If you are on a keto diet, you are allowed to get only 10 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. You need to cap your carb intake to 20 to 30 grams per day if you want to maintain ketosis. This naturally means that you have to ration out your beverages, especially the ones loaded with sugar and dairy. Even the so-called healthy drinks like orange juice contain chock full of carbs. Here is a list of drinks that you can sip freely on a keto diet.
1. Matcha Tea
Matcha can be an excellent option for when you are abstaining from sugar. Sure, you have to check the label to ensure that there's no added sugar, but a lot of brands offer low-carb mixes which can be ideal for when you are following a keto diet. Keto For Children: Is The Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet Safe For Kids?
2. High-Fat and Low-Carb Milkshakes
Who told you that milkshakes could not be keto-friendly? You can whip your low-carb milkshake by mixing almond milk, heavy cream and nut butter that is low in carbohydrates. While you can't add sugar, there are keto-friendly stevia drops available at the market. Is Keto Safe for Your Heart? How the Ketogenic Diet Affects Your Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Levels
3. Soy Milk
When you are not eating carbs, unsweetened soy milk can be a great alternative. Unsweetened soy milk will provide you with only 4g of carbs. Always ensure to pick only unsweetened varieties as the flavoured ones can drive up your carbohydrate count and throw you out of ketosis.
4. Almond Milk
Almond milk is allowed in a keto diet, but you would want to double-check the label as some of them contain added sugars. Plain, unsweetened almond milk will provide you with only 3g of carbohydrates in a cup. Keto Diet for Weight Loss: How to Choose the Best Low-Carb Yoghurt To Stay In Ketosis
5. Protein Shakes
If you do not have the time to prepare your smoothie, protein shakes can be the best option. In fact, chocolate protein powders can make a great addition to your coffee. However, always be sure to check the label for carbohydrate content. Protein powders with casein take longer to digest, helping you stay full.
6. Black Tea and Coffee
Black tea and coffee are keto-friendly. It's a problem when you prepare these beverages with milk as whole milk contains around 13g of carbohydrates in a cup. Heavy cream can be a good substitute for milk with less than one gram of carbs in one tablespoon.
Be careful of bottled coffee drinks as they can be loaded with sugar and pick unsweetened sparkling teas and coffees instead. You can go for a homemade smoothie once in a while, but you might have to skimp on carbs for the rest of your meals.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).