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Ketogenic Diet and Alcohol: What Happens and What You Can Drink

Fitness

Ketogenic Diet and Alcohol: What Happens and What You Can Drink

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Alcohol has a bad reputation for being unhealthy for your mind and body, especially when you’re trying to reach your weight loss goals. Sure, having a few beers or a glass of wine won’t mean you’ll gain a ton of weight but what if you begin a low-carb diet? Now you’ll be experiencing a whole lot of new things compared to sticking to your regular diet.

If you’re wondering about the effects of the ketogenic diet and alcohol, then read on! We’ll tackle the effects of consuming alcohol when on a low-carb diet and what you can do about it.

Contents

Ketogenic Diet and Alcohol: A Good Mix?

We all know that alcohol isn’t right for you at all, but we still drink it! But how does this affect us? Unfortunately, alcohol can stall our weight loss and lessen the effects of ketosis. This is because our livers would process the alcohol quickly, with our fat-burning process disrupted to get rid of the drink.

If you have a drink (or more than just one), you’ll be converting less fatty acids to ketones. As a result, there is less fat burning. Some also experience a lower alcohol tolerance, especially if you fast or follow intermittent fasting. Because of this, you get drunk sooner and may suffer a nasty hangover the day after.

Sure, it’s nice to have a drink or two when out celebrating but remember not to overdo it. As much as possible avoid alcohol or learn to drink in moderation, with your macros in mind. Taking alcohol while on the ketogenic diet won’t mean you’ll gain more weight (as longs you also count your calories!) but it will slow the process down.

What Can You Drink On A Ketogenic Diet?

Now that you’re familiar with what alcohol can do when on a ketogenic diet, what CAN you drink? Here are some suggestions:

Liquor

Fortunately, there are zero-carb liquors such as:

  • Cognac
  • Brandy
  • Rum
  • Scotch
  • Tequila
  • Vodka
  • Whiskey
  • Gin

But do take note that this only applies to unflavored liquors. Those that have flavor with them usually contain carbohydrates from syrups. Before you purchase or drink these, do check the labels.

Beer

As for beer, there aren’t a lot of carb-friendly choices out there which is why I tend to stay away from it. But if you do like your beer, there are a few brands you can indulge in small amounts:

  • Bud Select
  • Miller Lite
  • Michelob Ultra
  • MGD 64

Wine

There are many brands of wines available, making it difficult to know what kind of wine to get. But there are some rules you can follow do you know what type of wine to consume.

With red wine, I suggest:

  • Merlot
  • Pinot Noir
  • Cabernet

With white wine, I suggest:

  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Riesling
  • Sparkling Wine

Now that you know what you can drink, here are what you should watch out for:

Avoid any sweet wines like:

  • Sangria
  • Dessert Wines
  • Moscato

Avoid any sugary mixers and cocktails, such as:

  • Frozen margaritas
  • Triple Sec
  • Whisky sour mix
  • Any drinks with sweet syrups

But we all know that we do need a chaser to let the alcohol go down smoothly, especially when drinking hard liquor! Here are some low-carb (and low-calorie) chasers you can try:

  • Seltzer water
  • Diet tonic water
  • Diet bubbly water
  • Stevia or calorie-free sweeteners
  • Zero-carb or diet drinks such as energy drinks and soda
  • Mio

Dealing With A Hangover

This is most likely one of the worst feelings everyone has experienced at one point or another. And if you are on a low-carb diet, you may suffer low alcohol tolerance and an even worse hangover.

What can you do? The answer: WATER. No matter where you are or what you’re drinking, always have water. Before drinking, drink water. While drinking alcohol, drink water. Once you get home safely, drink water before bed. If you wake up with a hangover, have some water. This will help prevent any nausea or icky hangover symptoms. An aspirin and rest will help as well.

Wrapping It Up

Alcohol to lose weight may not seem possible, but that depends on what you’re drinking! With the ketogenic diet, you’ll have to be more careful with what and how much you drink to avoid the side effects or risk losing the state of ketosis. As long as you drink in moderation and go for zero-carb alcohol, you will be able to reap the benefits of ketosis.

Hopefully, this article on the ketogenic diet and alcohol informed you of its effects and what you have to begin doing. So if you’re planning on following this low-carb diet, remember to keep your alcohol tolerance in check!

For those who would like to ask any questions or share their experiences with alcohol on a ketogenic diet, then comment below. I would love to hear what you have to say!

Author’s Bio:

My name is Layla and I’m a writer at Howtonight.com – lifestyle blog which mostly focuses on health and nutrition but we also publish articles related to pets, travel, and entertainment.

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