Unsweet Tea: Friend Or Foe On Keto?

The keto diet is a special eating regime that allows the body to reach a state of ketosis, where it uses stored fat as fuel instead of sugars and carbs. This means that all carbs need to be avoided or kept to a minimum. So, what about tea? Well, tea—especially loose-leaf tea—may be a great choice for those on the keto diet. It contains almost zero carbs per cup and can even provide extra benefits to boost your diet. However, some blends and teas should be avoided. For example, if you usually take your tea with milk and sugar, you'll need to cut this out.

Unsweet tea is keto-friendly as it is carb-free

Unsweet tea is keto-friendly and can be consumed in abundance on a keto diet. It is carb-free and will not consume your net carb allowance for the day.

The keto diet is a special eating regime that allows you to reach a state of ketosis, where the body starts using stored fat as fuel instead of sugars and carbs. To reach this state, all carbs should be avoided or kept to a minimum. This low-carb, high-fat diet may be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes as it may help lower blood sugar and the body's demand for insulin. It may also aid in weight loss.

Unsweet tea, or pure loose leaf tea, is a great choice to boost your results, energy levels, and increase lean body mass on keto. It contains almost zero carbs per cup and will provide extra benefits to boost your diet.

However, it is important to note that not all types of tea are keto-friendly. Some blends and teas should be avoided, such as regular milk teas, commercial iced teas, flavoured teas with added sugar, and any tea with sugars.

If you are used to drinking your tea with sugar, the keto diet will require you to change your habits. Instead of sugar, you can try using a keto-friendly sweetener such as stevia or erythritol.

In addition to unsweet tea, there are other keto-friendly drink options to consider. Water is always the best option, but you can also try coffee (both caffeinated and decaf), bone broth, and herbal teas like green tea, chamomile tea, and peppermint tea.

Overall, unsweet tea is a great choice for those following a keto diet as it is carb-free and can be consumed freely without disrupting ketosis.

Loose-leaf tea is 100% keto-friendly

Pure loose-leaf tea is 100% keto-friendly. It contains almost zero carbs per cup and will even provide extra benefits to boost your diet. For example, green tea may help by providing necessary antioxidants to prevent muscle loss and excess oxidative stress. It may also increase lean body mass and muscle strength.

However, it's important to note that not all teas are keto-friendly. Some blends and teas should be avoided completely. If you usually drink your tea with sugar and milk, you will need to change your habits.

Teas to avoid on keto include:

• Regular milk teas, such as chai, bubble tea, and teh tarik
• Commercial iced teas
• Flavored teas with added sugar
• Regular English Breakfast tea with milk and sugar
• Any tea with sugars

When it comes to keto drinks, plain water is best. However, tea is also a great option. Tea (both hot and iced) can be consumed in abundance on keto, as it contains zero carbohydrates and has been linked to various health benefits.

Black tea and green tea, in particular, have anti-aging and metabolic benefits and can help prevent cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Herbal teas such as chamomile, peppermint, and ginger root are also keto-friendly and offer medicinal value.

If you're looking for a sweetener to add to your tea, try a keto-friendly option like stevia, erythritol, swerve, or allulose.

Store-bought iced tea is often not keto-friendly

Many cafes and coffee shops also add syrups to their iced teas, making them unsuitable for someone who is trying to cut out carbs. The average store-bought 500ml bottle of flavoured iced tea, for example, contains more than 20g of carbohydrates, all thanks to the sugars that make the flavour.

Therefore, it is important to read the label carefully when buying store-bought iced tea. It can be tricky to figure out whether the one you order is safe for your keto diet. However, many food places and stores have started to offer unsweetened versions, which are keto-friendly.

If you want to be sure, you can make your own keto-friendly iced tea at home. Here is a recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 family-sized black tea bags
• 2 quarts of water
• Sweetener (optional)
• Lemon/lime juice

Steps:

• Boil 2 quarts of water in a kettle.
• Add 2 family-sized black tea bags to a jug along with your boiling water.
• Let the tea bags steep for 3 to 5 minutes (to taste).
• Add your sweetener and lemon/lime juice while mixing the tea.
• Cool the tea in your fridge and serve over ice.

If you want to add milk or cream to your keto-friendly tea, use keto-friendly milk such as unsweetened almond or coconut milk, or keto-friendly cream such as heavy cream. Regular milk is not keto-compliant.

You can sweeten keto tea with lemon, stevia, or monk fruit

Pure loose leaf tea is keto-friendly, but it is best to avoid store-bought drinks or pre-made teas from restaurants. Ready-to-drink teas are often sweetened with sugar or fruit juice, and even if they claim to be "natural", they can still contain a lot of sugar. For example, bubble tea, even at 0% sugar, contains a lot of sugar due to the syrup used to make the fruity blended options. The boba is also mostly carbs and sweetened with sugar.

If you are following a keto diet, you may be wondering what you can use to sweeten your tea. Some great options include lemon, stevia, or monk fruit.

Lemon is a great way to add a bit of tartness and acidity to your tea, which can enhance the flavour. You can use fresh lemon juice or slices of lemon as a garnish.

Stevia is a natural sweetener that is keto-friendly and has zero calories. It is a great alternative to sugar and can be used in hot or cold tea. You can find stevia in powder or liquid form, and it is easily accessible in most grocery stores.

Monk fruit sweetener is another excellent option for sweetening your keto tea. It has a similar taste to sugar but without the carbs and calories. Monk fruit sweetener is derived from the monk fruit, which is a small green melon native to Asia. It is naturally very sweet, and a little goes a long way. You can find monk fruit sweetener in most health food stores or online.

When making keto tea, it is important to use good quality water, as it can significantly affect the taste. If possible, use filtered or bottled water to ensure a clean and fresh flavour. You can also try cold brewing your tea, which makes it sweeter and smoother-tasting. Simply add the tea bags to a pitcher with water and let them steep in the fridge for about 6-8 hours or overnight. Then, remove the tea bags and sweeten with your chosen keto-friendly sweetener.

Keto-friendly milk alternatives include unsweetened almond or coconut milk

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet. Those on the keto diet must restrict their net carb intake to about 25-50 grams per day. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the fibre content from the total number of carbs.

Regular milk is not keto-friendly because it contains too many net carbs. This includes all types of cow's milk, such as whole, 1%, 2%, and skim milk. However, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream can be used as a keto-friendly dairy-based milk substitute since it is high in fat and low in net carbs.

For those who want to limit or avoid dairy products, there are plenty of keto-friendly, dairy-free milk alternatives made from nuts, seeds, peas, and soy. These alternatives should be unsweetened and low in net carbs. Here are some examples:

• Unsweetened almond milk: Almond milk is widely used on keto as it is inexpensive, readily available, and relatively low in carbs, with only 1.99 grams of net carbs per cup.
• Unsweetened coconut milk: Coconut milk is also keto-friendly, but some brands contain up to 5 grams of net carbs per cup, so it should be consumed sparingly. Pure coconut milk is made from coconut and water and is the highest-fat vegan-friendly milk replacement.
• Unsweetened macadamia nut milk: Macadamia nut milk is more expensive but has the lowest number of net carbs at 0 grams per cup.
• Unsweetened flax milk: Flax milk is made from flax seeds and is high in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. It contains only 1-2 grams of net carbs per cup.
• Unsweetened soy milk: Soy milk is another low-carb option, with 1 gram of fibre and 3 net carbs per cup. It also provides 7 grams of protein.
• Unsweetened cashew milk: Cashew milk is also a good choice, with only 2 grams of net carbs per cup.
• Unsweetened pea milk: Pea milk, made from legumes, is naturally high in protein, with 8 grams of protein and 2 grams of net carbs per cup.

When choosing a milk alternative, it is important to read the nutrition labels carefully, as carb counts can vary between brands. Additionally, be cautious of sweetened milk alternatives, as they are high in added sugar and carbs.

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