9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (2024)

Ketogenic Diet

These low-carb sips deliver in terms of health and taste.

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (3)

Nut milks, unsweetened tea, and good old-fashioned water are all great keto-friendly drinks.

If you’re on a ketogenic diet, you’re super focused on what you’re eating (and especially what you’re not eating). But don’t forget that what you sip can also help set you up for success.

Why Staying Hydrated Is Crucial on a Keto Diet

In the beginning stages of a keto diet, when your body is adapting to a severely restricted intake of carbohydrates, your body’s hydration status will shift. After all, your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen, which holds on to water, research shows. Exhaust those glycogen stores, and you’re going to dump water weight with it, notes Rush University Medical Center. What’s more, removing processed foods from your diet — which are traditionally higher in sodium — can also affect your body’s electrolyte and fluid balance, sinceexcess sodium intakecan lead to water retention.

“Hydration is difficult for many on the keto diet, especially in the beginning. You need to make sure you’re drinking a lot of water and replenishing electrolytes,” says Kendra Whitmire, a nutritionist and dietitian in Laguna Beach, California, who practices functional and therapeutic nutrition.

Drinks You Should Try to Avoid on the Keto Diet

Avoid sweetened drinks like regular soda and fruit juice (even 100 percent juice), which are packed with sugar and carbs. Dairy milk is also high in carbs, so it’s not keto-friendly. Skip (or at the very least, limit) diet drinks, too, says Jill Gulotta, a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in White Plains, New York.

Is Diet co*ke Allowed on Keto?

While beverages such as Diet co*ke (or diet soda in general) are technically keto-compliant, they may lead you to crave more carbs. Amini review suggested that these artificially sweetened sips may trick the body into craving the calories and carbs it believes it’s getting from the diet soda. When your body realizes it isn’t getting them, you may make up for it by overeating.

Regardless of whether that effect would hold true on a keto diet, there are a lot of better drink options. Here are nine great drinks to try if you’re on this plan:

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Water Is the Best Drink You Can Sip on the Keto Diet

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (4)

This is hands down the best drink for you — keto or not, says Gulotta. Keep a water bottle near you at all times and sip throughout the day to stay ahead of your hydration.

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Plain Low-Carb, Calorie-Free Tea Is Also Keto-Friendly

Tea is another great choice, as it’s carb- and (almost completely) calorie-free — as long as you keep it plain and don’t add sugar or another sweetener. Rich in health-promoting antioxidant flavonoids, teas may also improve the functioning of blood vessels to help keep your heart well, according to the Harvard Health Letter. If sipping tea in the afternoon or evening, go for a caffeine-free herbal variety, such as chamomile, so it doesn’t impact your sleep that night.

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Seltzer or Sparkling Water Is Another Carb-Free Drink Option

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (6)

This is a great way to switch up your usual water, and it’s preferable to tonic, which looks like plain bubbly water but actually contains a ton of sugar (it’s still considered keto-friendly, however). Adding a squeeze of lemon adds nearly half a gram (g) of carbohydrates, notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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Plain Coffee, or Coffee With Unsweetened Heavy Cream, Is Also Okay on the Keto Diet

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (7)

It’s what you add to your brew that matters most. Drinking it black is completely calorie-free, but many keto dieters will appreciate the added fat that heavy cream provides, says Scott Keatley, RDN, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy in New York City. For adults, up to 400 milligrams (mg) per day of caffeine is considered safe, according to the Mayo Clinic. For reference, 1 cup — 8 fluid ounces (oz) — of coffee contains about 92 mg, per the USDA, while a short (8 oz) coffee at Starbucks contains 155 mg,according to the company’s website.

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Bone Broth Can Be a Comforting Keto-Friendly Drink

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There’s something uniquely warming and comforting about sipping a steaming cup of bone broth. This brand notes that its broth offers no carbs, and 1 cup contains less than 50 calories while adding 9 g of protein. Traditional broth is a stellar option, too, though it has less protein. One cup contains 15 calories and about 1.5 g of protein, according to the USDA.

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Nut Milks Are Also Low-Carb and Okay for Keto Dieters

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (9)

Almond and light coconut milks make for great choices if you want to mix things up, as they contain 1 g (or less) of carbs per cup. Just be sure to always read the nutrition label closely and choose unsweetened varieties. These milks are often fortified with vitamins and minerals, so they’re a good way to get calcium and vitamin D.

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Kombucha Can Be an Acceptable Alternative to Soda, but Only in Moderation

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (10)

This isn’t the best pick — nor should it be your go-to drink. But if you’re really craving something sweet and soda-like, consider kombucha, a gut-friendly fermented tea. The catch is that all kombuchas are made with sugar, which is needed for the fermentation process. “You’ll have to sacrifice carbs in order to drink kombucha,” says Whitmire. Read the label — the amount of sugar added is all over the map. You can find some brands and flavors that have about 3 g of carbs per half cup. (That’s one-quarter of the bottle, so measure it out.)

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You Can Drink Alcohol on Keto, but Certain Types Are Preferable to Others

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“Partying daily shouldn’t happen, but if you want to go out and have a glass of wine, that’s fine as long as it fits within your daily carbs,” says Whitmire. Both red and whitewine have around 4 carbs per 5-oz serving, according toUSDA data. The same goes for white table wine, also per theUSDA. Generally, drier wines contain less sugar, Whitmire says. For instance, go for a sauvignon blanc over a riesling.

Spirits (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) have 0 g of carbs per 1-oz serving, notes the USDA. Just remember to mix these with plain water or an unsweetened sparkling water, rather than fruit juice or soda. And certain hard seltzers may also fit, with some planning, as they contain about 4 to 5 g of carbs per can, though you should check the nutrition label on your favorite brand.

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You Can Make Smoothies Work on Keto, but Watch the Ingredients

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (12)

A smoothie is a great way to pack mega nutrition (and some fiber) into a single glass, but the carbs can add up quickly if you’re not careful. There are many keto-friendly smoothie recipes you can easily find online, featuring keto favorites such as nut butter, Greek yogurt, avocado, greens, berries, flax, coconut milk, or stevia (for sweetness), among other ingredients.

9 of the Best Keto-Friendly Drinks (2024)

FAQs

What drink keeps you in ketosis? ›

Your morning cup of joe or pick-me-up cup of afternoon tea is 100% keto friendly. Black coffee and all types of tea contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per serving. If you want milk, go for unsweetened options such as almond or coconut milk.

Does keto drinks help you lose weight? ›

As you get ketones from outside and on a keto diet, overall ketones in your body get boosted, resulting in a higher ketosis rate. Ketone drinks help decrease appetite, which may help you lose weight by eating less.

What puts you in ketosis fastest? ›

Fasting for 12 hours is the fastest way to get into ketosis. 3 When you're initiating a very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, the fewer carbs you eat in the first 24 hours and the next few days, the more quickly your glycogen reserves will get depleted and the faster you'll get into ketosis.

What soda is best for keto? ›

What sodas are keto-friendly? You can drink zero-calorie sodas while on keto. These include Diet co*ke, co*ke Zero, Diet Pepsi, and other no-carb options. You can even make homemade soda with carbonated water, fresh fruits, and plant-based sugar additives.

Will keto lower belly fat? ›

Abdominal obesity, or excess belly fat, is a serious risk factor for all sorts of metabolic diseases ( 11 , 12 ). This kind of stored fat can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and premature death ( 12 ). Interestingly, a ketogenic diet is a very effective way to lose belly fat.

What is the most weight loss on keto? ›

A safe average loss is around one to two pounds (0.5-1 kg) per week. Here's what studies say about losing weight on the ketogenic diet: One study found obese patients lost 13.6 kg (30 pounds) after 2 months on the keto diet, and over 88% of patients lost more than 10% of their initial weight by the end of the study.

What milk is best for keto? ›

Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, macadamia nut milk, flax milk, soy milk, cashew milk, and pea milk along with half-and-half and heavy cream are all keto-friendly milk options.

What alcohol is best on keto? ›

Keto-friendly alcoholic drinks

Many low carb alcohol options are available if you follow a keto diet. For instance, pure forms of alcohol like whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, and vodka are all completely free of carbs. You can drink them straight or combine them with low carb mixers for more flavor.

How long does it take to get into ketosis? ›

In general, it should take you 2–4 days to enter ketosis. However, some people may find they need a week or longer. The time it takes depends on various factors, such as your age, metabolism, exercise level, and current carb, protein, and fat intake.

What is the best thing for ketosis? ›

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils ( 6 ). It's also important to moderate your protein consumption.

Can you drink ketones to stay in ketosis? ›

Ketone esters also help maintain ketosis for a longer period of time. However, this form of supplement is both expensive and unpleasant-tasting. Another item on the market is medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, which is partially synthetic fat.

What are the best ketones for ketosis? ›

BHB ketone esters are technically the best exogenous ketones supplement for raising our blood ketone levels and getting us into ketosis quickly. The highest-quality ketone product of this type is HVMN ketone ester.

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