: How Much Alcohol Does Vodka Have

Alcohol And Mixers To Avoid On A Ketogenic Diet

Most of us that are on a low-carb, ketogenic diet know that sugar is in just about everything you can find. This also applies to mixers and chasers for alcohol, as well.

  • Port/Sherry. These are also known as dessert wines and include all types of port, sherry, and sauternes. They have a very high sugar alcohol, commonly averaging over 13g carbs for just a 3 oz serving. Avoid these where possible.
  • Sweet Wines. Much sweeter than dry wines, these are typically enjoyed with dessert and are a bit lighter than port or sherry. These include Moscato, auslese riesling, tokaji, and malvasia wines. They typically have around 11-18g carbs per glass, so you should avoid these.
  • Sangria/Margarita Mix. Typically sangria mixes and margarita mixes have over 10g carbs per 1.5 oz serving . Avoid these as much as possible.
  • Wine Coolers/Alcopops. The most common of these are Smirnoff ice theyre essentially sugar-laden soda with alcohol in them. You should definitely avoid these.
  • Liqueurs. Usually a combination of alcohol and a simple syrup , these are extremely high in carbohydrates. Below, youll find a full list of the most common liqueurs and their respective nutrition information.
Liqueur Type
165 26

Can Alcohol Throw You Out Of Ketosis

Keto Alcohol Guide

No, alcohol itself will not kick you out of ketosis. However, alcohol de-prioritizes utilization of fat to make ketones.

Here is the difference in metabolism on normal keto versus when you drink alcoholic beverages on keto:

  • When you follow a keto diet, your body burns fat for fuel and produces ketones.
  • When you drink alcohol on keto, your body sees the alcohol as poison and its first priority is to get rid of it . So, your body stops breaking down both sugar and fat in order to break down the alcohol instead. That means that any excess sugar or fat is more prone to get stored, in the form of glycogen in the liver and primarily body fat.

You May Like: What Is Vodka Cranberry And Orange Juice Called

What Are The Best Alcohols To Drink On Keto

Since not all alcoholic beverages are created equal when it comes to sugar content, there are definitely some better choices you can make if your goal is to stay in ketosis.

Steering away from beer and sugary drinks are your best bet. Pure alcohol products like rum, vodka, gin, tequila and whiskey all contain no carbs, says Jonathan Valdez, RD, owner of Genki Nutrition and spokesperson for New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Even though hard liquor is made from natural sugars (grains, potatoes, and fruits, during the fermentation and distillation process, that sugar is converted into ethyl alcohol instead of glucose, Valdez explains.

These are the best alcohols to drink on keto based on calorie and carb content, according to Valdez:

  • Champagne or sparkling wine

But its not just the alcohol itself you should be paying attention to. Mixers can easily kick you out of ketosis.

According to Valdez, these are the best mixers to use if youre on keto:

  • Seltzer/club soda
  • Crystal Light drink mix

How Many Carbs In Vodka

Along with many other distilled spirits, vodka is keto friendly. Although vodka is typically made from grain, rye or potatoes there are zero net carbs in vodka.

So you can enjoy a cocktail or two on the keto diet without risk of going over your carb limit as long as your mixers are low in carbohydrates.

Vodka is also gluten-free despite being made from wheat products. Some distillers may add flavors to their vodka and this extracts may contain gluten, so buyer beware.

Read Also: Does Tito’s Vodka Have Sugar In It

Can You Drink Alcohol On Keto The Takeaway

Though there are many low-carb alcoholic beverages, this doesnt mean that they are necessarily keto-friendly. And its important to consider that alcohol in any form is a toxin that can be harmful, especially for people with medical conditions.

Your body processes alcohol differently on a keto diet. Drinking can halt ketosis, increase weight gain while leading to faster and stronger intoxication and worse hangovers.

Drinking on keto can also stimulate reward pathways in the brain associated with sugar cravings, making it easier to indulge in carb-heavy foods.

With all that said, there are likely no drawbacks to enjoying a drink or two every once in a while on a keto diet.

But ultimately the question, can you drink alcohol on keto? has to be answered byyou.

Are you someone who can enjoy an occasional drink without going overboard? Do you have a history of alcoholism? Are you easily triggered by social pressures into overindulging?

Your answer to these questions is all way more important than the carb content of a drink.

Article Sources

How Much Alcohol Can You Have

What can you drink on a keto diet?

Alcoholic drinks contain varying levels of carbs. The typical drink is around 70 carbs per drink. Wine, for example, has around 60 carbs per glass. Beer has around 40 carbs per pint. This is the number of carbs that will typically be listed on the menu in a restaurant. But you cant assume that each drink contains the same number of carbs, and some alcoholic drinks have higher levels of carbs than others. For example, a shot of vodka will contain about 250 carbs per shot. This means that youd have to drink two shots of vodka to reach the amount of carbs youd normally get from one alcoholic drink. So, if you can manage to stick to a few drinks, they wont make a big difference to your keto diet. But if youre having a large number of alcoholic drinks, they could have an adverse affect on your diet.

Read Also: Where Can I Buy Japanese Whiskey

Can You Have Coconut Milk On The Keto Diet

Can you have coconut milk on the keto diet? Regular canned or fresh coconut milk is naturally high in fat and low in carbs, making it perfect for a keto diet.

What can I do with leftover liquid from canned coconut milk? Perhaps my favorite way to use coconut milk is to add it to soups. It gives any broth subtle sweetness and richness. Here are a few recipes you should try: thai-spiced butternut squash soup, yellow curry wonton soup, red curry wonton soup with zucchini noodles, and coconut red lentil soup with quinoa.

Can you reuse canned coconut milk? Yes, provided it has been stored properly, the can or package is undamaged, and there are no signs of spoilage commercially canned coconut milk will typically carry a Best By,Best if Used By,Best Before, or Best When Used By date but this is not a safety date, it is the manufacturers estimate

How long can you keep canned coconut milk after opening? An unopened can will have a shelf-life of two to five years, while an opened can will only last you about a week. Coconut milk also comes in cartons on shelves. Once opened, these cartons must be refrigerated and will last for seven to 10 days.

Will Alcohol Affect Ketosis

Alcohol metabolism occurs in the liver and so does ketone production. And yes alcohol absolutely affects ketone production.

One of the core aims of eating a ketogenic diet is to keep the levels of insulin low to reduce the storage of fat.

Most hormones in the body have an opposite hormone and insulin is no different. Insulins opposite hormone is glucagon.

While insulin is produced in response to high blood glucose levels.glucagon is produced in response to low blood glucose

Firstly, to break down those glycogen stores we mentioned earlier, to use as blood glucose and if there is no glycogen left, the liver will produce ketones from stored body fat!

So being in ketosis is low insulin, high glucagon state.

But whats this got to do with alcohol. Well, alcohol consumption reduces glucagon levels reducing, or stopping the production of ketones.

This makes sense your body has all of a sudden found a new energy source alcohol is an energy source therefore it doesnt need to keep breaking down fat for energy.

Read Also: Which Whiskey Is Best For Old Fashioned

Is Vodka Keto Friendly

I had this same issue, and I pulled out my phone to see if I could get a Vodka tonic without hurting my progress towards reaching ketosis. I gathered some of my findings below to answer this question is vodka keto friendly?

I also have given you a quick answer to this question if you are in a hurry.

Vodka is keto friendly, but you have to be careful what you mix it with while on the keto diet.

Classic Vodka Soda With Lemon

Keto Diet Meal Plan

This is the ultimate go-to vodka drink for people who are both living a keto lifestyle and for those who aren’t. It’s simple to make, low in calories, and light. It also won’t bloat you like beer or fill you with sugar like wine. It’s truly a win-win when it comes to a keto drink with vodka.

Yields: 1

Instructions:

Run a lemon wedge around the rim and dip it in the low carb sweetener that’s been placed on a small plate. Add the sliced strawberries, lemon slices, fresh basil, lemon juice and sweetener to a cocktail shaker. Muddle to crush everything down and mix. Add vodka and ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass and garnish before serving.

You May Like: How Much Vodka To Add To Lemonade

Many Forms Of Alcohol Are High In Carbs

One of the main reasons that alcohol is a problem for people who are on the keto diet is because many forms of alcohol are high in carbohydrates.

The reason that this is generally not desirable for people on the keto diet is because consuming carbs can interfere with the process of ketosis. When youre in ketosis, a single dose of glucose can have a serious impact on your body and weight loss.

This is because your body will have a reduced tolerance to glucose, meaning that it will be highly sensitive to all forms of carbohydrates. Consuming carbs can then lead to serious blood sugar spikes, whilst kicking you out of ketosis.

Furthermore, some studies have revealed that people following a low-carb diet can actually sustain physical damage by suddenly reintroducing high doses of carbs into their diet. Subjects in the study were shown to have elevated levels of biomarkers in their blood, indicating that their blood vessels were damaged.

So how bad are the various alcohols?

Alcohol Can Increase Hunger Or Cravings

Urban dictionary defines this as drunchies aka drunk munchies, but there is actually some science behind it. Essentially, your brain goes into starvation mode because certain neurons that deal with hunger are activated when you are intoxicated. In addition to alcohol reducing self-control, alcohol make it difficult to stick on your diet.

Recommended Reading: How Much Does Gin Cost

Can You Have Vodka On Keto

Alkaline diets can be a little bit confusing. At first, you might be inclined to think that keto is the only diet that you can have alcohol. However, some research suggests that, as long as you are consuming lots of vegetables and proteins, you should be just fine. In the section below, we will be discussing everything you need to know about alcohol and keto.

What To Know About Alcohol And A Low Carb Lifestyle

Can You Drink Alcohol On Keto?

These are the five tips that I consider most important when incorporating alcohol into a low carb lifestyle:

  • Alcohol is processed in the liver and it is metabolized first, before anything else. It will temporarily disrupt or pause fat burning if you are in a state of ketosis. If you are on a keto diet, just know that the disruption of ketosis is temporary, unlike the longer term impact of eating sugar and carbs.
  • People on a low carb or keto diet will feel the effects of alcohol much quicker than those on a Standard American Diet .
  • People on a low carb or keto diet will also recover from the effects of alcohol quicker.
  • Hangovers are much, much worse on a low carb or keto diet, so be aware and be careful.
  • Replenishing electrolytes after a night out before bed can help tremendously with avoiding a hangover the next day. This video will walk you through a quick and easy morning drink called Ketorade that is great for replenishment of electrolytes. Ketorade is also an excellent morning drink for starting any day with energy.
  • Read Also: What Do You Make With Gin

    Keto Alcohol: Easy Low Carb Alcoholic Drinks Guide

    This post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free.

    Are you wondering about alcohol on a keto diet? Whether it will stop ketosis or affect your progress? If keto friendly alcohol exists? What low carb keto cocktails, beer, and wine work best for this lifestyle? Youve come to the right spot. Im sharing this complete guide to answer all of these questions and more. Ill dive into how your body processes alcohol while in ketosis, what your options are for keto low carb alcoholic drinks, and the right keto alcohol you should choose.

    There are many times when youre looking for keto drinks besides water. Maybe its a celebration, maybe its a work happy hour, or maybe you just want to enjoy some keto cocktails! Whatever your reason, drinking alcohol on keto is just fine so long as you know what to drink and you keep it in moderation.

    In this guide youll find ideas for keto friendly alcohol drinks , but also more about how alcohol can affect you if youre following a ketogenic diet, the best low carb alcohol to enjoy, what to look for in low carb mixed drinks, and the counts of carbs in beer .

    If youre just getting started, check the guide for how to start a keto diet and the keto food list, so that you understand how it works overall. You may also want to read about keto flu symptoms and remedies, to make sure you avoid or remedy that before trying to add alcohol.

    Popular Articles
    Related news