Beer And Keto: What You Need To Know

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that many people adopt to lose weight and improve their health. While on the keto diet, people are typically careful about their meals to ensure they stick to their daily carb allotment and keep their body in ketosis. This often means giving up sweets, snacks, and other indulgences like soft drinks and alcohol. However, this does not mean that people on the keto diet have to give up alcohol entirely. They can still enjoy alcoholic drinks that are low in carbs, like hard liquor and light beer. Pure forms of alcohol like whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, and vodka are all completely free of carbs. Wine and light varieties of beer also contain relatively low amounts of carbs, usually under 6 grams per serving.

Light beer is allowed in moderation

Light beers such as Corona Premier, Miller Lite, Busch Light, and Beck's Premier Light are low in carbs, with Corona Premier containing only 2g of carbs per bottle and Miller Lite containing 3.2g. These beers can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a keto diet, but it is important to remember that even these low-carb options can have an impact on your overall carb intake for the day.

When following a keto diet, it is recommended to consume 20-50 grams of carbs per day. A single light beer can fit within this daily allowance, but it is important to be mindful of your overall carb intake and ensure that you are still making progress towards your fitness goals. Additionally, it is crucial to remember that alcohol can affect your judgment and willpower, making it easier to make choices that are not in line with your diet.

While light beer can be a part of a keto diet, it is important to prioritise your health and fitness goals. If you are unsure about how much light beer you can consume while maintaining ketosis, it is best to consult a dietician or nutritionist for personalised advice. They can help you understand how light beer fits into your overall diet and ensure that you are making informed choices to support your health.

In conclusion, light beer can be enjoyed in moderation on the keto diet. By choosing low-carb options and monitoring your overall carb intake, you can include light beer in your routine without sabotaging your fitness goals. However, remember that alcohol can impact your judgment and willpower, and always prioritise your health and well-being.

Pure spirits like vodka, gin, and tequila are keto-friendly

If you're looking for a mixer, soda water, flavoured sparkling water, or a low-calorie mixer like diet soda are all good options. You can also drink pure spirits straight or on the rocks.

While beer is not keto-friendly, there are some lighter options that are lower in carbs. For example, a pale lager contains an average of 5.81 grams of carbs per can, and some light beers can be as low as 2 grams of carbs per serving. However, beer should still be consumed sparingly on a keto diet.

Wine is also a relatively low-carb option, with red and white wine containing about 4.7 grams of carbs in a standard glass. Dry wines have the lowest sugar content, and sparkling wines like champagne and prosecco have less than 1 gram of carbs per ounce.

Dry wine is a low-carb option

Wine is typically much lower in carbs than beer and sugary cocktails. However, alcohol can hinder weight loss efforts as the body tends to burn alcohol before fat, slowing ketone production.

Dry wines are the lowest in carbohydrates. Wines are considered dry if they contain 10 grams of sugar per bottle or less. It is hard to find a completely dry wine, but there are plenty of keto-friendly options.

• Shop for sparkling wines (champagne, cava, and prosecco), dry reds like merlot and pinot noir, and whites such as sauvignon blanc.
• Sparkling wines labelled as "Brut" and "Extra Brut" typically have the lowest amounts of residual sugar—as little as 1.5 grams of carbs per glass.
• A lower alcohol content usually means a lower carb content.
• Wines with higher alcohol by volume (ABV) tend to have a higher carb content. Aim for 13% ABV or less for a low-carb wine.
• The drier the wine, the lower the sugar content. Varieties like champagne, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and Malbec generally contain somewhere between 2 to 4 grams of carbs per 5-ounce glass.
• Sauvignon Blanc: 3 grams of carbs per glass.
• Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris: 3 grams of carbs per glass.
• Chardonnay: 3.2 grams of carbs per glass.
• Pinot Noir: 3.4 grams of carbs per glass.
• Cabernet Franc: 3.6 grams of carbs per glass.
• Brut Champagne: 1 gram of carbs per glass.

Avoid sugary mixers

When following a keto diet, it's important to be mindful of the mixers you use with your alcoholic drinks. Mixers can be a significant source of hidden sugars and carbs, which can quickly turn your drink into a "high-calorie carb bomb".

• Opt for low-carb mixers: Choose mixers like diet soda, seltzer, diet tonic water, or powdered flavour packets. These options can enhance the taste of your drink without adding many carbs.
• Avoid common high-carb mixers: Stay away from regular soda, juice, sweeteners, and energy drinks. These mixers are loaded with sugar and carbs, which can interfere with your keto diet.
• Be mindful of tonic water: Tonic water contains a significant amount of sugar. It is often confused with soda water, which has no carbs or calories. Choose soda water or sparkling water instead.
• Watch out for fruit juices: Fruit juices, such as orange juice, are high in sugar and can quickly increase the carb count of your drink.
• Choose spirits wisely: If you're drinking spirits like vodka, gin, or whiskey, be sure to mix them with low-carb options. Soda water or flavoured sparkling water are good choices.
• Check the ingredients: When selecting mixers, always read the ingredients list to identify any hidden sugars or carbs.

Remember, the key to staying in ketosis while enjoying alcoholic beverages is to be mindful of your choices. By choosing low-carb mixers, you can still enjoy a tasty drink without compromising your keto diet.

Monitor your carb intake

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts the body into a state of ketosis, which can lead to weight loss. To stay in ketosis, a person needs to consume between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. This typically means giving up sweets, snacks, and other high-carb indulgences like soft drinks and alcohol. However, it is possible to drink alcohol in moderation while on the keto diet, as long as you monitor your carb intake and choose low-carb options.

How to calculate your carb intake

When following the keto diet, it is important to consider the number of "net carbs" in foods. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the amount of fibre from the total number of carbs. If the food is processed, you should also subtract half of the sugar alcohol content. These quantities are available on food labels.

Low-carb alcoholic drinks

There are several low-carb alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy in moderation while on the keto diet. Pure forms of alcohol like whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, and vodka are completely free of carbs. Wine and light varieties of beer also tend to be relatively low in carbs, usually containing under 6 grams per serving.

When mixing drinks, opt for low-carb mixers like diet soda, seltzer, diet tonic water, and powdered flavour packets. These mixers can enhance the taste of your drink while keeping your carb intake low.

High-carb drinks to avoid

Many alcoholic drinks are loaded with carbs, and some varieties pack more than 30 grams in a single serving. Cocktails and mixed drinks, for example, often rely on high-carb, sugary ingredients like soda, juice, sweeteners, or syrups. Regular beer is another high-carb option, containing upward of 12 grams of carbs in just one can.

The importance of moderation

Even low-carb varieties of alcohol are rich in "empty" calories and can contribute to gradual weight gain over time. Additionally, alcohol can affect your judgment and willpower, making it more difficult to stick to your diet. Therefore, it is important to keep your alcohol consumption in check and make sure it does not interfere with your keto diet progress.

Health considerations

If you are following the keto diet to treat a medical condition, such as diabetes or epilepsy, it is best to avoid alcohol altogether. Alcohol can affect your body's ability to stay in ketosis, potentially limiting the effectiveness of the diet. Additionally, drinking alcohol carries some health risks, so it is important to drink in moderation. The general guideline is to limit consumption to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Frequently asked questions