Does Keto And Alcohol Mix?

The question comes down to this, can you stay in ketosis and still enjoy an adult beverage or two?  This article will tell you everything you need to know.

A lot of “ketoers” (keto dieters) feel like alcohol is taboo in their diet. There are some good reasons for thinking this way.  Besides just being generally unhealthy alcohol can be counterproductive for ketoers.

Here we’re going to discuss whether you can, or should, have alcohol while on a Keto diet as well as provide a shortlist of keto-friendly alcohol and some that are not so keto-friendly.

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Does keto and alcohol mix?

The way keto works

Before we get into what the effect of alcohol is on a keto diet we need to understand what a keto diet is.  It’s a strict diet of high-fat, medium protein, and low-carbs that puts your body into a state of ketosis. 

Normally your body runs on glucose as its primary source of energy. Regardless of your body’s state of activity, it’s using energy to keep everything functioning well. If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates you will have a deficit of glucose to fuel your body.  

Luckily, your body is able to burn fat for energy when your stored glucose is depleted. It’s our body’s ability to do this that makes the Keto diet so effective for weight loss.  When your body is using fat as its primary fuel source you are in the state of ketosis.

For more information about getting started on the keto diet go to “Custom Keto Diet Planning”. 

Is alcohol bad for keto?

The medical profession’s consensus is that alcohol is generally unhealthy and it’s not too good for that keto diet either.  There are plenty of reasons for this and we’ll look at 6 of them here:

1 – A lot of alcohol is loaded with carbs

The reason alcohol is bad for the keto diet is that many types of alcohol are loaded with carbs.  Since too many carbs will knock you out of ketosis, any high-carb beverage is bad for keto.  Even one dose of glucose will impact your weight loss effort by reducing your body’s glucose tolerance, which in turn makes you more sensitive to carbs.  Then the consumption of carbohydrates leads to blood sugar spikes taking you out of ketosis.

Additionally, there are studies showing that low-carb dieters can suffer physical damage by reintroducing high levels of carbohydrates to their diet suddenly. The study’s subjects had elevated biomarkers in their blood that indicates blood vessel damage.

Just how bad are the different alcohols?

Keto and wine

In reality, wine is comparably low in carbohydrates with +/- 2g in a small glass.  Even the strictest ketoer could nurse a couple of glasses (about 9 fl.oz.) and keep their total carbs under the 20g daily keto limit!

Dryer wines are preferred on the keto diet because they have less sugar than the sweeter varieties.  Also beware of the sweet dessert wines which are loaded with sugar, which is obvious since they’re so sweet. Five ounces of a Muscat or Sherry will add over 200 calories and 20g of carbs.

Keto and beer

Beer is especially high in carbohydrates, having 13g or more of carbohydrates.  Beer is made with wheat, barley, and corn for the most part. Its ingredients give the beer a lot of bioavailable carbs the will move you out of ketosis very quickly.

Drinking large amounts of beer regularly is an obstacle to lose weight, or trying to keep it off. There’s a reason we say “beer belly”

Overall, avoiding beer and choosing lower-carb beverages is necessary to stay in ketosis.  Fortunately, there are low-carb options if you really want a cold one, we call them lite beers.

Liquors and spirits

Pure spirits are practically a zero-carb beverage (gin, vodka, whiskey, etc.).  So they won’t likely take you out of ketosis, however, we’re talking about 80 proof alcohol; moderation is key.

The issue with drinking spirits and liquors is the addition of the mixer to make them a little more drinkable like a “Tequila Sunrise” versus a shot of tequila.

Mixers are typically loaded with sugar and made from sodas and fruit juices, that are full of carbs, to balance the alcohol. So be mindful when choosing mixers and pick those that are low in sugar carbs (i.e., sugar-free tonic and seltzer, diet sodas, etc.).

Even though liquors have virtually zero carbs, they have calories.  Calories won’t take you out of ketosis, but they will add weight to your body or make it harder to lose weight.

2 – Alcohol and metabolism

On the keto diet, your metabolism works very specifically to keep you in ketosis.  Sadly, alcohol can interfere with your metabolism and your ability to stay in ketosis.  Some of that interference is caused by byproducts produced by alcohol.  Those by-products can cause a sudden burst of energy, but this may also stop ketosis.

Some alcohol byproducts are phosphatidyl ethanol, acetate, and acetaldehyde. All of these byproducts are quite toxic and your body tries to metabolize them like any other poison, prioritizing the toxins over burning sugars or lipids. Meaning, drinking alcohol often enough you will spend more time metabolizing its byproducts which can result in fat storage.

3 – Alcohol is calorie-dense

Alcohol can be low-carb, but all alcohol is pretty high in calories.  Calories aren’t as troublesome as carbs on a keto diet, you should still be aware of how the additional calories will impact your weight goals.  If you’ve gone keto to lose weight then you are most likely watching your calories since you won’t lose weight without being calorie deficient.

Alcohol is calorie-dense.  For example, wine, gin, and beer have 123, 73, and 154 calories respectively. That may not sound too bad, but you can see how easily the calories can add up with just 3 or 4 drinks.

For a quick point of reference, a Snickers bar (2 oz) contains 280 calories.   That’s equivalent to a 30-minute run.  Just two beers have more calories than a Snickers bar!  

4 – Alcohol impairs your judgment

Other than causing you to make poor decisions it leads people to make poor food choices.  If you go for drinks with your friends it’s wise to evaluate yourself and your willpower. Will you really hold to a keto diet after downing a few cold ones before your friends start ordering non-keto appetizers?

What about the day after?  Will you have the self-control to avoid the “hangover munchies”?

5 – Your alcohol tolerance on keto

It’s likely you’re drinking less alcohol while you’re on the keto diet, so your tolerance will be much lower than before.  On top of that, your glucose tolerance also drops when you’re in ketosis making your body more sensitive to any carbs or sugars you eat.  This also means you will feel carb crashes more as well. 

Because most alcoholic drinks are full of both carbs and sugars you may find your emotions and energy level will be on a rollercoaster too.

6 – Alcohol is generally unhealthy

The number one reason alcohol is thought to be unhealthy for ketoers is that it’s simply unhealthy.  It’s not nutritional.  It’s kind of the opposite of being nutritional, taking away nutrients your body has when you began drinking, interfering with digestion, and absorbing nutrients.

Not all alcohol is without nutrition.  Red wine and beer are known to have antioxidants and B vitamins, respectively. But for the chronic drinker, the negatives outweigh the positives of alcohol.  

Which alcohols are best for keto?

As stated early alcohol isn’t ideal for dieters wanting to stay in ketosis. Alcohol might lead to more fat storage due to our metabolism. But having an occasional drink isn’t the end of the world.  It’s possible to have a drink or two if you pick some low-carb drinks that won’t derail metabolism.

Alcohol with low-carbs

If you’re on a keto diet, be sure to drink only low-carb drinks. If you like your drinks neat, you’re in luck because most hard drinks are carb-free, meaning them without worrying about exceeding your carb limit!

Still, remember alcohol can negatively affect your state of ketosis even if it’s not a high-carb drink.  Here’s a shortlist of low-carb drinks for you to enjoy without too much guilt.**

• • • • Gin, tequila, rum, vodka, or whiskey neat for zero carbs.
      • Wine (red or white) has 3-4g of carbs
      • Light beer averages 3g per can

Low-carb mixes

The next point of cation is your choice of mixer for your cocktail.  The popular cocktails are typically made with high-carb juice, soda, or an energy drink.  To make a tasty low-carb drink use a carb-free mixer like these:

• • • • Sugar-free tonic water
      • Seltzers
      • Diet sodas
      • Carb-free juice mixers like Crystal Light

Whether you’re on a keto diet or not it’s imperative you know your limit regarding alcohol.  But if you’re on the keto diet you need to set a limit much lower than usual.  There are many reasons to keep your drinking to a minimum:

• • • • Drinks are loaded with empty calories, meaning calories without nutrients
      • Drinks may increase your chances to gain weight and take you out of ketosis
      • Drinks have a tendency to drain you or nutrients, leading to nutritional deficiencies
      • Excessive drinking can lead to physical and mental health issues

According to the Mayo Clinic, moderate drinking generally means one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. Examples of one drink include:

• • • • Beer: 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
      • Wine: 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters)
      • Distilled spirits (80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters)

In summary

A lot of keto dieters believe alcohol is a no-no for anybody on a keto diet.  But it’s not that simple. Choosing to include alcohol with a keto diet hinges on a number of factors. There are some things to consider before heading out:

• • There are a lot of varieties of alcohol and some are low-carb. Hard liquor is all but carb-free and wine has 3g of carbs or less per glass
  • Despite some alcohol being carb-free, all alcohol generates toxic byproducts that your body has to metabolize.  Unfortunately, your body makes it a priority to burn the toxins first which can take you out of ketosis
  • Regular, or frequent, consumption of alcohol can cause your body to store fat
  • Be sure to use low-carb alcohol and mixers for your drinks

Keep all this information in mind and you should have no trouble including alcohol (in moderation) in your keto diet.

Are you ready to start your Keto Diet? One way to get started with a Keto Diet is to have an 8-week “Custom Keto Diet Plan” created for you based on your height, weight, age, level of physical activity, and personal weight goals. Click the banner to learn more about your customized keto diet plan, or click here to go straight to your custom keto diet meal planner.

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