Coffee Creamer Substitutes for a Keto Diet
If you have decided to go keto, you know that not everything can be keto-friendly, and it may be important to redefine your diet to match your health goals. This can get complicated if you are a coffee lover who uses creamers–but luckily, we have you covered for finding the best coffee creamers for keto.
What Is a Keto Diet?
Keto is a low-carb, low-sugar diet. Instead of getting your energy from carbs and sugar, you get energy from healthy proteins and fats. This diet involves cutting back on empty carbs and sugar found in milk, pasta, white bread, and sugary drinks. The reasoning behind this diet is that it trains the body to rely on ketones produced in the liver using stored fat, but it usually takes a person a few days on keto before they can reach a state of ketosis.
What Makes a Coffee Creamer Keto-Friendly?
If you are just starting out on this diet, you may find it difficult to tell what makes something keto-friendly or what the best natural coffee creamer is for your new diet. It’s important to scope out the ingredient lists of any item you’re considering purchasing and to choose products with high amounts of saturated fats from things like coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. It is also vital that you steer clear of any products that contain high amounts of sugar.
Most of the dairy-based creamers available are not keto-friendly, as standard milk contains high levels of carbs. This means that non-dairy alternatives are your best bet when trying to avoid high numbers of coffee creamer calories.
Keto-Friendly Coffee Creamers
In most cases, the best low-carb creamer will depend on your tastes and personal preference. Nonetheless, here are some keto-friendly coffee creamers:
Almond Milk and Creamers
Unsweetened almond milk and other kinds of nut milk are an ideal alternative to regular milk, and come highly recommended for anyone on a keto diet. There are plenty of almond-based creamers to choose from; however, you should always read the labels to see if there are any hidden carbs in the flavored varieties.
Collagen Creamer
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body, and adding more of these amino acids to your daily diet will provide you with extra protein and may help improve your energy levels, strengthen your hair and nails, and relieve joint pain.
Coconut Cream or Coconut Milk
Coconut cream and milk are made using similar ingredients: water, coconut, and sometimes sugar gum. However, like regular milk, coconut cream often has a much thicker texture and higher fat content than regular coconut milk.
Heavy or Light Cream
Cream can be an excellent low-carb choice for your coffee, with six grams of fat and 0.4 grams of net carbs per tablespoon, and is often very similar to other flavored creamers you may be trying to transition away from. Light cream and half-and-half are also other great choices, though they usually have slightly higher carb counts.
Conclusion
When choosing a keto-friendly coffee creamer, it is crucial to look for products that match up with the macronutrient requirements of a keto diet as well as those with minimal added ingredients. You don’t have to give up coffee creamers because you are on a keto diet, as there are several keto-friendly options available–just be sure to pick the ones with higher fat levels that are as carb-free as possible!