This is the FIFTH article in a probably never-ending series of short posts with basic nutrition facts and information about specific types of foods or drinks in the context of a keto diet. If you aspire to be an aware and knowledgeable keto diet follower, then this is a must-read for you.   

Today, we are coming back to the topic of alcohol and we will take a closer look on whiskey (or whisky). Can you drink whiskey on a keto diet? Is whiskey allowed on keto? Can it disturb ketosis or even kick you out of it? How about its impact on your health?

These are some of the things you are about to learn so that you can make an informed decision whether or not to include whiskey on your keto diet program. Let’s get started.

Nutrition Facts About Whiskey

This section presents the most important nutrition facts about whiskey. The below tables show only the the facts and information that are especially important from the point of view of a ketogenic diet (and staying in ketosis).

In the case of alcohol and any alcohol drinks, it’s obviously the caloric and carb (sugar) quantity that’s the most interesting for keto diet followers.  And this is exactly what you will learn here. 

Nutrition Facts Of Whiskey

Nutrition Facts Of Whiskey

As you can see whiskey is keto compliant and you can drink a bit of it from time to time.

These are pretty good and promising numbers, aren’t they? That’s because whiskey is almost pure alcohol (its alcohol amount may vary from 40% to even 68%), so all of its calories come from alcohol.

Does this make it a totally keto-friendy drink? Let’s find this out.

Whiskey & Its Keto Compliance (9/10)

Here you will probably find the information you are interested in the most, that is, how keto compliant whiskey is and whether you can drink it on this eating program.

Whiskey is an example of hard liquors which are totally OK on a keto diet. That’s because hard alcohols usually have no carbs, no sugar and since they have high alcohol amount you cannot drink too much of them. It’s not a problem to drink 4 beers but can you drink “only” four glasses of whiskey? That’s the magic and keto friendliness of hard alcohols. 

Here is the wrap-up of facts and information about whiskey in the context of a keto diet:

• NO CARBS OR SUGARS. Hard liquors are the best choices on a keto diet because they have usually have trace carbs. It simply means you can enjoy one or two glasses of whiskey and don’t worry about carbs. You will be within the limit.
• GLYCEMIC INDEX OF 0. Even though whiskey does have calories, its glycemic index is 0. It means whiskey doesn’t affect levels of blood sugar and thus doesn’t spike insulin. This makes it almost a perfect keto drink.
• STILL HAS CALORIES. Itt’s true that whiskey is a bit higher is calories in comparison to wine or even beer. However, all of these calories come from alcohol, which means they won’t be stored as glycogen or fat. These calories will be used as energy.
• ALCOHOL AMOUNT. The high caloric density of whiskey is perfectly balanced by its high alcohol amount. It means that you won’t be able to drink much of it, so you will actually consume less calories (and no carbs).
• WHISKEY AND KETOSIS. Some studies show that wiskey can even help you increase blood ketone production. If you drink it occasionally and in moderation, you don’t need to worry about ketosis at all.

BEST TIP FOR DRINKING WHISKEY ON KETO: As you can see whiskey is really an almost perfect keto drink. It isn’t 10/10 only because it’s alcohol and consuming too much of it can lead to poor dietary choices (made under influence). Whiskey in itself isn’t a problem for a keto diet and staying in ketosis. The best tip I can give you here is be careful when drinking any type of alcohol because you may end up binging on carbs and then totally nullifying your progress. And that’s not what I want you to be doing.

Check out the brilliant guide to drinking alcohol on a keto diet with more examples and interesting facts. 

Whiskey On A Ketogenic Diet & Health Impact (7/10)

Here you will find very interesting facts about positive impact of whiskey on health. 

When doing research for this mini guide I was really surprised to learn about many health benefits of whiskey and the fact that it’s one of the healthiest types of alcohol out there. I wasn’t aware of many positive health effects of whiskey and I bet you didn’t know about them as well. 

Here are a few surprising and interesting health benefits of whiskey:

• HELPS CONTROL DIABETES. Whiskey is rich in ellagic acid which helps control and stabilize blood sugar by controlling how much glucose is released from the liver.
• HELPS PREVENT HEART DISEASE. A lot of studies show that whiskey can lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack thanks to the phenolic compounds it contains.
• HELPS PREVENT DEMENTIA. There are more and more studies showing that whiskey can help prevent dementia or Alzheimer’s disease by improving your cognitive performance.
• GIVES A BOOST TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. Whiskey is rich in antioxidants and trace vitamins, so it will give your immune system a nice boost.
• HELPS CHILL OUT. Basically any type of alcohol (when drunk in moderation) helps reduce stress, calms the brain and can lower the stress hormone (cortisol). This is something especially important for people on strict diets or huge caloric deficits which are very stressful on the body.
• POTENTIAL HELP IN WEIGHT LOSS. Some people say that whiskey can actually help you lose weight because it effectively curbs appetite and doesn’t cause any cravings. I cannot say that’s the way it works with everyone but some people do say they aren’t hungry after drinking whiskey (while they are starving after a beer full of carbs). This way we can say that whiskey can indirectly help you lose weight.

Keep in mind that all of these great health properties of whisky occur only if you drink it in moderation and occasionally.  If weight loss is your top priority, you must not combine drinking alcohol with eating fat or carbs or they will be directly stored as fat. If you want to be lean and still be able to drink, totally separate these two activities (ideally drink a few hours after your last meal).

Check the post where I talk about the keto compliance and health impact of wine. 

Bottom Line: Great In Moderation

As you can see whiskey is one of the best types of alcohol to consume on a keto diet. Not only is it very keto friendly but it also has tons of surprising health benefits. 

Have you ever thought that whiskey can help you prevent heart disease, improve brain function or help fight diabetes? These are the properties of a keto diet as well.

Even though it scores high both in its keto compatibility and health impact, it is alcohol and everyone knows that it is good only in moderation.

The bottom line here is that you can use whiskey to help you on your keto diet but you must not forget that there is a thin line between whiskey being your friend and your foe.

If you find this mini guide helpful and useful, please share it with your friends on social media. My goal is to reach as many people as possible to help them make wise dietary choices and transform their lives. Thanks!