Alcohol on Keto
By Lindsay // The Ketoneer
If you are morally against drinking alcohol, good for you, but this post is not for you, so go ahead and click out. I have no judgement either way. I am not trying to encourage anyone to drink alcohol. But, I have recently had a lot of people ask me about alcohol while on a ketogenic diet. So, here we go…
I felt it only appropriate to write this blog while recovering from a hangover. This is coming from a very authentic place. You’re welcome. I went to a country music concert with my girlfriends over the weekend. Football season is also upon us. We all know how West Virginians like to throw down during college football games. I would be lying if I said I had never shotgunned a beer during a tailgate – or burned a couch after a game. That is a story for another day.
Hangover Hell
There is no hangover like a keto hangover. What do I mean by that? Well, hangovers tend to just be worse when you are keto. So beware. Drink with caution. Or better yet, don’t drink at all. Alcohol affects you differently when you are on a keto diet. Your body holds on to less excess water when on keto, which is amazing when you don’t want to feel bloated and you want to look a little slimmer. This also makes the effects of alcohol more severe as you may become dehydrated easier. Especially if you are new to keto and are still adapting. If you are still in the first couple weeks of keto where you could be battling keto flu, please for the love of all that is holy, do not even try to drink alcohol or get drunk. Just don’t. Let me spare you that misery. If you are already in a state of borderline electrolyte deficiency from keto flu, you have no business getting drunk. We all know the diuretic properties of alcohol. Hangovers are caused by this fluid and electrolyte loss.
If you get to the point where you are hungover, it will be nearly impossible to keep yourself on keto. When you feel like crap, you will want to eat crap food. Hangovers throw off your hunger signals and give you INTENSE carb cravings. That is what it does to me anyway. I will be honest with you because you are my keto family. I was bad over the weekend. I was not a good “keto role model”. I drank beer. I ate carbs. I feel like sh*t today while typing this. I am bloated. I have a headache. I don’t want you friends to feel like I do right now. I am getting back on keto today and I am so excited because I know it will make me feel better. If you are going to be “bad” and drink while on keto, I want to give you a few of my tips so that you don’t feel like total garbage or sabotage your weight loss.
Tips and Tricks
First of all, if you are on keto for weight loss, don’t expect to be able to go out and binge drink every weekend and lose weight. Alcohol will slow down or stop your weight loss completely if you indulge too much. Alcohol can deepen your level of ketosis but while you have alcohol in your system, your body is busy clearing out the alcohol. That becomes its priority over weight loss and fat burning. I really only ever have drinks on rare special occasions. I VERY rarely get to the point where I am hungover like today. Sorry to be the bearer of this bad news, party people. If you are going to have a binge drinking day, consider it a cheat day and make it a rare occasion.
Next, if you do want to have a rare drink and stay keto, you can stick to some low carb beverages in moderation. Heavy beers like porters, stouts, and IPAs are basically out of the question as much as I hate that. Beer is probably one of the worst options for keto. I think having very light beer such as Michelob Ultra (2.6 carbs), Budweiser Select 55 (1.9 carbs), or MGD 64 (2.4 carbs) may be okay if you only have one or two on rare occasions. No throwing down a 12 pack because you will hit your carb limit for the day just on alcohol. Here is a great info-graphic on low carb beer: https://macrofare.com/hub/keto-diet/keto-friendly-beer/
Wine can be a good option if you want to do one or two small glasses of DRY wine. Sweet wines such as moscato are out of the question. Dry wines such as pinot grigio or pinot noir have around 2-3 carbs per serving.
Liquors such as unflavored vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey all have zero carbs. However, liquor has much more alcohol than beer and wine, so you have to be careful. Only have very little as you will be affected more by these options. You also have to beware of mixers that could have hidden sugars. Club soda is a good option over say tonic water. I sometimes like to have a gin with club soda and lime. I also like to mix plain vodka with flavored sparkling water. Here is a great guide with info-graphics on many different kinds of alcoholic drinks with carb listings for each: https://www.ruled.me/ketogenic-diet-and-alcohol/
You have to try to stay hydrated while drinking alcohol on keto. A good rule of thumb is to drink a glass of water after each alcoholic drink. Also, go back to how your dealt with keto flu and mind your electrolytes. Remember, increased urination equals electrolyte loss. I understand wanting to maintain a social life while on keto. Going out and having dinner and drinks with friends can still be an option. You just have to keep yourself in check. Often, keto hangovers are so intense, that alone will help keep you in check to want to prevent them.
Try to cut the amount you would normally drink in half if not more. You will become intoxicated twice as easily as you were pre keto. And duh, don’t drink and drive. Don’t be stupid. But seriously don’t even have one drink and think you are okay to drive. DUIs and vehicle accidents ain’t cute.