Soft Drinks for Keto Diet

Figuring out what to drink on a keto diet shouldn't be as hard as it is, as so many regular options just don't fit the description of keto-friendly drinks. Sneakily high sugar levels and unreasonable carb content are common problems with most beverages and trying to work out if there are any keto diet drinks besides water has probably had you reconsidering your commitment to the diet...

Here at OriGym we've put together a clear and detailed list of the best keto drinks in the UK so that you don't have to spend hours in the supermarket staring blankly at labels any more!

Before we dive in, have you thought about expanding your passion for nutrition and fitness into a rewarding career? Check out our level 4 advanced sports nutrition course and our level 3 PT qualifications, or download our free course prospectus here for more information!

Also, feel free to download our FREE 16 Week Home Strength Training Programme before jumping in.

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What can you drink on the keto diet?

There are some specifically designed drinks for a keto diet, which while obviously suit your diet, can end up being quite expensive.

Finding keto diet drinks besides water may sound tricky or expensive, but really there are some readily available options that will fit in with your diet, including tea, keto-friendly soft drinks, smoothies, and coffee. Some of the keto drinks allowed even include specific alcohols, like wine and spirits, as their low sugar content is compliant in small enough doses.

We've created a simple visual guide of the carb content of the keto-friendly drinks included in this list so you can easily see which are best:

Keto Hot Drinks

#1 - Bulletproof Coffee

Bulletproof Coffee is one of the most popular keto hot drinks and can be made with 1 cup of good-quality freshly brewed coffee, 1 tsp to 2 tbsp of MCT oil and 1-2 tbsp of grass-fed butter or 1-2 tsp of ghee.

MCT oil, or medium-chain triglycerides oil, is a type of fat derived from coconut oil and palm oil that has been proven to "increase satiety and reduce food intake" (Kinsella, Maher and Clegg, 2017). As R. Kinsella, T. Maher, and M. E. Clegg state:

"It has been shown that MCT consumption increases energy expenditure, fat oxidation , and satiety and lowers energy and food intake in both lean and obese individuals." (Kinsella, Maher and Clegg, 2017)

Not just a healthy addition to coffee, MCT can also be put into smoothies and even salad dressings, just be sure to have it in moderation (as with most food and drink). If you want more information on fat, then read through our article on types of body fat.

This keto-friendly coffee, and breakfast alternative for anyone practising intermittent fasting, is made by adding all three ingredients to a blender and then blitzing for 20-30 seconds creating a frothy, creamy, latte consistency. Each cup contains 230 calories, 25g of fat, 21g of saturated fat, 0g carbs, and 0g protein.

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High fat drinks for keto diets, such as Bulletproof Coffee, come with several health benefits: firstly, coffee is rich in antioxidants with thermogenic effects which boost metabolism, and MCT oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides which are anti-inflammatory and are readily burned for energy by the body, as opposed to being stored as fat.

Grass-fed butter (or ghee if opting for a 100% lactose-free option) whips Bulletproof Coffee into its creamy consistency, and both fats are high in vitamin A for healthy immune function, beta-carotene, and CLA, a fatty acid naturally found in dairy products which can help encourage weight loss and control type 2 diabetes.

Whilst technically any meal with even very low carbohydrate and protein will disrupt ketosis, fat doesn't impact blood sugar levels: if you only consume fat you won't interrupt your body's fasting state or ketosis. Bulletproof Coffee will however help curb your hunger in the mornings so is a good option for extending ketosis from night time fasting throughout the morning, keeping insulin levels low for longer.

Bulletproof Coffee is satiating and can help you resist cravings later on in the day, encouraging better energy levels and focus, and MCT oil can help the body produce ketones up to four times faster.

By replacing coffee with cocoa powder, matcha, tea, or turmeric and blending with MCT oil and grass-fed butter or ghee, you can make keto fasting drinks such as Bulletproof Matcha Latte, High Fat Hot Chocolate, and Turmeric Lattes using the Bulletproof Coffee method.

#2 - Bone Broth

Bone broth is one of the best keto drinks, paleo drinks and nutrient-packed fasting staples advocated for by keto leaders such as Mark Sission, author of 'The Primal Blueprint', who has described bone broth as a 'superfood', and world-leading specialist in type 2 diabetes, low carb diets and intermittent fasting programs, Dr Jason Fung, best selling author of 'The Obesity Code', 'The Diabetes Code', and 'The Complete Guide to Fasting' who also encourages bone broth as the perfect drink to break a fast.

Not quite the same as stock, which is animal bones and meat stewed for up to three hours, broth is regularly simmered for up to 24 hours. The longer the cooking juices are left on a low-and-slow heat the more nutrients and minerals are pulled from the bones.

Bone broth is rich in essential nutrients, with one cup packing around 7g of carbohydrates, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin K, fatty acids, selenium, zinc, manganese and calcium.

Gelatin from the bones used to make bone broth may also heal the gut, sealing up holes in the intestines or 'leaking gut syndrome' a common cause of which is poor diet. This 'patching' promoted by the gelatin in bone broth can help ease constipation, diarrhoea, food intolerances, and is commonly recommended by dietitians as a hangover cure.

Bone broth is also rich in collagen from the bones and any connective tissue left on them whilst cooking. Collagen is a protein 'glue' found in skin, bones and brain tissues. Combined with gelatin, bone broth may have benefits in skin-firming and joint-strengthening. Probably one of the healthiest keto drinks (besides water).

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#3 - Herbal Tea

Herbal teas, derived from dried flowers, spices, herbs and fruits, are calorie-free, carb-free, keto-friendly drinks. Depending on their blend, herbal teas are packed with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and come with a range of benefits including relaxation, pain reduction, supporting digestive function and immune system health.

For example:

• Peppermint tea contains menthol which is a muscle relaxant
• Chamomile tea is a popular sleep aid
• Dandelion tea is high in antioxidants and can help fight infection
• Ginseng tea can help fight viral infections
• Hibiscus tea is high in vitamin C and is anti-cancerous
• Turmeric tea is anti-inflammatory and can help ease the symptoms of arthritis

With a huge variety available, herbal tea can be made up for keto hot drinks (or cold), used in water-infusions and is delicious with mint or lemon with no additional calories or carbs.

#4 - Green Tea

Like herbal teas, black tea and breakfast tea, green tea has 0 carbs and 0 calories meaning it won't throw its drinker out of ketosis. Green tea, however, comes with an array of benefits unique to itself with green tea often positioned as one of the best keto drinks, and more generally one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

A selection of a few of the benefits of green tea includes its high content of polyphenols, which can help TO reduce inflammation and are anti-cancerous. Green tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidants which can target free radicals and prevent cell damage, catechins can also battle oral bacteria which lead to plaque development and tooth decay. Green tea has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve circulation, stabilise blood sugar levels, and is a good source of L-theanine, which promotes the activity of a chemical in the brain, GABA, which can decrease anxiety levels.

For a twist on the classic brew try a keto iced green tea with 2 teabags of green tea, 2 tbsp of coconut oil or MCT oil, 2 tbsp of unsalted butter, 1 tbsp of heavy cream, and 3 cups of ice cubes. Boil your tea bags for a deep coloured green tea, add your cream and butter, blend, chill overnight and serve over ice.

Keto-friendly Soft Drinks

#5 - Low Carb Protein Shakes

For keto-friendly cold drinks, either as a morning shake or to curb a mid-day sweet tooth, protein shakes are a great option that are naturally low to zero carbs, and many come in dessert decadent flavours. Some also have added grade A proteins, BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) for increased energy, endurance, and muscle building, and vitamin and mineral complexes for a powerpack of nutrients.

If you're looking to increase your nutritional intake with supplements, then read through our list of the 13 best BCAA tablets or the 15 best Casein protein powders for some good advice.

To keep carbs down in your keto soft drinks, mix your shakes with water instead of milk. For an added hit of fat and an extra creamy consistency consider adding in a tbsp or two of peanut or almond butter, a shot of espresso for a keto twist on a morning mocha, or whip up a fat-packed super-shake with the addition of MCT oil for a thick, creamy consistency and ketone boosting triglycerides.

If you're looking for an armoury of dessert substitute drinks on keto, MyProtein Impact Whey Protein Powder is available in over 60 flavours a selection of which include 'Rocky Road', 'Salted Caramel', 'Sticky Toffee Pudding', 'Marzipan', 'Irish Coffee', 'Creme Brulee', 'Eton Mess', and 'Blueberry Cheesecake' all with 1.7g of total carbohydrate per scoop and only 103 calories.

For a vegan keto alternative to traditional whey-based protein shakes, The Protein Works Vegan Extreme is offered in 'Choc Hazelnut Heaven', 'Chocolate Silk', 'Salted Caramel' and 'Vanilla Crème', and is formulated with a blend of Soy Protein Isolate, White Hemp Protein, Faba Bean Protein and Sunflower Protein. This shake packs essential omegas, a DigeZyme complex to prevent cramps and bloating on high protein diets, a nutritionally-engineered TPW blend with 20 essential vitamins and minerals, glutamine peptides, 110 calories, 1g of carbohydrate, and only 0.1g of sugar.

Plus, if you need a shaker for your protein, then have a look at our article for the 17 best protein shakers to really help your workouts.

#6 - Super Green Keto Smoothies

For keto-friendly cold drinks that offer a huge hit of health, Super Green Keto Smoothies will boost your wellbeing whilst maintaining your ketosis.

Super green powders come in on average at around 3g of carbohydrate per serving and are regularly packed with immunity and vitality-boosting botanicals. Some of these include; wheatgrass for metabolism, toxin elimination and lowered blood pressure; antioxidant-packed spirulina with effects in balancing good to bad cholesterol levels; and flaxseeds filled with omega-3 fatty acids to help low cholesterol, battle inflammation and lower risk of stroke.

Look out for blends with raspberry ketones which may help regulate metabolism and support the breakdown of stored fat. Plus, if your goal is fat loss, green tea extract has huge benefits for blood sugar regulation and weight loss, with as much as a 17% increase in the breakdown of stored body fat when green tea extract is taken as a supplement.

To turn a super green powder into one of the best drinks on keto, a keto smoothie, consider blending avocado, kale, cucumber, celery and peanut butter for a nutrient-filled, high fat and low carb smoothie perfect to supercharge energy levels throughout the day. Adding a scoop of collagen protein powder can bump protein by up to around 25g per serving, over half the daily recommended intake of protein for an adult woman, and is a great way to support healthy hair, skin, nails and joints.

Another great keto addition to smoothies is 2 tbsp of chia seeds, which are high fat, for 18% of your daily calcium, 30% of the daily recommended intake of manganese for a healthy metabolism, and 27% your daily requirements of phosphorus per smoothie from the chia seeds alone.

#7 - Keto Electrolyte Drinks

Steer clear of ready-made 'sports drinks' which can pack up to 30g of carbohydrate per bottle. Instead, for a keto-friendly electrolyte drink, opt for electrolyte sachet mixes which are regularly sugar-free, sweetened with stevia extract, are 0 calories, gluten-free, 0 carbs and packed with all 6 electrolytes.

If you want to learn more about nutrition and sports, check out our article on how to become a sports nutritionist (UK) or even take a look at our level 4 advanced sports nutrition course.

Brands such as Ultima Replenisher and Revival Rapid Rehydration are low carbohydrate with the Ultima keto electrolyte drink wielding 0g of carbohydrate and Revival Rapid Rehydration 8g of carbohydrate per sachet. Each sachet of Revival Rapid Hydration is packed with way over 100% of the RDI of vitamin C, vitamin B12 and niacin, has three times the electrolytes of traditional, supermarket shelf sports drinks and provides 3 to 5 times the hydration of water alone.

If you're not willing to take on the added carbs of Revival, then Ultima Replenisher if 100% zero carbohydrates and zero-calorie, is mixed up straight with water and is offered in raspberry, lemonade, grape, cherry pomegranate, and orange. Ultima is packed with magnesium for electrolyte balance, potassium for normal muscle function, calcium, sodium, zinc, manganese, selenium, copper, and chromium.

#8 - Matcha

Classed as a hugely beneficial superfood, matcha is a great drink choice due to its added health benefits, as Sumaya Farooq and Amit Sehgal describe:

"Matcha is a powdered form of green tea that is produced from shade grown tea leaves that are briefly steamed after harvesting and then grinded in a stone mill. It is found to be effective in quenching reactive oxygen species, inhibition of blood glucose accumulation and stimulation of lipid metabolism." (Farooq and Sehgal, 2018).

So not only a great keto-friendly drink, but just generally a healthy addition to any diet!

In shots, lattes, teas or smoothies, matcha is trendy, keto-friendly and fueled with 137 times more antioxidants than traditional tea, chlorophyll, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Matcha is also one of the best energy drinks on a keto diet with one cup of matcha containing the same amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee.

With about 1g of carbohydrate per serving, Matcha is packed with more antioxidants than any other known superfood, namely catechins which can help protect cells against damage, and are therefore anti-cancerous and can help promote both kidney and liver health.

Other benefits of matcha include a high concentration of the amino acid L-Theanine for enhanced brain function and long term neural health, a turbo-charge in thermogenesis (the body's rate of calorie burning) from a normal 8%-10% of daily energy expenditure to up to 43%, and an effect in balancing good to bad cholesterol levels.

Matcha has a strong, earthy taste and so can be hard to drink straight mixed up with water, so a great choice is to mix it with unsweetened almond milk for a nutrient and antioxidant charged alternative to your morning brew. Other options are to switch out coffee for matcha in Bulletproof Coffee for a creamy, high-fat matcha latte, add matcha to super green smoothies or whisk up a matcha frappe with matcha, almond milk, vanilla extract, heavy cream and sweetener blended for delicious, 0 sugar, keto-friendly cold drinks.

#9 - Unsweetened Almond Milk

Up until the rise in popularity of veganism and plant-based alternatives in the mid 2010s, the most popular milk for consumers in the UK was semi-skimmed cow's milk. Semi-skimmed comes in at around 12g of sugar per 250ml glass and is therefore keto-unfriendly.

Whole milk, although higher in fat, is no better at again around 12g of carbohydrate per glass. This is because unlike heavy cream, which is predominately fat at 50g of fat per 100ml and 1.6g of carbohydrate, a key component of cow's milk is lactose which is a sugar.

Heavy cream can be a keto-friendly alternative to milk in smoothies, sauces and baking but if you're looking for a light milk alternative which is keto-friendly and low carb the best option is unsweetened almond milk. Being certain to choose unsweetened to avoid added sugars and a higher carb count, almond milk is one of the lowest calorie and carbohydrate plant-based milk alternatives with around 3.3g of total carbohydrate per 250ml glass, 0.3g of which are sugars and only 44 calories.

One glass of unsweetened almond milk is also packed with plant-based nutrients containing almost 40% of the RDI of vitamins D, E, B12 and calcium. Almond milk is a staple in keto recipes incorporated into low carb chia puddings, a fat-fueled keto swap for rice pudding, and is great to try in keto chocolate milk, smoothies, shakes and sugar-free syrup sweetened lattes.

#10 - Zero Sugar Energy Drinks

Zero sugar energy drinks are keto compliant with 0 sugar and 0 carbs. High levels of taurine, caffeine, and sweeteners won't throw your body out of ketosis, however, as your body is burning fat as opposed to sugar for fuel some people can find that these drinks can have the opposite to their desired effect and make them feel lethargic, so it's a good idea to go easy and test your body's response.

Energy drinks also vary considerably depending on what brand you choose, for example, supermarket-own brands' 0 sugar energy drinks are normally 0 sugar, 0 carbs, identical to big-name brands such as sugar-free Red Bull. Monster Ultra claims to be 0 calories but is actually 11 calories and 4.4g of carbohydrates per can and Relentless Origin Sugar-Free is 14 calories and around 4.5g of carbohydrates. Be sure to check the nutritional labels before committing!

If reading about nutrition has grabbed your interest, have a look at our article on how to become a nutritionist: degree & no degree to see if it's a career for you.

For a healthier switch up of the classic energy drink, Virtue Energy Water is available in 'Berries' and 'Lemon & Lime', is 100% carb and calorie-free, packed with niacin and B vitamins for energy release and contains naturally occurring caffeine from yerba mate, ginseng, and guarana.

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#11 - Diet Fizzy Drinks

There are 39g of sugar in a can of full-sugar coke, 33g in a can of sprite, 41g in a can of Pepsi, and a faintly shocking 64g in a can of Dr Pepper. If you're on a low carb keto diet, or any form of health-based diet, full-sugar original fizzy drinks are out.

Sugar-free fizzy drinks on a keto diet, however, are a great resource for keto-friendly soft drinks offered in big-name alternatives such as Pepsi Max, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Fanta Zero, and many more.

Supermarkets ASDA, Tesco, and Sainsbury's all offer their own brand of lemonades, pink lemonades, fizzy oranges, fizzy tropical drinks, lemon and lime carbonated soft drinks, sugar-free cream sodas and sugar-free ginger ales which are all on average 0g of carbohydrate, 0g of sugar and perfectly acceptable diet drinks on keto.

If you're bored of water and wondering "what can I drink on a keto diet?", swapping your regular can of pop for sugar-free is a simple, straightforward change which doesn't require a browser trip to Amazon for green powders, ghee and MCT oils, and are some of the best drinks on keto for those with a sweet tooth!

Keto sugar-free drinks and soft drinks are available at all major supermarkets as sugar-free alternatives. Supermarket own brands normally come in at under a pound a bottle, taste indistinguishable to full-sugar options, are a great way to switch up your drinks, are perfect for using as mixers with spirits and to curb sweet treat cravings, just be sure to check the label for 'Sugar-Free'.

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Keto Diet Drinks, Similar to Water

#12 - Coconut Water

Coconut water is on the higher end of the carb content spectrum with around 9g per 250 ml serving and around 50 calories.

It's estimated that so long as protein consumption is kept moderate, the body will stay in ketosis when carbohydrate intake is between 20 to 50g per day, so if consumed in moderation, coconut water can still make for a potassium-packed and refreshing diet drink for keto.

There are several health benefits to choosing coconut water, first its very high in potassium, with around 20% of the RDI per cup, which if practising intermittent fasting can help ease muscle cramps most especially post-exercise and before bed.

Coconut water is 80% water so is, of course, hydrating but may also help with kidney stones, regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it has a good amount per serving of magnesium and manganese for a healthy metabolism.

#13 - Fruit Infused Water - Sparkling or Still

Still or sparkling, home-made or shop-bought, fruit-infused water or 'Detox Water' is almost calorie, sugar and carb-free and one of the most health packed sugar free drinks on keto.

For example, one jug of lemon-infused water sipped throughout the day packs 31mg of vitamin C or 51% of an adult's RDI. The vitamin C of fruit commonly used to infuse still or sparkling water, such as lemons, limes, and grapefruit slices, can help firm skin, support a more radiant complexion, prevent anaemia, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol, and improve circulation, all for almost 0 carbs and 0 sugar.

Made by simply chopping up a few select fruits or herbs and dropping into a jug of cool water, a few more benefits of fruit infused water include appetite control, heartburn prevention, and blood sugar regulation. The benefits of detox water will depend on the fruit or herbs used. A couple to try out those wanting a variety of refreshing soft drinks on keto diets include; cucumber, lemon and lime for weight management, appetite control, and bloating; and strawberry, jalapeno and kiwi for cardiovascular health, immune system protection, and a spicy-sweet infusion. You can also add a low-carb dash of apple cider vinegar to infusions for key minerals and acetic acid.

If you'd rather not the outlay or time expense of creating your own, Dash Water is one of many shop-bought options which is zero-calorie, zero sugar and around 0.5g of total carbohydrate. Dash offers their sparkling infused water in blackcurrant, cucumber, lemon, peach, and raspberry.

#14 - Sugar-Free Squash

A tried, tested and keto-happy way of dressing up water is sugar-free squashes. While Ribena at 11.9g of carbohydrate per serving and Vimto at 11.8g of carbohydrate per serving are out, almost all of the Robinsons line of fruit squashes are sugar-free and make for great keto-friendly cold drinks.

Robinsons offer their no sugar squash in orange, orange and pineapple, summer fruits, apple and blackcurrant and many more. Robinsons double concentrate contains around 0.3g of sugar once diluted, Robinsons normal concentrate contains 0g of total carbohydrate per serving, and Robinson's creations contain 0g of carbohydrate per serving. When choosing Robinsons Creations look for the blue 'Zero Added Sugars' band on the bottle as not all of the Creations line is sugar-free. Watch out for cordials which are not the same as a keto squash drink and contain around 10g of carbohydrate per serving.

Not only are sugar-free squashes a great way of disguising water into a rainbow of fruity flavours but can be added to detox waters or used as mixers for keto alcoholic drinks.

Keto Alcohol Drinks

Keto is considered by many advocates as much a lifestyle as it is a health and weight loss plan, which brings into the mix the question of what alcoholic drinks can you have on keto. The liver can make ketones out of alcohol and so consuming alcohol in moderation when following a ketogenic diet will not necessarily kick the body out of ketosis.

#15 - Spirits

One of the most keto-friendly options is hard liquor, for 2 reasons, firstly because whiskey, vodka, gin, brandy, and tequila have 0 carbs, and secondly because you require a lot less of it for the desired buzz.

Hard liquor can be easily mixed with squash and 0 sugar soft drinks, soda water, and diet tonic for a low to 0 carbs alcoholic beverage. A few example drinks include vodka and diet coke, sugar-free mojitos, rum and diet coke, and the "Skinny Bitch" beloved by fashionistas in the nineties and early noughties with vodka, soda, lime and ice.

Keto coffee cocktails can be made with whiskey, double cream and brewed coffee and a classic cocktail which is acceptable on keto is the dry martini which has 0 carbs and is made with gin and vermouth. When considering spirit-based cocktails avoid Bloody Marys, Pina Coladas, Cosmopolitans, Porn Star Martinis and similar as these are all high in sugar and will disrupt ketosis.

#16 - Dry Wines

Dry wine contains around 0.5 grams of sugar and less than 2 grams of total carbs. Examples of dry white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, some New World Chardonnays, and Pinot Gris. For red wines think Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.

Many researchers believe that a single glass of wine combined with a low carbohydrate diet and plenty of fresh vegetables can have positive health benefits. However, for those with diabetes, it's recommended, even when combined with a low carb ketogenic diet, not to exceed one to two glasses with a meal and to avoid daily alcohol consumption.

It's important to remember that although a glass or two of wine is 'acceptable' when following a keto diet and can therefore make following a keto lifestyle much more permanently sustainable, drinking alcohol at all is not conducive to weight loss and can inhibit or slow progress.

#17 - Champagne

Extra dry or brut champagne is one of the best keto alcoholic drinks with around 2g of carbohydrate per glass.

Bubbly can be very expensive and so Cava, a popular alternative, is also keto-friendly at around 3 to 4g of total carbohydrate and 1.5g of sugar per serving. Prosecco is also a good option with around 2g of total carbohydrate per glass.

Important to note, when your body has stored carbohydrate in the liver and muscles the effects of alcohol are somewhat gentler. In ketosis, all carbohydrate stores have been depleted and even if you recently consumed a high-fat meal alcohol is likely to hit you harder, leading to faster intoxication and more crippling hangovers.

What should you drink on keto?

Regardless of some of the specific options we've provided above, there are some definite guidelines you should follow to ensure your keto diet isn't being ruined by hidden sugars and carbs in your drinks. Specifically, as A. Paoli, A. Rubini, J. S. Volek and K. A. Grimaldi state:

"Ketogenic diets are characterized by a reduction in carbohydrates (usually to less than 50 g/day) and a relative increase in the proportions of protein and fat." (Paoli et al., 2013)

First off, the best drink on keto (or just generally!) that fits this specification is obviously water. 0 sugar, 0 carbs, and essential to life and general wellbeing! That being said, we completely understand if water just doesn't float your boat. So generally, the best drinks on keto will be 0 sugar and 5g of carbs or less to ensure ketosis isn't disrupted. Other than those important factors, the rest is up to personal preference.

Drinks to avoid on keto

The importance of the keto diet has a lot of scientific research behind it, and as Amy-Lee Bowler and Remco Polman explain, it has a variety of benefits to different people:

"The KD [keto diet] has gained significant attention due to its potential as a medical intervention for epilepsy and its ability to induce weight loss and body composition changes in obese and overweight individuals.

In more recent times, a KD has generated interest among the sports nutrition community, with evidence suggesting that a reduction in dietary carbohydrate and increases in circulating ketone bodies results in a shift in substrate utilization during submaximal exercise bouts, namely, from glycogen to body fat." (Bowler and Polman, 2020)

So whether you're trying to lose weight, or even excel athletically, the keto diet could be beneficial: however, regardless of goals, there are some key factors to the diet that everyone needs to follow.

Hydration is absolutely essential whilst on a keto diet, especially during the initial stages while your body is adapting to the low carb, high fat diet. Unfortunately, whilst you're so focused on eating the right things it can be so easy to completely forget about the content of what you're drinking too, and there are many drinks that have surprising levels of sugar and calories.

Key non-keto diet drinks to avoid include:

• Full sugar soft drinks like Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper etc.
• Standard milk: whole and semi skimmed milk contain sugar which will disrupt your ketosis
• Cocktails and beer as these have a high sugar content, and stick to diet soft drinks for mixers
• Fruit juice (and some vegetable juice such as carrot juice), as many have added sugar and even those without still have high sugar content due to natural occurring sugars
• Sports drinks also contain a lot of added sugar and will disrupt ketosis
• Hot drinks with added syrups: syrups such as caramel or vanilla, are pure sugar and aren't suitable for as keto hot drinks, however some of these do come as a no sugar version

Before you go!

Now you've got more ideas about what you should drink on keto, we have no doubt that you'll be seeing better results in no time. It's surprising how much of an effect what we drink can have on our bodies!

Just remember, keep an eye out for added sugars and high carb contents.

If reading through this has given you a thirst for more knowledge, why not become a specialised personal trainer? Have a look at our level 4 advanced sports nutrition course, or download our latest course prospectus for more options.

References:

1. Bowler, A.-L. and Polman, R. (2020). Role of a Ketogenic Diet on Body Composition, Physical Health, Psychosocial Well-Being and Sports Performance in Athletes: A Scoping Review. Sports , 8(10), p.131.
2. Farooq, S. and Sehgal, A. (2018). Antioxidant Activity of Different Forms of Green Tea: Loose Leaf, Bagged and Matcha. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal , 6(1), pp.35–40.
3. Kinsella, R., Maher, T. and Clegg, M.E. (2017). Coconut Oil Has Less Satiating Properties than Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil. Physiology & Behavior , 179, pp.422–426.
4. Paoli, A., Rubini, A., Volek, J.S. and Grimaldi, K.A. (2013). Beyond Weight loss: a Review of the Therapeutic Uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) Diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 67(8), pp.789–96.

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Soft Drinks for Keto Diet

Source: https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/blog/keto-drinks

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