When on the keto diet, everyone researches magazines and online links having to do with the food portion of the diet – seldom do people look for magazines and online links having to do with the drink portion of the diet.

Like, what can and what can you not drink on this diet?

It seems that finding information regarding drinks in this specific diet is a lot harder than finding information regarding food.

That’s okay. You’ve come to the right spot. I’m here, as always, to help you out.

Let’s start by saying you’re on the keto diet, which means you’re ready to restrict yourself from many foods and many beverages. I mean, you can only consume foods and drinks that are low in carbs and high in fats. Sure, when it comes to food, you have a ton of options to work with. On the other hand, when it comes to drinks, you don’t have so much to work with.

The drink category consists of milk, juice, coffee, tea, soda, alcohol, and water (FYI: You can drink as much water as you want). If I forgot an option, I do apologize.

However, when you’re on the keto diet, you have to be very restrictive (as mentioned above) and you have to keep count of your calories (specifically when it comes to your carb intake). This sucks because you’ll most likely be cutting yourself off from your favorite beverages. Even the “healthiest” of beverage choices can be detrimental to your caloric and carbohydrate daily intake.

So, let’s get to the point of this article. What drinks can you allow yourself to have and what drinks should you limit, or get rid of entirely, from your diet? Check it out below.

Juice

Limitations, limitations, limitations.

Sure, you can drink juice, only if it’s diet or reduced sugar juice. Fruit juices are extremely high in carbohydrates, therefore making them extremely impossible to keep in your diet.

Let me put it this way: Cranberry juice has approximately 30 grams of carbs in it and apple juice has nearly 24 grams of carbs in it.

That doesn’t mean you have to completely cut juice out. Most brands have the option of diet or reduced sugar versions of their popular juices. To be sure they’re the juice you can drink, read the nutrition label.

Tea/Coffee

Yes, you can totally drink tea or coffee on the keto diet… as long as it’s plain.

I know, this is boring as hell; who wants to drink plain tea or coffee? Probably not you.

Think of it this way: You’ll get used to the taste in no-time.

Now, I must set you straight; that means you should not have any cream, sugar, or milk of any sort in your tea or coffee. If you must have some type of flavoring, go with one tablespoon of heavy cream and avoid milk at all costs. I know this may seem odd to you, but one cup of milk has 13 grams of carbs in it whereas one cup of heavy cream only has one gram of carbs in it. And, if you use the heavy cream, you can even get a brand that has flavoring in it (the flavoring hardly ever effects the amount of carbs in the cream). If you’re doubting my suggestion, just check the nutrition label on the back.

Soda

No, no, no… unless it’s diet soda. And, if you want some diet soda, you need to understand what the term some means. Only drink it in moderation.

Let’s put it this way: Regular soda has approximately 41 grams of carbs in one 12-ounce can. Diet soda has zero carbs in one 12-ounce can. Diet soda never has carbs in it, no matter how big the can/bottle is.

So, what’s the reason health professionals tell us to stay away from diet soda when on the keto diet? The reason is because the artificial sweeteners found in diet soda are known to trigger hunger cravings, in turn making you want to eat more while on the diet.

Try your best to stay away. Cheat and drink one can of diet soda per week if you must.

Alcohol

Alcohol is not recommended while on the keto diet. Why is this? This is because almost every alcoholic beverage stops fat loss in its tracks.

Though alcohol may bump you out of ketosis temporarily, the temporary leave of the diet may feel a hell of a lot better than being on the diet.

In addition, being bumped off ketosis may cause you to get drunk quicker. Because of this, health care professionals warn those on the keto diet to be careful when drinking alcohol.

If you’re really having a hard time staying away from alcohol while on the diet, take my suggestion: Do not drink beer or wine. Instead, stick to hard liquor, like vodka or whiskey. If you can stand it, stick to vodka or whiskey on the rocks, not mixed in with juices or sodas.

Protein Shakes

Yes. Protein shakes are a super easy-to-make breakfast for those keto dieters on-the-go.

Do you want a better suggestion? Instead of going to the market to get some flavored whole creamers for your coffee, pick up some chocolate protein powder and add it to your coffee. It’s healthy and has minimal carbs! It’s a win-win situation.

If you’re hesitant to buy protein powder, you can always double check the labels on the back of the containers/packaging.

Many professional dieticians suggest buying protein powder with the casein protein in it, as this protein will make you feel full for a longer period of time.

By Jenny Lyn