Keto Flavor Enhancers: The Ultimate Guide To Taste

The ketogenic diet is a popular eating pattern that involves a high intake of healthy fats, moderate protein consumption, and minimal carbohydrates. Staying hydrated is crucial on the keto diet, but drinking plain water can get boring. This is where keto-friendly water enhancers come in—they add flavour to water without adding carbs or calories, making them a great way to stay hydrated and in ketosis.

Water enhancers typically come in liquid or powder form and are designed to add flavour without the extra calories. While some products may contain artificial sweeteners, they are still considered viable for the keto diet in moderation.

Some popular keto-friendly water enhancer brands include:

- Stur

- Nuun

- Elete

- True Lemon

- Mio

- Crystal Light

Keto-friendly water enhancers

Water enhancers are a great way to make drinking water more enjoyable, especially for those on the keto diet who need to drink plenty of water each day. These products typically contain little to no carbs and are sweetened with artificial or natural sweeteners, so they won't impact your net carb intake. However, it's important to note that artificial sweeteners may lead to health issues in the long run.

Stur

Stur offers a range of natural flavour enhancers without any artificial ingredients. With 0 grams of net carbs per serving and 100% of your daily vitamin C intake, Stur is a great choice for those who want a natural flavour enhancer without any added carbs.

Nuun

Nuun is a water flavouring that comes in tablet form, making it a convenient option. While it does contain 4 grams of net carbs per serving, it offers excellent electrolyte replacement properties, which can be beneficial for active individuals.

Elete

Elete is a water enhancer made with zero artificial ingredients and provides a good balance of electrolytes, all with no net carbs per serving.

True Lemon

True Lemon water enhancers use flavourings extracted from real citrus fruits and contain no artificial ingredients. They are non-genetically modified, vegan, and have very low calories and no net carbs per serving, making them an excellent option for those seeking natural flavour.

Mio

Mio is one of the most popular water enhancers on the market. It contains 0 grams of net carbs and no calories, making it perfect for the keto diet. However, it is flavoured with sucralose, an artificial sweetener, so it falls into the "dirty keto" category.

Crystal Light

Crystal Light is one of the first "low-calorie" water enhancers and comes in a variety of flavours. Its net carb content varies between 0 and 3 grams per serving, and it contains artificial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium. While it may not be considered truly keto-friendly, it can still be used in moderation without kicking you out of ketosis.

In addition to these brands, you can also make your own keto-friendly water enhancers at home by infusing water with frozen fruit, flavoured ice cubes, or citrus slices. You can also freeze water with mint, rosemary, or ginger and add these ice cubes to your water bottle. Citrus fruits, such as lemon, lime, or orange, can also be squeezed into your water to enhance the flavour naturally.

Keto-friendly drink mixes

Water is the primary beverage to consume on the keto diet, but it can get boring. Water enhancers are a great way to add some flavour without adding any calories.

Water enhancers usually come in powder sachets or liquid droppers, and they are designed to make your water taste better without adding any calories. They can be a great tool to increase your daily water intake.

Popular water enhancers

• Mio drops: Mio is one of the most popular water enhancers. It has a lot of different flavours to choose from and comes in an Energy variety with added caffeine.
• Skinny Girl: Naturally sweetened and comes in flavours like Blueberry Acai and Pineapple Coconut.
• Sweetleaf Stevia drops: Sweetened with stevia.
• True Lemon powder sachets: Real crystallized lemon, without added sweeteners.
• Crystal Light: Easy to find in your local grocery store.
• Stur: Sweetened with stevia and flavoured with real fruit extracts.
• Propel powdered mix: Provides some electrolytes and vitamins.

Other options

If you don't want to use a water enhancer, you can try infusing your water with fruit, vegetables, and/or herbs. For example, you can add frozen fruit, such as berries, to your water bottle. You can also make mint ice cubes by freezing herbs into ice cubes. Another option is to add some citrus juice, such as lemon or lime, to your water.

Things to keep in mind

Some water enhancers contain added sugars, which may reduce ketone production. It's important to read the labels and stay within the suggested serving sizes. Additionally, some water enhancers contain artificial sweeteners, which may have negative health effects.

Keto-friendly milk alternatives

While milk is not keto-friendly, there are plenty of keto-friendly milk alternatives.

The best keto-friendly milk alternatives are unsweetened, plant-based milk alternatives, with the exception of rice and oat milk. Half-and-half and heavy cream are also solid choices.

• Unsweetened almond milk: 1g of net carbs per cup
• Coconut milk beverage (carton): 1g of net carbs per cup
• Coconut milk (canned): 3g of net carbs per cup
• Macadamia nut milk: 1g of net carbs per cup
• Flax milk: 1g of net carbs per cup
• Unsweetened soy milk: 1g of fiber and 3 net carbs per cup
• Unsweetened cashew milk: 2g of net carbs per cup
• Unsweetened pea milk: 2g of net carbs per cup
• Unsweetened hemp milk: 1.3g of net carbs per cup
• Half-and-half: 1g of net carbs per ounce
• Heavy cream: 1g of net carbs per ounce

When choosing a keto-friendly milk alternative, it is important to read the nutrition label carefully, as carb counts can vary between brands. Additionally, avoid sweetened milk alternatives, as they are high in added sugar.

Keto-friendly alcoholic drinks

If you're on the keto diet, you may be wondering if you can still enjoy a drink. The good news is that alcohol can be consumed in moderation and there are plenty of keto-friendly options to choose from. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Hard liquor

Hard liquor is the lowest-carb and lowest-sugar form of alcohol, which makes it a good option for keto dieters. Here are some examples:

• Vodka
• Rum
• Whiskey
• Bourbon
• Scotch
• Tequila
• Gin

A standard shot (1.5 ounces or 44 mL) of vodka, rum, whiskey, bourbon, or scotch contains 97-105 calories, with zero grams of carbs and sugar. A shot of tequila contains 105 calories and also has no carbs or sugar.

Wine

When it comes to wine, champagne is the best option for keto dieters. It's a dry wine, so most of the sugar is converted to alcohol during the fermentation process. One 4-ounce glass of champagne contains 90 calories, 3 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of sugar. Other wines to consider include:

• Red wine (125 calories, 3 g net carbs)
• White wine (120 calories, 3 g net carbs)

Mixers

When it comes to mixers, it's important to choose carefully. Regular soda, fruit juice, and energy drinks can quickly turn your drink into a sugar bomb. Instead, opt for:

• Seltzer water or club soda
• Diet soda
• Diet tonic water
• Sugar-free flavour powders (e.g. Crystal Light, sugar-free Kool-Aid)
• Sugar-free tonic water
• Sugar-free juice
• Lemon or lime juice

Cocktails

If you're looking for something a little more exciting than a vodka soda, there are plenty of keto-friendly cocktails you can try. Here are some ideas:

• Vodka/Rum and Diet Coke
• Whiskey and Diet Ginger Ale
• Manhattan
• Martini
• Old Fashioned
• Mojito
• Margarita
• Caipirinha
• Pisco Sour
• Ti Punch
• Royal Mojito
• Gin and Slimline Tonic
• Vodka Martini

What to avoid

Not all alcoholic drinks are created equal when it comes to keto. Here are some drinks that are high in carbs and sugar and should be avoided:

• Beer, especially stout
• Cocktails with syrups, juices, and sugary mixers
• Piña colada
• Sangria
• Dessert wines
• Baileys

Remember, when it comes to drinking on the keto diet, moderation is key. Alcohol can affect your body's ability to burn fat and can shift you out of ketosis. So, be sure to space out your drinks and choose low-carb options to stay on track with your keto diet goals.

Keto-friendly smoothies

The ketogenic diet involves decreasing your intake of carbohydrates and increasing your fat intake. Smoothies are a great way to get the proper proportions of macronutrients, especially in the morning.

Triple berry avocado breakfast smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) of water
• 1/2 cup (98 grams) of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
• Half an avocado (100 grams)
• 2 cups (40 grams) of spinach
• 2 tablespoons (20 grams) of hemp seeds

Chocolate peanut butter smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) of unsweetened almond milk or another low-carb, plant-based milk
• 2 tablespoons (32 grams) of creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon (4 grams) of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) of heavy cream
• 1 cup (226 grams) of ice

Strawberry zucchini chia smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) of water
• 1/2 cup (110 grams) of frozen strawberries
• 1 cup (124 grams) of chopped zucchini, frozen or raw
• 3 tablespoons (41 grams) of chia seeds

Coconut blackberry mint smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup (70 grams) of frozen blackberries
• 2 tablespoons (20 grams) of shredded coconut

Lemon cucumber green smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) of ice
• 1 cup (130 grams) of sliced cucumber
• 1 cup (20 grams) of spinach or kale
• 1 tablespoon (30 ml) of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (14 grams) of milled flax seeds

Banana Strawberry Lettuce Smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Almond milk
• Chopped lettuce
• Protein powder (optional)

Keto Peanut Butter Smoothie

Blend the following ingredients:

• Peanut butter
• Avocado
• Powdered peanut butter
• Cream
• Almond milk
• Keto-friendly sweetener

Frequently asked questions