A ketogenic (keto) diet is used to describe a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. There are many questions about which foods and drinks contain low amounts of carbohydrates and high amounts of fat and thus would be suitable to consume on a keto diet.
Coffee is a favourable candidate, being tasty and carb-free if flavoured appropriately. Coffee also provides a quick boost of energy due to its caffeine content. To be keto-friendly, you’ll need to combine this caffeinated beverage with a high-fat product, since flavoured coffee doesn’t fulfill all the keto diet requirements alone. Read on to find out our top tips for preparing your coffee to keep carbs and sugar low, and how to make it fit better into a keto diet.
HOW TO MAKE COFFEE KETO-FRIENDLY
Coffee, if consumed black, generally contains no carbohydrates or sugar. However, more often than not, people add sugar, creamers, milk, and syrups to their coffee beverages for taste, which consequently increases their coffee’s carbohydrate and calorie content.
If you don’t like to take your coffee black, but you’re searching for a keto-friendly coffee with lots of flavour, there are several alternative ways to keep your carbohydrate and sugar consumption low.
1. INVEST IN FLAVOURED COFFEE BEANS TO AVOID ADDING EXTRA CARBS AND SUGAR
Coffee beans themselves rarely contain any carbohydrates. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase pre-flavoured coffee beans that you can then brew at home to get the flavour without the added carbs.
To stick to a low-carb diet, you can either drink flavoured coffee black since it’s already packed full of flavour, or you can add some keto-friendly sweeteners. Flavoured coffee beans may cost a little more than ordinary coffee beans, but their extra pop of flavour is worth it.
Note that if you are on a keto diet, it may be wise to add a high-fat ingredient, too. Although flavoured coffee has zero carbs and zero calories, it also has zero fat. A keto diet is about consuming products low in carbohydrate content but high in fat so consider mixing your coffee with high-fat products or accompany it with a high-fat snack such as an avocado.
2. ADD SUGAR-FREE SWEETENERS TO YOUR COFFEE
You may not be in the mood for a dark roast coffee or drinking your coffee black. Sometimes, you might be more in the mood for a lighter, sweeter coffee. A keto-friendly way of sweetening up your coffee is to add sugar-free sweeteners.
Keto-friendly, sugar-free sweetening products include stevia and erythritol. These are plant-based sweeteners with virtually no calories, allowing you to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding a lot of carbs. Again though, to make it keto, it’s important to modify your coffee by adding a high-fat product to satisfy all the keto diet principles.
3. USE UNSWEETENED HEAVY CREAM
Instead of pouring milk into your coffee, heavy cream is a good high-fat, low-carb alternative. It’s a good substitute for regular coffee creamer because it has very little carbohydrate content. It makes a good, keto-friendly addition.
However, heavy cream is a bit of an acquired taste. Therefore, if you crave something sweet in your drink, try mixing it with a sugar-free sweetener to stay keto-friendly.
4. ADD A SPLASH OF COCONUT OR PISTACHIO MILK TO YOUR DRINK
If you like milk in your coffee, both coconut milk and pistachio milk are good alternatives to regular whole milk. Adding these alternative milk products will keep your drink’s carb content down, and fat content up, while enhancing its flavour.
There are plenty of milk alternatives to explore today, so don’t just stop at these two suggestions if you find something else that looks good. Look at the nutrition labels in your local grocery store and try a few different milk products to find the perfect one for you.
5. DRINK IT BLACK AND PAIR IT WITH A HIGH-FAT MEAL
If you do like drinking your flavoured coffee black, just pair it with a high-fat breakfast or snack that includes some protein as well. Since coffee beans are already flavoured, getting that delicious flavour doesn’t add to the carbohydrate or sugar count.
BOTTOM LINE, IS FLAVOURED COFFEE KETO?
Flavoured coffee isn’t keto itself since it contains little to no fat and no protein. But it has little to no carbohydrates or sugar - consuming it won’t necessarily help you achieve ketosis, but it won’t detract from it, either. With a few modifications, it could be possible to incorporate flavoured coffee into a keto diet by adding fat directly to your drink or pairing it with a high-fat meal that contains some protein.
IS FLAVOURED COFFEE COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER DIETS?
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks on the planet, but is it necessarily healthy? Flavoured coffee may be compatible with a range of different diets below. Have a look to see if flavoured coffee pairs well with other diets.
• LOW-CARB DIET
Flavoured coffee is low in carbohydrate content. If you want to cut down on your carb intake, flavoured coffee is a good choice since it contains few, if any, carbs. However, mixing it with sugary, fatty syrups and creamers can significantly increase the number of carbs. If you are looking to avoid carbohydrates completely, it may be better to drink your coffee black.
• WHOLE-FOOD PLANT-BASED DIET
The whole-food plant-based diet means consuming food and drink items that are both healthy and natural. This means avoiding added sugars, artificial flavorings, and processed foods and sticking to nutritious food that contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Coffee can be consumed on a whole-food plant-based diet, but it is important to keep it simple. Drinking coffee black is likely a good way to consume coffee when on a whole-food plant-based diet since you can be sure that there are no extra products in your beverage.
• MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The Mediterranean diet is essentially imitating the eating and drinking habits of countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, France, and Italy. This diet became a popular practice since people located in these countries tend to have long lifespans and encounter fewer diseases.
Generally, the Mediterranean diet consists of consuming fruits, vegetables, potatoes, nuts, olive oil, fish, eggs, and the occasional bit of poultry. In terms of drinks, water is considered number one on the Mediterranean diet, followed by red wine, tea, and coffee. Coffee is deemed a healthy beverage choice on this diet if not mixed with a ton of sugar, syrups, cream, or milk.
• PALEO DIET
The paleo diet is made up of food and drink products that represent the diet of our prehistoric hunter-gatherer ancestors. Typical elements include meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and exclude soft drinks, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods. Since flavoured coffee usually contains artificial flavouring ingredients, drinking flavoured coffee is not recommended while on the paleo diet.
• VEGAN DIET
The vegan diet is solely consuming plant and plant-based products, such as vegetables, nuts, grains, and fruits. Anything that comes from an animal, whether that be a beef steak, a boiled egg, or a glass of milk, is strictly forbidden.
Coffee beans without flavouring are vegan-friendly since they come from a plant. However, flavoured coffee beans may not always be vegan-friendly, so it is important to check their ingredient labels before selecting them.
• GLUTEN-FREE DIET
Gluten is a protein derived from grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. Many people adopt a gluten-free diet for personal health reasons, or due to medical conditions like celiac disease. To successfully follow a gluten-free diet, it’s good to consume natural gluten-free products like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, fish, and meat and, of course, to avoid gluten-ridden products like bread and pasta.
Regarding coffee, plain coffee is naturally gluten-free but it’s good to be careful when adding artificial flavouring ingredients, syrups, creamers, milk, etc. in case there are extra hidden ingredients. Zavida coffeeis all gluten-free.
• FASTING
Fasting is essentially limiting your calorie intake. If you’re a fan of coffee, it may be possible to continue to drink this caffeinated beverage under certain conditions. For instance, most flavoured coffee beans are flavoured using artificial ingredients. Therefore, it is likely that they contain zero carbs, zero calories, and no sugar. This means it may be possible to consume while fasting.
If you’re partial to a hazelnut vanilla or pumpkin spice coffee, you may still indulge in these beverages as long as you avoid adding whipped cream, sugary syrups, and other products. There are many coffee companies that offer calorie-free, sugar-free flavoured coffee products, one being Zavida Coffee Roasters.
As you can see, flavoured coffee can be compatible with a whole range of diets. However, if trying to follow a keto diet is the goal, coffee doesn’t meet all the requirements on its own. The issue is that it is also low in fat, nit the keto diet encourages high-fat consumption. Therefore, to try to be keto-compliant, fat may need to be added to your cup of coffee.
Moreover, coffee is not the only drink you can consume while on a keto diet or any other kind of diet for that matter. Tap water, sparkling water, and flavoured water are also viable low-calorie, low-carb options.
It is also important to note that with any extreme diet or health regime, there are potential dangers and side effects and it’s always important to follow the advice of a doctor.
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ZAVIDA: YOUR CARB-FREE COFFEE PROVIDER
Coffee can be keto-friendly if flavoured and sweetened appropriately. At Zavida, we produce flavoured coffee beans with zero calories, sugar, and carbohydrate content. We offer over thirty tasty coffee flavours, ranging from Bavarian Chocolate to English Toffee.
You can check out our full line of flavoured coffees on our website. Additionally, you can find more information on flavoured coffee on our blog page. For any other coffee-related queries and advice, feel free to contact us directly. We’d be delighted to hear from you.
