When it comes to drinking alcohol on a keto diet, the advice you get online often sounds the same… ‘you can drink, but it’s probably best not to’.

For some people, this is easy advice to follow. For others (yes, that includes us), the thought of going completely teetotal doesn’t fill us with excitement.

If you too love a tipple from time to time, you’ll be pleased to hear that moderation is key. Having one or two keto-friendly drinks won’t kick you out of ketosis, and there are plenty of options out there that can help you stay on track.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through our recommendations, and we’ll also throw in some stodge-free alternatives to hangover cures (in case you do go a little overboard on the low-carb wine).

Spirits

Spirits such as vodka, tequila, and gin are among the best alcoholic drinks to enjoy on most diets (including keto) as they contain zero carbs and sugar. However, the problem comes when adding your mixer.

Let’s look at one of our go-to gins as an example. Whilst a single-serve of Tanqueray has just 67 calories and 0 grams of carbs, this jumps up to 118 calories and 11.9 grams of carbs when you add 150ml of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water.

Solve this problem by opting for diet tonic water or sparkling water wherever possible.

Wines

The good news is that wine can also be enjoyed on a keto diet, though you have to be more selective with your wine of choice.

As Usual Wines explains, ‘Alcohol is the byproduct of the fermentation process in winemaking, so without sugar, there is no wine. That said, the amount of residual sugar will vary greatly depending on the type of wine it is.’

As you might have guessed, dry wines have little sugar left after fermentation, so these are best when living a low-carb lifestyle. By contrast, be sure to watch out for sweet dessert wines, sangria, and fortified wines like port and sherry.

Are you looking to make life as easy as possible? Check out this ‘keto-friendly’ wine list from our friends at DrinkWell.

To avoid

Whilst the phrase ‘everything in moderation’ is true for most diets, there are some alcoholic drinks we recommend avoiding wherever possible.

Unsurprisingly, beer’s high-carb content makes it one of the worst options for those on a keto diet, with the likes of Guinness Extra Stout packing a shocking 14 grams of carbs per serving. You can of course find low-carb options (like the ones mentioned here), but we’d suggest sticking with spirits and wine.

Water and Electrolytes

OK, we’ve all been there. You tell yourself you’re just having one, which then very quickly turns to two, then three. Before you know it, you wake up the following day with a sore head and fuzzy memories of the night before.

This headache is often caused by two things: dehydration and electrolyte depletion.

Most of us know that alcohol is a diuretic, which makes you urinate more often, and this increase in bathroom visits also causes your body to lose electrolytes. As ATAQ puts it, ‘Without electrolytes, our bodies are unable to properly balance hydration levels, maintain efficient muscle function, or balance pH levels. This contributes to headaches and muscle weakness.’

Hydration and electrolyte levels restored, the next thing on most of our minds is food.

Whilst there are a whole host of low-carb breakfast recipes available online (like this keto french toast or coconut porridge) being low-carb doesn’t have to mean missing out on the classics.

If you think there’s nothing better than a bacon butty the morning after the night before, simply swap to some of these low-carb alternatives:

• Heylo Seeded Artisan Keto Rolls – only 5.1g of carbs per roll
• Despite its bad reputation in the media, bacon is actually great for keto-dieters, so any bacon will do!

Walking

We thought we’d end on an old classic for the very reason that, no matter what diet you’re on (and no matter how hungover you are), you should never underestimate the basics.

Fresh air can do the world of good when you have a hangover, but don’t go overboard. As Bupa suggests, opt for a gentle stroll instead of a run or a heavy gym workout.

As with any diet, the key to staying on track is making sure that you plan ahead. If you’re worried about being unable to check labels when in bars and pubs, make a list of common low-carb dry wines on your phone and ask for one of those when ordering.

Similarly, if you’re likely to be tempted by stodgy snacks after a night out, remove temptation from your cupboard and stock up on tasty low-carb keto snacks.

And for that extra accountability boost, why not join our Say Hello To Low Carb community group, filled with hundreds of others living low-carb lifestyles? We share daily tips and tricks on all things keto and help keep each other on the straight and narrow. Join today!