It’s easy to get wrapped up in keeping track of all the foods you can (and can’t) eat on the keto diet (hello, bacon; goodbye, pasta). But uh, what about all those drinks that keep you hydrated?
While, yes, water’s a clear winner, life drinking only water sounds boring AF—luckily, there are quite a few keto-friendly drinks you can still down. A few ground rules: Sugar (found in fruit juice and regular soda) isn’t your friend (carbs, duh). And while cheese is relatively safe on keto, cow’s milk isn’t the best option (one cup has 12 grams of carbs).
But honestly, that still leaves you with plenty of options—here are a few to keep in mind the next time you’re feeling thirsty but can’t down another glass of water.
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As long as it’s not packed with added sugar, you’re fine to drink as much of these beverages as you want, says Jessica Cording, a New York-based R.D. “They don’t provide any carbohydrates,” she adds.
Black is your best bet, but if you need a little flavoring to take yours to the next level, make sure you opt for a sugar-free syrup or artificial sweetener. You can also add heavy cream or coconut oil for some creaminess (and extra fat), says Julie Upton, R.D., co-founder of nutrition website Appetite for Health.
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“Most diet sodas and beverages sweetened with stevia and other sugar substitutes have zero calories or grams of carbs, making them keto-friendly,” Upton says—so yeah, that means Jenna Jameson’s fave Fresca is totally keto-friendly.
Still, Upton recommends double-checking the nutritional info to verify that your drink definitely has less than five grams of total sugar, since some diet sodas can add in regular added sugars.
Also important: These artificially sweetened sodas might cause some stomach issues. “While they’re technically keto-compliant, excessive intake of artificial sweeteners may cause unpleasant side effects like GI discomfort,” she says. The key here is “excessive,” though, so if you have a Fresca here and there, you should be totally fine.
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So milk is off-limits (dairy equals sugar which equals carbs), but luckily, milk alternatives are totally in right now. Make sure whichever version you’re opting for is unsweetened—and stick to coconut or almond; soy milk actually has just as many carbs as cow’s milk.
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Yes, you can still have diet soda on the keto diet—but you still shouldn’t drink it with every meal, says Upton. If you’re a true diet soda fanatic, try out seltzer, sparkling water, or club soda—basically all forms of water with bubbles (yes, that includes your precious La Croix).
The one kind of fizzy water you probably shouldn’t grab? Tonic water—it actually has 22 grams of carbs per eight-ounce serving.
Go ahead and add some fruit or squeeze some lemon into your fizzy water too—berries are a great low-carb keto fruit option and can also add some extra flavor to your drink.
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Again, fruit is a tricky area on the keto diet—berries are okay; apples and bananas, not so much. So instead of filling up your blender with fruit juices, go ahead and use this opportunity to up your fat content through full-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, or coconut oil, for example.
Keto protein powders are also a great option for your keto smoothies, just stick to ones with a higher fat content like whey, casein, egg protein, beef protein, and collagen protein powders.
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