Lemonade

There are few drinks more refreshing than lemonade. Try mixing it with iced tea to create an Arnold Palmer.

Makes 8 servings

In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together the sweetener and ¾ cup water. Heat in the microwave oven in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until the sweetener is dissolved, creating a simple syrup (see Margarita). Pour into a large pitcher.

Add the lemon juice, 8 cups cold water, and the lemon slices. Stir together and serve in ice-filled glasses.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories 7, fat 0.1 g, protein 0.1 g, carbs 5.1 g, fiber 0.1 g

Variation

To make an Arnold Palmer, mix together equal amounts Lemonade and brewed iced tea and stir to combine. You can experiment with the proportions to get the balance you like the best. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Am I allowed to drink wine or a cocktail on the keto diet?

The answer is yes! Just because you are living a keto lifestyle doesn’t mean you can’t have a glass of wine or a cocktail sometimes.

Cocktails: There are definitely types of alcohol that are better than others. When in doubt go for classic alcohols like vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, and gin. Stay away from liqueurs, which are very high in sugar.

Wine: In general, the drier the better and go for white wine before red. For whites, try brut champagne and similarly styled sparkling wines, cava, and prosecco. If you don’t want sparkling wine, look for Pinot blanc and Pinot grigio. Reds start out higher in carbs, with pinot noir coming in at about 3.4 grams per serving. Merlot, cabernet, and Syrah are just a little higher.

Mixers: Be careful! Tonic is loaded with sugar. Instead, try mixing your drinks with sparkling water. And stay away from premixed cocktail helpers like margarita mix or Bloody Mary mix, which can blow your maximum carb allowance with one drink. Instead try my classic Margarita, which is made from scratch and comes in at 19 grams of carbs per cocktail, or my Keto Mary, with its crunchy bacon, olive, and cornichon garnish.

Beer: Most beer is generally pretty high in carbs, so it’s best to avoid it.