Keto-Friendly diet and wine does not sound like they should be in the same sentence. But guess what, they can be. However, let me help you understand a little about the keto diet and how it works. Then I can enlighten you on the advantages of drinking these Keto-friendly wines that I have found.
Seafood steamed or broiled 
Fresh veggies – good anytime 
Great dinner ideas!!!
WHAT IS A KETO-FRIENDLY DIET
Keto diet is short for Ketogenic diet. This is a form of weight loss program where you take in more calories from proteins and fats and less from carbs. As a result, most of the foods that you crave or enjoy often, you will have to give up. Foods like sweets, sodas, pastries, white breads, pastas and guess what wine and alcoholic beverages. To me that doesn’t sound like fun. To a “foodie” like me, I would starve to death or be very irritable without my comfort foods. And you know we all have those… chips, candy, peanuts, fried chicken, french fries, that favorite mello yello or mountain dew, pepsi or cola. What about that nightly glass, or two, of your favorite wine or beer? Do you really what to give these things up? For real?!
How is works:
The body, if it takes in less than 50 grams of carbs, will eventually run out of fuel, or blood sugars. As a result, it will start to break down the proteins and fats to get that same type of sugar. Since it takes more for the body to break down proteins and fats, the results will be that you will start to lose weight within 4 to 5 days. This process is known as Ketosis. Most doctors recommend this diet program called ketogenics to be a short term program due to the fact that is geared more towards weight loss and not healthy eating habits.
Although this keto-friendly diet has shown some positive results in helping with certain medical conditions such as acne, heart conditions and epilepsy, more research needs to be made to get conclusive evidence to the long term benefits of this diet program.
The fact that red wine is also a known benefactor to heart health and other benefits goes to show that a keto-friendly diet and wine program may actually work well together, for a short-term goal. But wine can continue indefinitely!!
Types of Keto-Friendly Food
Although there are several different types of foods that you cannot eat on a keto-friendly diet and wine, there are several more that you can.
Seafood
Just about all seafoods are great for the keto-friendly diet. And I have found some great keto-friendly wines to go along with both the seafood and most meats. So you can have keto-friendly diet and wine and not suffer too much from those foods you cannot have.
Low-Carb Vegetables
Classic green, leafy veggies, beans, and hard veggies like broccholi and Cauliflower are wonderful either cooked or raw on the keto diet. Better yet, have these amazing veggies delivered right to your door. However, most “root” veggies like potatoes, beets, radishes and the like are high in carbs, low in fat and protein. So not good for a keto-friendly diet. A small to medium potato would basically have all the carbs allowed for a full days intake.
Cheese –
Cheese is high in fat. So therefore great for the ketogenic diet. Cheese also goes great with a keto-friendly wine!!!
Avocados
Meat and Poultry
Meats of all kinds are great to go with a keto diet and wine. However, stay away from fried foods. I guess you can use it if you fry with olive oil or coconut oil. Chicken is always a staple with any kind of meal, diet or otherwise.
Eggs
Coconut Oil
Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
Greek yogurt is one of my ultimate comfort foods. It is basically my ice cream. However, cottage cheese is still something that I have a horrible time getting through. So, I will keep to my Greek Yogurt.
Olive Oil
Seeds and Nuts
These are great for snacks any time of the day or night.
- Almonds: 3 grams net carbs (6 grams total carbs)
- Brazil nuts: 1 gram net carbs (3 grams total carbs)
- Cashews: 8 grams net carbs (9 grams total carbs)
- Macadamia nuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Pecans: 1 gram net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Pistachios: 5 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)
- Walnuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)
- Chia seeds: 1 gram net carbs (12 grams total carbs)
- Flaxseeds: 0 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)
- Pumpkin seeds: 4 grams net carbs (5 grams total carbs)
- Sesame seeds: 3 grams net carbs (7 grams total carbs)
What about that Keto-friendly wine
Did you know that wine is one of the few items that the Food and Drug Administration does not require you to put the nutritional information labels on the bottles?! Therefore, you do not know the nutritional value that makes up the wine. However, if you are a wine connoisseur, you know that wine gains all of its nutritional value from the grape and the amount of yeast it produces. The yeast is what ferments the wine. The grape itself and the environment in which it grows actually determines how the wine will taste and smell.
However, our wine sommelier gives some insight as to how you can tell the general overall content of the wine based on the grape used.
Keto-Friendly Diet and Wine Snippets
A wine factoid. Did you know that wine is made by letting the yeast eat the natural sugars in the grape juice and turns it into alcohol? The more sugar the yeast converts, the higher the alcohol content and the less “residual sugar”.
Some general hints as to what wines you can and may want to avoid during your keto-friendly diet and wine program.
White Wine and Rose wines usually have higher sugar levels because of the sweetness helps to balance the natural acidity. The European wines are drier which means they have less “residual sugars”. Try more along the lines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These go along with the keto-friendly diet and wine.
Grenache, Zinfandel, and Shiraz/Syrah have higher alcohol levels because the grapes themselves tend to be naturally higher in sugar content. Moscato and other dessert wines have higher sugar content levels. As a result, these should be avoided while on the Keto-friendly diet and wine program. However, do not deprive yourself of trying these great wines once you have satisfied your keto-criteria.
Keto-Friendly Diet and Wine – Enjoy your wine again!!!
So my amazing wine club has Keto-friendly wines. How can they tell it is keto-friendly? Based on the grape and the “residual sugars”. Now you can find a new favorite wine that is Keto-friendly which you can enjoy any time of the year. Even after you have finished with your keto-friendly program, you can still enjoy these wines. When you get accustomed to these fine wines, you can then try some of the other varietals from the Napa and Sonoma Valley vineyards.
So now you have no excuse not to enjoy your wines. We have taken all the guess-work out on how to find your perfect wine. As a result of your amazing weight loss on your Keto-Friendly diet and Wine, go celebrate the new you and your new wines
