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Are White Claws Keto-Friendly? We Asked An RD
![Christina Coughlin Christina Coughlin](jpg/rmtfs6c.jpg)
If last summer's national shortage wasn't enough to show how much people love this drink, we don't know what is. The world's favorite new drink, White Claw, seems to have taken the world by storm in the past year. It's one of the more popular brands of hard seltzer, aka bubbly alcoholic drinks that taste sweet but are low-carb.
But if you follow a ketogenic diet, can you partake in the spiked seltzer craze? Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN shares the lowdown on how the beverage could affect someone in ketosis.
Is White Claw keto-friendly?
The keto diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and very low in carbohydrates. The ratios of these macronutrients usually shakes out to: 65 to 85% fat; 15 to 35% protein; 0 to 10% carbohydrates. "Typically, most people following a keto diet keep their carb intake at 50 grams or less a day," says Knudsen. How many carbs are in White Claw? Here's how White Claw nutrition info stacks up:
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 20 mg
As a result, Knudsen says that yes, White Claw is keto-friendly. "Sparing two of those grams for a White Claw every now and then is totally feasible."
Are other alcoholic seltzers keto?
Knudsen's general rule of thumb for determining keto-friendliness of an alcoholic beverage is to look for drinks with five or fewer carbs per serving. The less the better, she says! "Even a drink with five grams of carbs accounts for 10% of the maximum amount of carbs you may have allotted for the day."
Knudsen warns anyone on the keto diet to steer clear of sugary drinks like margaritas, sangria, and daiquiris. "Any drink with fruit juice, sweetened sodas, or simple syrups are going to be loaded with carbs and could knock you out of ketosis in a snap. I would also think twice before selecting beer as your keto drink of choice," she says. "Opting for a light beer will still typically cost you 6 grams of carbs, and a regular beer will cost you around 13 grams."
Her recommendation for drinking on the keto diet? Besides White Claw, she says to stick to any low-carb beverages. "If you do decide to drink, I recommend keeping to options such as red or white wine (which is around four grams of carbs per five-ounce serving), or liquor like vodka, rum, or gin (which all have zero grams of carbs) with seltzer water."
Even though alcoholic beverages can be a part of a keto diet, Knudsen doesn't encourage it as a regular or integral part of the diet. "I would prefer a person's carbohydrate allowance go toward optimizing nutrition," she says. She recommends prioritizing foods that contain important vitamins and minerals, like vegetables like broccoli, kale, zucchini, mushrooms, and red bell pepper.
The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans1 recommend that people who consume alcohol should always do it in moderation, which is defined as no more than one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men.
Bottom line
Yes, White Claws can be a part of your keto diet, but it's important to use your carb allowance for nutrient-rich foods. To learn more about going keto, check out our beginner's guide to the ketogenic diet for tips, tricks, and general rules to follow.
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