Exploring Your Options: What can I drink that's keto friendly?

October 14, 2025 •

4 min read

Many people transitioning to a ketogenic diet are surprised by the high carbohydrate content of everyday beverages like juice and soda. This guide answers the common question, "What can I drink that's keto friendly?" by outlining a variety of delicious and compliant options that won't derail your diet.

Quick Summary

This article details a variety of keto-friendly beverages, including water, coffee, tea, and specific alcoholic options, while highlighting which sugary and high-carb drinks to avoid to maintain ketosis. It also covers how to prepare homemade drinks and find compliant store-bought options.

Key Points

Foundation is Key: Start with zero-carb staples like water, plain coffee, and unsweetened tea for hydration and energy.
Beware of Hidden Carbs: Many popular drinks, including regular soda, fruit juice, and traditional milk, are loaded with sugar and should be avoided.
Customize Your Flavors: Add variety to your drinks by infusing water with citrus or mint, or using unsweetened nut milks and heavy cream in hot beverages.
Make Smart Alcoholic Choices: Pure spirits (like vodka and tequila) and dry wines are carb-free or low-carb, but avoid sugary mixers and most beers.
Prioritize Electrolyte Balance: Staying hydrated and consuming sugar-free electrolyte drinks is important, especially when starting keto, to combat symptoms of the "keto flu".
Always Read Labels: Be cautious with diet sodas, energy drinks, and flavored waters, and inspect labels to confirm they are truly sugar-free and low-carb.

Navigating Beverages on a Ketogenic Diet

Staying properly hydrated is crucial for overall health, and it's especially important on a ketogenic diet to help manage the "keto flu". However, a significant portion of a typical diet's sugar and carb intake can come from drinks, making mindful choices essential. The good news is that there are many delicious and satisfying options available to those who know what to look for and what to avoid. By prioritizing zero-carb beverages and being cautious with low-carb alternatives, you can enjoy a variety of flavorful drinks while successfully maintaining ketosis.

Everyday Zero-Carb Essentials

Building your beverage foundation on simple, carb-free liquids is the safest and healthiest approach. These staples should be your go-to choices throughout the day.

Water: The most important drink of all, plain water is calorie-free, carb-free, and vital for proper hydration. To add flavor without carbs, you can infuse it with slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or mint leaves.
Sparkling Water, Seltzer, and Club Soda: For those who enjoy some fizz, these are excellent carb-free alternatives to regular soda. Always choose unsweetened varieties and be mindful that regular tonic water is loaded with sugar.
Coffee: Black coffee is zero-carb and can provide a welcome energy boost. To make it more satisfying, add a splash of heavy cream or unsweetened plant-based milk, but avoid sugary creamers and syrups. Keto dieters also enjoy "bulletproof" coffee, which includes a tablespoon of MCT oil and grass-fed butter for added fats.
Tea: All unsweetened teas—including black, green, herbal, and iced varieties—are keto-friendly and provide a range of antioxidants. Like coffee, avoid adding sugar and use low-carb additions instead.

Other Delicious Non-Alcoholic Options

Beyond the basics, several other beverages can add variety to your keto diet, but you must be vigilant about checking ingredients and carb counts.

Unsweetened Nut Milks: Almond milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk are all great, low-carb options for adding to coffee, smoothies, or recipes. Always ensure you purchase the "unsweetened" version, as flavored and sweetened varieties can be high in sugar.
Bone Broth: This savory drink is a nutrient-dense and comforting option, particularly helpful for replenishing electrolytes lost during the initial phase of the keto diet. It provides protein and negligible carbs.
Keto Smoothies: You can create delicious, low-carb smoothies using unsweetened nut milk, low-carb fruits like berries, leafy greens, avocado, and keto-friendly protein powders.
Sugar-Free Electrolyte Drinks: The keto diet can deplete your body's electrolyte balance. Sugar-free electrolyte powders or drops, often sweetened with stevia, can be mixed with water to help replenish vital minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

How to Create Your Own Keto-Friendly Drinks at Home

Making your own drinks gives you complete control over the ingredients, ensuring they are free of hidden sugars. You can easily craft flavorful cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages with a few simple substitutions.

Keto Cocktails: For spirits like vodka, rum, gin, and tequila (which contain zero carbs), mix with carb-free alternatives. Examples include a Vodka Soda with a lime wedge or a "Skinny" Margarita made with a no-carb simple syrup (using erythritol or allulose) and fresh lime juice.
Homemade Sodas: Combine sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice and a few drops of a natural zero-calorie sweetener like stevia or monk fruit for a refreshing, sugar-free fizz.
Low-Carb Lattes: For a warm treat, make a latte using black coffee or tea, a dash of heavy cream or unsweetened almond milk, and a keto-friendly sweetener. Add some cocoa powder for a quick hot chocolate.

The Keto Approach to Alcoholic Drinks

While some alcohol is acceptable, moderation is key, and it can slow down weight loss. The best choices are pure spirits and dry wines.

Hard Liquor: Unflavored spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, and tequila contain zero carbs. The key is to use a keto-friendly mixer, not regular soda or juice.
Dry Wine: Dry red and white wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc, typically contain 2-4 grams of carbs per glass, making them a viable option in moderation.
Low-Carb Beer and Seltzers: Some brands offer low-carb beer options. Hard seltzers are also popular, but always check the label, as carb counts can vary.

The Hidden Carb Traps

Not everything that seems low-carb actually is. The worst offenders are often hidden in plain sight or marketed as healthy. Always read the label. For example, some kombuchas can be surprisingly high in sugar, so they are best consumed in moderation or avoided.

Comparison of Common Beverages (Per Standard Serving)


Beverage	Keto-Friendly?	Typical Net Carbs (g)	Key Considerations
Water	Yes	0	Pure hydration; can infuse with citrus or herbs
Black Coffee	Yes	0	Enjoy plain or with low-carb additions
Diet Soda	Yes (with caution)	0	May increase cravings or impact gut health
Unsweetened Tea	Yes	0	Antioxidant-rich, serves hot or iced
Dry Wine	Yes (in moderation)	2–4	Stick to dry varieties and measure servings
Hard Liquor	Yes (with caution)	0	Use sugar-free mixers only
Regular Soda	No	39+	High in sugar and carbs; will break ketosis
Fruit Juice	No	20+	Very high in natural sugar; avoid completely
Regular Milk	No	12+	Contains natural milk sugar (lactose); use unsweetened nut milk
Sweet Cocktails	No	10–30+	Syrups and juices make these carb bombs
Sweet Wine/Beer	No	10+	Contains too much residual sugar or fermented grains

Conclusion: Sipping Towards Success

Knowing what you can drink that's keto friendly is a game-changer for long-term adherence to the diet. By building a routine around water, unsweetened coffee, and tea, you establish a solid, zero-carb foundation. From there, you can explore low-carb options like nut milks and bone broth while enjoying occasional indulgences like dry wine or a customized cocktail. The key is to always read labels, especially on diet sodas and flavored beverages, and remember that moderation is a powerful tool. With this knowledge, you have all the tools you need to stay hydrated and on track. For more detailed information on specific food options, visit Healthline's guide to keto-friendly foods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most diet and 'zero sugar' sodas contain zero carbs and will not directly break ketosis. However, some nutritionists recommend moderation, as artificial sweeteners can potentially increase cravings for sweets or affect gut health in some individuals.

Traditional cow's milk contains natural sugar (lactose) and is not recommended on a keto diet. A better alternative is to use unsweetened plant-based milks like almond, coconut, or cashew milk, or heavy cream, which are low in carbs and high in fat.

You can replenish electrolytes with sugar-free electrolyte powders or drops mixed into water. Bone broth is another excellent, natural source of electrolytes. Drinking plenty of plain water and salting your food is also important.

No, most fruit juices are very high in sugar and carbs and should be avoided on a ketogenic diet. Even 100% fruit juice can significantly spike blood sugar and interfere with ketosis.

Pure spirits such as vodka, gin, whiskey, and tequila are carb-free. You can also enjoy dry wines and low-carb hard seltzers in moderation. Always use sugar-free mixers, such as diet soda or plain seltzer water.

Instead of sugary creamers, you can add a tablespoon of heavy cream or unsweetened almond milk to your coffee. Some people also add a natural zero-calorie sweetener or blend in MCT oil and butter to create a "bulletproof" coffee.

Unsweetened, naturally flavored sparkling waters are typically fine. However, you should always check the nutrition label, as some brands might contain small amounts of fruit juice or sweeteners that can add up over time.