If you’re on a ketogenic diet, you’re likely focused on what you’re eating — and especially what you’re not eating. This includes what you choose to drink throughout the day, too. Some beverages are more keto-friendly than others.
Hydration Is Crucial on the Keto Diet
When you start the ketogenic diet, your body has to adapt to a severely low intake of carbohydrates — a key component of the diet. As a result, your body’s hydration needs might shift. It may be because your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen, which holds on to water.
If you exhaust your body’s glycogen stores through the keto diet, you’re likely going to shed water weight, too. Removing highly processed foods from your diet — which are traditionally higher in sodium — can also affect your body’s electrolyte and fluid balance.
“Hydration is difficult for many on the keto diet, especially in the beginning,” says Kendra Whitmire, a nutritionist and dietitian in Laguna Beach, California, who practices functional and therapeutic nutrition. “You need to make sure you’re drinking a lot of water and replenishing electrolytes.”
Drinks to Avoid on the Keto Diet
Avoid sweetened drinks like soda and fruit juice (even 100 percent juice), which are typically high in sugar and carbohydrates. Dairy milk is also high in carbohydrates — one cup of whole milk has about 11.5 grams (g) of carbs — so it’s not keto-friendly.
Skip (or at the very least, limit) diet drinks, too, says Jill Gulotta, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in private practice in White Plains, New York. They don’t contain sugar, but they may still undermine your diet.
Is Diet Coke Allowed on Keto?
While beverages like Diet Coke (or diet soda in general) are technically keto-compliant, they may lead you to crave more carbohydrates. Research has found that for certain people, particularly women and those who have obesity, artificial sweeteners or nonnutritive sweeteners may lead to more carbohydrate and sugar cravings.
Regardless of whether this effect would hold on a keto diet, several other drinks are better suited for your new diet and lifestyle. Here are the nine best keto-friendly drinks to try.
