Keto-Friendly Drinks: What to Drink on Keto (Besides Water)
On keto, the best drinks have zero or close to zero net carbs: water, sparkling water, black coffee, unsweetened tea, broth and zero sugar drinks without carb-based sweeteners. Here is the full list, what to avoid, and how to check a label in seconds.
What makes a drink keto-friendly?
Keto diets keep carbohydrates low, often somewhere around 20g to 50g a day, so drinks need to use as little of that budget as possible. Check three things on the label:
- Total carbohydrates and sugars. Zero or close to it is ideal.
- Sweeteners. Sucralose, stevia, monk fruit and erythritol add little or no carbs. Sugar, honey, juice concentrate, maltodextrin and dextrose do.
- Serving size. Make sure the numbers cover the whole bottle or can.
The best keto-friendly drinks
- Water. The obvious one. Add lemon, lime, cucumber or mint for flavor.
- Sparkling water. Unsweetened sparkling and mineral waters have zero carbs.
- Black coffee. Essentially carb-free. Watch the add-ins.
- Unsweetened tea. Black, green or herbal, hot or iced.
- Bone broth. Savory, warm and very low in carbs.
- Sugar-free electrolyte drinks. Check that they are sweetened without sugar.
- Zero sugar sparkling energy drinks. A flavorful option when you want caffeine. Check carbs per can.
- Unsweetened almond or coconut milk. Useful in coffee or smoothies.
Drinks to avoid on keto
- Regular soda and sweet tea
- Fruit juice and smoothies
- Sweetened coffee drinks and flavored lattes
- Full-sugar energy and sports drinks
- Beer, sweet wine and most cocktails
Is coffee keto-friendly?
Yes, black coffee is essentially carb-free. The carbs come from what you add: milk, sweetened creamers and syrups can add up quickly. A splash of heavy cream or unsweetened almond milk keeps it low.
Can energy drinks kick you out of ketosis?
Full-sugar energy drinks can contain more sugar in one can than a whole day's keto carb budget, so they are hard to fit in. Zero sugar energy drinks sweetened with sucralose, stevia or similar usually contain little or no carbs. Always check total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts panel.
Is coconut water keto-friendly?
Only in small amounts. A cup of coconut water has roughly 9g of carbohydrates, according to USDA FoodData Central, which is a big share of a daily keto budget.
Is sparkling water keto-friendly?
Yes, as long as it is unsweetened or sweetened without sugar. Check the label on flavored versions.
What should I drink for keto flu?
Many people starting keto focus on fluids and electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium) in the first few weeks. Water, broth and sugar-free electrolyte drinks are common choices. If you have a health condition or take medication, check with your doctor before starting keto.
Where Aspire fits
Aspire Healthy Energy has zero sugar and zero calories, with 80mg of caffeine from green tea and guarana and vitamins B and C. It is sweetened without sugar, and the full Nutrition Facts, including carbs per can, are on every product page, so it is easy to check against your daily carb budget.
Frequently asked questions
What can I drink on keto besides water?
Sparkling water, black coffee, unsweetened tea, bone broth, sugar-free electrolyte drinks and zero sugar sparkling drinks.
Are energy drinks keto-friendly?
Zero sugar energy drinks usually are low in carbs; full-sugar ones usually are not. Check total carbohydrates per can.
What is the best keto drink for energy?
Black coffee, unsweetened tea, or a zero sugar energy drink with moderate caffeine. See our low caffeine energy drink guide for how to compare caffeine.
