One of the most common questions from Love Yourself customers is whether or not it's possible to drink alcohol whilst on the keto diet, and remain in ketosis. Let's discuss this topic together today.
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet that approximately consists of 6% carbohydrates, 60% fats and 34% protein. As the diet is very low in carbohydrates, the body is not able to use glucose (which comes from carbs) as an energy source, and it is therefore forced to find an alternative source of energy. As a result, the liver produces some substances called ketone bodies that are used as the new energy source. At this stage, the body enters a state called ketosis, and becomes much more effective at burning fats.
Some alcoholic drinks like beers are very high in carbohydrates and therefore they would break your state of ketosis. However, there are alcoholic drinks such as wine and spirits that are low in carbohydrates. For example, unsweetened dry red and white wines contain only 4-5 g of carbs per glass, and spirits like vodka, rum, gin, tequila contain absolutely no carbs!
Drinking the right type of alcohol doesn’t affect ketosis at all. It is actually surprising to note that some types of alcohol like spirits help the body to produce more ketones. This is because the liver induces the transformation of the alcohol to a triglyceride (fat) that positively impacts the production of ketones.
However, drinking alcohol during keto will slow down the weight loss process (if that is your aim!). This is because the body focuses on burning the alcohol before the fats. Moreover, a lot of people are more likely to get drunk at a quicker pace than usual. This is attributed to the fact that the alcohol is metabolised quicker, as the liver stores significantly less glycogen during keto. Usually, glycogen helps to slow down alcohol metabolism and results in you feeling less drunk when not on the keto diet.
It is therefore important to remain well-hydrated. It is advised that you consume 1 glass of water for every glass of alcohol that you drink. Overall, alcohol has some nutritional benefits; for example, red wine is good to be consumed in moderation, as it is rich in antioxidants and has cardioprotective properties. However, it is not an essential nutrient, and it is treated by the liver as an external substance that needs to be expelled.
Alcohol can be a problem to people on a non-ketogenic diet as well when not enjoyed in moderation. Cocktails and spirits mixed with high sugar mixers can be shockingly calorie rich, and of course there's a reason for the term 'beer belly' existing as well! In addition to the high calorie content, alcohol is known to lower your inhibitions, leading to many of us ending a night out with a greasy kebab that is destined to completely sabotage your diet attempts. Hangovers are also notoriously cured with big breakfasts and high sugar drinks, and whilst you're in that state (feeling particularly sorry for yourself!) you might be more likely to break your healthy habits and undo all of your hard work! We therefore only recommend sticking to a low consumption of alcohol; a small glass of wine or spirit with mixer a day etc a day if you want to see consistent weight loss as a result of your diet.
That being said, alcohol is a big part of many different cultures, (including British!) and it is a common symbol of fun, relaxation and community spirit.
It is good news to know that, as I briefly mentioned above, there are low-carb drinks that you can pair with your keto lunch or dinner. Here are some examples:
Spirits: these have a higher alcohol content than all other alcoholic beverages, but they have zero carbs because, even though they are sourced from grains, after the distillation process, what remains is only alcohol. These are the best keto-friendly alcoholic beverages that you can have. However, an excess quantity of spirits can break the ketosis because the liver needs to focus on cleaning out the alcohol from the body, and the fat is then stored resulting in weight gain.
Low-carb mixers: usually mixers such as rum and coke or pina colada contain a high sugar content and therefore it is best to avoid them during keto. Particularly, sugar-sweetened drinks such as fruit juices, soft drinks and soda. However, there are some sugar-free alternatives that can be paired with your spirit. Examples are sparkling water, diet carbonised water, sugar-free energy drinks (Monster, Red Bull) and water enhancers.
Low-carb red and white wines: the driest wines have the lowest sugar content and can be consumed during keto. They are typically harvested when the grapes are not fully ripe (and have less sugar content) and usually don’t use a process known as chaptalisation in which sugar is added during the fermentation process. Red wine is lower in carbs compared to white wine. Moreover, wines that are labelled “early harvest” are preferred to those labelled “late harvest”, as they have been harvested early when the grapes are not fully ripe.
Low-carb beers: beers are one of the alcoholic beverages with the highest carb content. However, there are some beers that can be keto-friendly. Let’s discover these together. Possible beers to choose are Greens Trailblazer, Miller 64 and Budweiser Select 55. We recommend that even when drinking these beers, try to keep it to a rare occasion as they still have a higher carbohydrate content than the other beverages mentioned above.
Overall, to answer to the question “can I drink alcohol whilst on keto?” the answer is YES but within moderation. Alcohol shouldn’t be consumed on a consistent basis, as it can cause long-term health risks such as fatty liver disease, heart disease and stroke. Moreover, it is important to remember that alcohol can interfere with the weight loss process by delaying fat loss. Alcohol causes dehydration, hunger and impairs self-control. Most people on a ketogenic diet experience a much lower tolerance to alcohol than usual and worse hangovers.
I would like to conclude by saying that keto drinks can be consumed on occasional basis but always with moderation and with the mindset that too much alcohol is never healthy, no matter what diet you choose to be on.