
They’ve been tied to all sorts of health risks including diabetes, and study after study show that people who consume diet drinks are still likely to gain weight.īut there’s a bigger problem. There are a number of reasons why carb-free diet soda is still very bad for you. But that doesn’t make them a good choice on a low-carb diet. Yes, they are literally zero-carb and zero-calorie drinks. It says so, right in their name: Coke Zero, Pepsi Zero, Canada Dry Zero. In fact, many diet sodas these days have zero carbs. Diet Soft DrinksĪh, the perfect low-carb drink. As for the paleo diet, it’s easy: did cavemen drink soda? Neither should you. On the Zone diet, you’d have to consume a ton of protein and fat to balance out a single soft drink – and to be honest, soft drinks are banned on the diet. That “cheat” can of Coke we mentioned earlier would be likely to knock you right out of ketosis, requiring you to start your diet all over again. A strict keto diet, and the first phase of Atkins, only allow you to consume about 20-25 grams of net carbs per day. And root beer (45 net carbs) and orange soda (50 carbs) are even worse. (Net carbs is the important number “total” carbs includes dietary fiber, which doesn’t really count because it can’t be digested.) Clear soda isn’t much better either ginger ale and Sprite are in the high 30s. Pepper or other cola contains around 40 grams of net carbs. Soda is just about the highest-carb drink you can choose because it’s loaded with added sugar – and sugar is nothing more than a sweet carbohydrate.Ī 12-ounce can or bottle of Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Soft DrinksĬoke wasn’t just a handy example. Here are the drinks to avoid when you’re eating (and drinking) low-carb. If you understand why that’s such a bad idea – and if you know how quickly the Coke could destroy all the work you’ve put into your diet – it’s much easier to say “I’ll just have some water, thanks.” If you’re at a friend’s house or a restaurant, it’s easy (and tempting) to cheat and grab a Coke instead of a low-carb beverage. And many low-carb diets actually require you to keep a carb count. Changing them isn’t as easy as just stocking the fridge with the beverages you’re supposed to drink it requires a conscious decision to make changes. Most peoples’ eating and drinking habits have been formed over a lifetime. Why are we starting with our rundown of the worst beverages to drink on a low-carb diet, instead of the best? We happen to have those lists right here.

So it makes sense for low-carb dieters to know which beverages are low in carbohydrates, and which ones are way too high. Liquids provide nearly one-quarter of the calories in the average American diet. The fewer carbohydrates you ingest, the better you’ll do and the more weight you’ll lose. No matter which low-carb meal plan you’re following, the bottom line is essentially the same. (That answers one of the first questions we asked milk is relatively high in carbs so it’s not allowed on rigorous low-carb diets like keto, but is OK on the more-forgiving Zone diet.) And Paleo is based less on science and more on a philosophy: the cavemen didn’t contract modern illnesses because they had a healthier diet – so we should eat like they did. With the Zone diet, the goal is to prevent body inflammation by maintaining strict macronutrient ratios. Keto and the first phase of Atkins aim to put the body into the metabolic state called ketosis, which jump-starts fat burning. Why does the allowable amount of carbs vary so greatly? It’s because low-carb diet rules depend on the type of low-carb diet you’re following.

Yet all of them are considered low-carb diets. Paleo (the “caveman” diet) doesn’t have a set limit, but its guidelines eliminate most carb-heavy foods simply because our ancestors didn’t eat them. The Zone diet suggests no more than 40%, but the carbs should have a low glycemic index.

The Atkins diet starts around the same level, but then relaxes limits on carb intake. Keto recommends that carbs make up no more than 5-10% of daily calories. Each low-carb diet provides its own guidance on the ideal carb content in a daily diet – and which of the other macronutrients, fat or protein, should be emphasized more.

Instead, the term simply calls for limits on one of the three macronutrient groups, carbohydrates. There’s no single “right amount” of carbs you can or should consume when you’re on a low-carb eating plan. However, low-carb is a term of art, not science. They may also help regulate blood sugar spikes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, contribute to heart health – and reduce your appetite, too. Low carb diets have been shown to help people lose weight.
