Keto - The Alcohol Factor

So How Does Alcohol Fit in With Keto?

First off a disclaimer - I don't drink alcohol of any sort, never have so I can't offer any personal experience or insight on the matter but I believe inquiring Keto minds want to know.
What I can tell you is that you regardless of anything else. If you are trying to lose fat or weight alcohol is about the worst thing you can consume. Your body (liver) metabolizes alcohol first before other macros. What this means is that while your body is slowly metabolizing the alcohol everything else you consume needs to wait its turn and while waiting may just be stored as fat due to the fact that you have consumed too many calories.
 This also means that if your liver is busy dealing with alcohol, it will delay dealing with other nutrients—which is why drinking alcohol causes your blood sugar to go down and your blood fats to go up temporarily. I am over simplifying it and keeping it non scientific but this is what it comes down to.
My personal recommendation is to avoid alcohol when trying to lose weight. It is just going to mess with your macros' and unless you are extremely diligent in tracking your macros or limiting your alcohol you will be derailed. I have witnessed more times than I care to mention clients that are doing so well with their weight lose programs only to be derailed because "they had a few".

For your convenience and reference I grabbed the information below from a reddit Keto forum to illustrate some examples of alcohol macros'.

Can I drink alcohol on keto?

Yes. Provided you have no medical conditions that would otherwise prohibit it, it's perfectly fine to drink in moderation while you're low-carbing it. BUT, you have to be aware of the carb and calorie counts of whatever you're drinking!

Bear in mind that alcohol IS caloric. Your body has no mechanism to store the energy in alcohol, so you will metabolize the calories in alcohol before any other energy sources. That means that while your body is metabolizing alcohol, it is NOT metabolizing fat. Consuming alcohol will not knock you out of keto, but it will delay the results.


And now, the cheat sheet:

Straight Liquor

• UNSWEETENED Vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey, scotch, brandy, cognac (80 proof): 0g carbs, 64 calories PER OUNCE. A shot/jigger is 1.5 oz, or 96 calories.
• Mix any of the above with water, club soda, or diet soda to keep the 0g carbs. Tonic contains sugar and carbs! Martini lovers: be advised that dry vermouth contains carbs, so order 'em extra dry. The few drops probably won't hurt.
• Liquers, like amaretto, Jagermeister, Grand Marnier, curacao, cordials, sweet vermouth, limoncello, etc (basically anything sweet) contain sugars. Not always drank on their own, but they frequently sneak their way into cocktails.

Wine

Wines can vary based on any number of factors, but here are some averages:

Reds (5 oz. serving):

• Merlot: 120 calories, 3.7 carbs
• Pinot Noir: 121 calories, 3.4 carbs
• Cabernet: 120 calories, 3.8 carbs

Whites (5 oz. serving):

• Chardonnay: 118 calories, 3.7 carbs
• Pinot Gris/Grigio: 122 calories, 3.2 carbs
• Riesling: 118 calories, 5.5 carbs
• Champagne/Sparkling whites: 96 calories, 1.5 carbs
• Dessert wines, ports, and sherries are sweetened and should be avoided.

Beer

Unfortunately for beer fans, most of the good stuff is very high in carbs and calories. Especially anything red, amber, or dark. But all is not lost: some lighter beers are ok to drink.




Don't Forget!

• Alcohol counts toward your daily calorie and carb counts!
• Alcohol delays fat-burning!
• Ketosis lowers your alcohol tolerance, so take it easy!
• Beware of the drunk munchies!
• Alcohol dehydrates you! Order a couple waters, and drink a glass before bed.
• Unsure of the nutritional value of your favorite drink? Look it up !  If it tastes sweet, it's probably sugary and keto-unfriendly!