Wine, Weight Loss And Low Carbs
Another study came out this week illustrating the powerful health benefits of restricting carbohydrates. While this study was not a randomized trial comparing a low and high-fat diet (we already have dozens of those showing the superiority of a higher-fat diet), it added some new twists and turns to the traditional low-carb and ketogenic diet. This group constructed what it referred to as the “Spanish Ketogenic Diet”1, which is basically a merging of the ketogenic and Mediterranean diets. The resulting diet is, well pretty much what you would expect — the ketogenic diet with a European flavor. In fact, they looked at a ketogenic diet that, in their words, encompassed “4 important healthy components of the Mediterranean diet in Spain: olive oil, salad, fish and red wine.” The Spanish Ketogenic (Mediterranean) Diet In only a way that Europeans can, they took an already clinically useful diet, and made it better. In regards to the details of the diet, they were as follows: Unlimited calories: like nearly all high-fat diets, one does not have to count calories. When humans eat satiating and satisfying foods rich in fat, hunger naturally subsides. These diets generally do not consist of the annoying and ineffective calorie counting or the painful starvation diets that many would have you believe are necessary to lose weight. The major source of fat came from olive oil, with over 30ml consumed per day. This provided a hefty supply of monounsaturated fatty acids. Again, this was a European, Mediterranean-esque diet. Green vegetables and salads were the major form of carbohydrates. Fish was the major source of protein. A moderate amount of daily wine consumption* *By a moderate amount, they mean 200-400ml per day. To put that in context, a standard wine bottle is 750m Continue reading >>
Can I Drink Alcohol On A Ketogenic Diet?
A very common question we get is, am I okay to consume alcohol on a ketogenic diet? While drinking the occasional low carb beer is okay, you’ll be better off consuming a dry red wine. A recent study found that individuals following a ketogenic diet still experienced the positive health changes of being in ketosis, even while incorporating a dry red wine into their diet. Study Overview – This study allowed ketogenic dieters to consume red wine for 12 weeks, and subjects still demonstrated: Reduced blood pressure Reduced LDL cholesterol Increased HDL cholesterol Lower total cholesterol Lower blood glucose Key Points – Dry wine is more keto friendly since it is lower in sugar. Select dry red wines, such as; Malbec, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine contains Resveratrol, which can promote fat burning. Additional Benefits of Red Wine – Improves heart health Improves cholesterol Reduces Inflammation Improves symptoms of diabetes Lowers risk of neurodegenerative disease Remember, it’s okay to drink alcohol on a ketogenic diet, but keep moderation in mind so that you don’t throw your body out of ketosis. Test your ketone levels after drinking alcohol to see how many glasses it takes to consume to affect your blood ketone levels. NOTE: Consider supplementing your diet with an exogenous ketone such as, KETO//OS, before and after consuming alcohol to keep the body in therapeutic levels of ketosis. Continue reading >>
Is The Wine You Drink Healthy?
Whenever we find ourselves explaining the advantages and benefits of a Ketogenic Diet to someone, one of the first questions we invariably get asked is, ‘what about alcohol?’. Our answer has always been in 2 parts. Firstly, the carb content of beer is really high. For those of us trying to follow Keto, even just one beer can be too much. Sugar In Wine is high (at least in the conventional US wines) which means High Carbs as well, and a glass of wine can have the same effect as a beer. Secondly there is the alcohol itself. It is a source of calories and each person reacts differently to it. Some find that it affects them adversely and they always find themselves putting on weight for a few days after having a glass of wine or two. And then there’s the hangover, doesn’t that just ruin everything? Although excessive alcohol is a contributing factor to a hangover, the sugar content of the wine or the mixers used and the preservatives and additives in most beers and wines contribute hugely to getting a really bad night’s sleep and feeling like crap the next day. Wine, in particular, is guilty of this. Many people, are finding that they seem to be less tolerant of a glass or two of wine these days and many have found that the feeling the next day is so unpleasant that they even refrain from drinking wine at all anymore. Conventional modern wines are now much higher in alcohol, higher in sugar, and filled with chemicals and additives to improve texture, color, and flavor. There are 76 chemicals and additives that are FDA Approved for use in winemaking. Also, short cuts in farming practices in the name of productivity and profitability often result in many conventional wines containing fungicides, mycotoxins and phthalates. No wonder we feel terrible the next day! And Continue reading >>
Episode 44: Serial Entrepreneur, Ketogenic Diet, & Hangover-free Wines With Todd White
My Guest on the Show… I asked serial entrepreneur and the founder of Dry Farm Wines, Todd White, to come on the show to throw a ton of value at us. First off, Todd has a massive level knowledge on life as an entrepreneur. As someone who has been an entrepreneur since he was 13 years old, Todd shares a ton of what it takes to get started, overcome extreme failure, and focus on the one thing that really matters – providing value to enhance the lives of others. BONUS: Never have I mentioned this before, but I have personally lived on a Ketogenic diet for the past five months. Todd is also a master of ketosis and has been in a ketogenic state for the past 3.5 years. What the heck is Ketosis you say? A ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carb, moderate protein diet with primary benefits of increased health function and high levels of brain function. One of the beautiful byproducts of a ketogenic diet is the incredible rate of fat burning and decreased levels of hunger. To put it simple – people who are are living on a strict keto diet are extremely lean and never hungry. Entrepreneurship plus ketosis takes us to the third part of the conversation – HEALTHY WINE. Todd started Dry Farm Wines because of his passion for a healthy and keto-friendly wine. Today, Dry Farm Wines is the choice of health advocates across the globe due to their sugar-free, low carb, and all natural wine selection. Dry Farm Wines are Paleo-friendly, Keto-friendly, and Low-carb friendly wines that are delivered right to your doorstep at an average cost of $22 per bottle. HOWEVER, MONEY PEACH LISTENERS GET THEIR FIRST BOTTLE FOR ONE PENNY. Now, I have a few questions for you all… What are some of your questions you would like answered on the show? Simply leave a comment at the bottom and let me kn Continue reading >>
Atkins Diet & Red Wine
The Atkins Diet is a controversial diet plan shrouded in myth and controversy. It works by changing the way your body powers itself, something that can only be accomplished through a dramatic alteration in eating habits. Though alcohol is not recommended while on the Atkins Diet, moderate amounts of red wine can be consumed during certain periods. Video of the Day The Atkins Diet works by forcing your body to burn fat for energy instead of sugar. This is the primary goal of the initial Induction phase of the Atkins Diet, which imposes the greatest restrictions on foods and carbohydrate intake. Ketosis is the name for this condition because a consequence of fat metabolism is the production of chemicals called ketones, or ketone bodies. In a state of ketosis, ketones are used by the brain instead of sugar as the main source of energy. Induction is so named because the goal of this phase is to induce a state of ketosis. Alcohol and Induction Just as the body will naturally burn carbohydrates for energy before fat, it will also metabolize alcohol first. Thus, drinking alcoholic beverages can interfere with the onset of ketosis. For this reason, all alcohol is forbidden during the first two weeks of Induction. One glass of wine is allowed occasionally after the first two weeks. Once you’ve entered ketosis, consuming alcohol will not necessarily reverse the process or prevent weight loss. After the first two weeks, you can enjoy red wine in moderation on the Atkins Diet, but you must count the energy in it towards your daily intake. A 3.5-ounce glass of red wine contains alcohol equivalent to about 4.3 grams of carbohydrates. Alcohol has little to no effect on the glycemic index. This means it does not cause a spike in blood sugar. If you must drink alcohol while on the Atk Continue reading >>
Can A Bottle Of Red Wine Knock You Out Of Ketosis?
It depends a bit on the varietal of wine - but usually a glass of red wine has on the order of 3 grams of carbn but 85 calories. Some arithmetic gets us to ~15 calories from carbs and ~70 from alcohol. So we can make some approximations and generalizations and say that we have 5 equivalents of alcohol calories and 1 of carb calories. Since they share some metabolic pathways/resources, you can roughly suggest that there are 6 equivalents of “not-fat-processing” to the tune of 18 grams of carb-equivalents in a glass. (Again, this is not precise but a general way to think about it) Multiply that by ~4 and we have something like 70 grams of things-your-body-is-dealing-with-that-are-suboptimal. So depending on the rest of your day/timing you may not actually fall out of ketosis (though you probably will). Continue reading >>
Drinking Booze While In Ketosis: Is It Dangerous?
Hey all. I was bumping around the paleo inter-webs and came across this little nugget on ketosis: DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL IF YOU ARE KETOTIC! Alcohol is a powerful inhibitor of gluconeogenesis. In fact, it forces part of the gluconeogenic metabolic process into reverse. This means that if all the glucose in the blood is being derived from gluconeogenesis then the consumption of alcohol will inevitably cause the blood glucose level to fall. Worse still, the alcohol also stops ketone body production, thus leaving the brain entirely without fuel. 1 Worst Carb After Age 50 If you're over 50 and you eat this carb, you will never lose belly fat. HealthPlus50 A person who is ketotic is 100% reliant on gluconeogenesis to maintain adequate levels of glucose in the blood. If, under these circumstances alcohol is taken, the person will become disorientated and might lose consciousness, not just from the alcohol, but from low blood sugar. Needless to say, this could be very dangerous, and even fatal. Alcohol does not have these effects if the glycogen stores in the liver are normal. Under these circumstances the blood glucose level in the blood is maintained by the breakdown of liver glycogen, a process that is not influenced by alcohol. If a person becomes confused under these circumstances it is due simply to the pharmacological effects of the alcohol! - Link Although I'm philosophically ketosis-agnostic, I do best on a lowish carb diet and most likely find myself in ketosis from time-to-time. I'm wondering what you think of this warning. Is the science sound? Should ketotic boozers eat a sweet potato before hitting the firewater this xmas? Continue reading >>
Keto Diet Alcohol Rules: What To Drink, What To Avoid
Boy, doesn’t that bottle of wine above look like it’s ominously laying in a casket? Alcohol is infamously known as the fourth macronutrient. If you enjoy a drink or two but aren’t sure if that fits into the keto diet alcohol guidelines, let’s shed some light on the keto diet alcohol rules so you can make an informed decision about what’s best for your goals. Let’s not sugar coat this: When you drink alcohol, your body is getting the signal that there is a toxic substance present. It will then send all it’s resources to the liver to process the toxin as quickly as possible, taking resources from other processes, one of which, is fat oxidation (re: ketone production). This means drinking alcohol slows ketone production. It’s true that partying looks a little different when you’re keto. Some people consider it (or rationalize it) that it’s their cheat meal. There are some legitimate concerns when it comes to consuming alcohol on a ketogenic diet. Here are some of the biggest things to keep in mind before reaching for your next drink. Keto Diet Alcohol Rules: What to Avoid and Why Let’s first acknowledge that not all alcoholic drinks are created equal. Of course, alcohol (ethanol) the molecule itself, is always the same. Yeast acts on a sugar compound to make both carbon dioxide and the alcohol. But the type of sugar compound used and the type of drink mixture is what determines how your body uses the alcohol. For example, let’s look at beer. It’s made from barley, hops, yeast, and water. Barley is the main ingredient broken down to the sugar maltose, which is what the yeast acts on. Beer is a dangerous drink for those going keto because the process leaves it rich in carbohydrates, which can stop or slow ketosis. In the same vein, some other drinks Continue reading >>
Keto Diet And Alcohol
The ketogenic diet is a great way to lose weight, but it is also a lifestyle change that will stay with you for life. While you won’t be eating the extremely low levels of carbs you eat while you are losing weight once you reach your goals, you will need to restrict carbs in your diet permanently to keep those results. Of course, there are some things you have to give up during the strict, initial induction phase (which makes up the first ten to twelve days of your ketogenic diet plan) that you may not want to commit to giving up for the rest of your life. A key one of these, for many people, is alcohol. How does alcohol affect ketosis? Alcohol does have an impact on weight loss through a ketogenic diet, even when you drink low carb or carb free alcoholic beverages. This is because the body can use alcohol as a source of fuel. It isn’t stored as glycogen, like carbs, so once it is burned off you will go straight back into ketosis, however this does mean you are losing some fat burning time when you drink. How much this affects your weight loss varies between individuals. Some people find their weight loss stalls if they drink anything alcoholic, whereas others find they can drink responsible amounts of wine, hard liquor or a low carb beer (they do exist) and keep losing weight. Can I drink alcohol on a Ketogenic Diet? If you enjoy alcohol then as long as you have finished induction, you can try incorporating some low carb alcoholic drinks into your ketogenic diet, and monitor the results. Some people find they can drink vodka with no problems but their weight loss stalls if they drink wine. It is a case of experimenting and seeing what works for you, and then weighing up the pros and cons of having a drink when you want to. If it is a special occasion, you might acc Continue reading >>
Can Drinking Kick You Out Of Ketosis?
I hardly ever drink, but when I do its vodka soda with a lime or a NorCal margarita. I was reading MDA's post about alcohol and he said that a clear (or even brown) unflavored liquor has no fat, protein, or carbs. I was wondering if it can kick you out of ketosis if you drink? Im not planning on drinking anytime soon (except MAYBE a glass of wine with the family on Christmas dinner) and Im not even sure if Im in ketosis yet (although Ive had a slightly metallic taste in my mouth for 2 days) but I was more curious than anything Continue reading >>
Alcohol On A Low Carb, Keto Diet!
For years, I’ve read countless dieting books that prohibited me from drinking alcohol. Actually, it’s probably the first thing that many “diet gurus” say to cut out of your diet and for (somewhat) good reason. Alcohol gets a bad reputation because it’s basically empty calories. In an ideal world, sure. I’ll give up alcohol to lose weight. But let’s get serious. I’m 23 years old and I very much enjoy a tasty alcoholic beverage (or 5) and a wild night out on the town with my friends. The beauty of a ketogenic, low carb diet is that you can still enjoy yourself from time-to-time with alcohol and still lose weight! However, there are some guidelines as to what alcohols you can enjoy and those you should avoid. Liquor On average, one shot is the equivalent to about 1.5oz and for these spirits have a nutritional value of 0 carbs and roughly 64 calories. Of course, this will vary depending on how much is actually in your beverage (order a double? Double the nutritional stats). Approved spirits on a keto, low carb diet include: Vodka (Three Olives, Absolut, Grey Goose, etc.) Rum (Captain Morgan, etc) Gin (Tanqueray, Beefeater, etc) Tequila Whiskey (Jack Daniel’s, etc.) Scotch Brandy Cognac (Hennessy, etc.) Please note that these are for the original, unflavored versions. For flavored spirits (including flavored vodkas and some dark/coconut rums), always check up on nutritional information before consuming as they often contain carbohydrates. My spirit of choice is generally a nice gin (with soda water& lime) or cognac (with diet cola). I’ve been known to drink a fair share of Hennessy. Chasers & Mixers For mixing or chasing, you have many no sugar, no calorie options Diet sodas (Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Ginger Ale) Soda water Diet tonic water Seltzer water Continue reading >>
Ketosis – Advantaged Or Misunderstood State? (part I)
As The Eating Academy approaches its first birthday in about a month, I figured it was as good a time as any to put together some thoughts on a subject I get asked about with great frequency. (For those wondering when I’ll get to Part X of The Straight Dope on Cholesterol, the answer is, “hopefully before the end of the year.”) A few months ago I was planning a post along the lines of “the 10 things you need to know about ketosis,” but I’m now thinking that might be putting the proverbial cart before the horse. So, let’s start with a more fundamental set of questions. In part I of this post I will see to it (assuming you read it) that you’ll know more about ketosis than just about anyone, including your doctor or the majority of “experts” out there writing about this topic. Before we begin, a disclaimer in order: If you want to actually understand this topic, you must invest the time and mental energy to do so. You really have to get into the details. Obviously, I love the details and probably read 5 or 6 scientific papers every week on this topic (and others). I don’t expect the casual reader to want to do this, and I view it as my role to synthesize this information and present it to you. But this is not a bumper-sticker issue. I know it’s trendy to make blanket statements – ketosis is “unnatural,” for example, or ketosis is “superior” – but such statements mean nothing if you don’t understand the biochemistry and evolution of our species. So, let’s agree to let the unsubstantiated statements and bumper stickers reside in the world of political debates and opinion-based discussions. For this reason, I’ve deliberately broken this post down and only included this content (i.e., background) for Part I. What is ketosis? Ketosis is Continue reading >>
Ketosis And Alcohol
When it comes to the ketogenic lifestyle, there are lots of confusing and conflicting opinions floating around, and they can lead to all kinds of mistakes. One of those confusing areas is how alcohol fits into a ketogenic lifestyle. Hopefully, after you read this, you’ll have a pretty good understanding and some tools to use to make informed decisions along the way. First off, not all alcoholic beverages are the same. Alcohol is the same across the board; it’s a macronutrient with seven calories per gram, so that’s the starting point. It’s a byproduct of fermentation. Essentially, a sugar compound is acted upon by yeast and the yeast produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. Depending on the type of sugar compound, you get different kinds of alcoholic beverages. Hard liquor, or spirits, takes the process a little further and adds distillation. That is, essentially, the process of “boiling off” the alcohol and then re-condensing (as it cools) it into more a more concentrated form. When you something marketed as “Distilled 9 times”, that just means they went through the boiling and condensing process nine times. Okay, so that’s where alcohol comes from, but that’s not all there is to it. Like said, the type of sugar compound determines the type of alcohol. For example, beer is made with, basically four ingredients. Barley, hops, water, and yeast. Barley is the primary ingredient, it’s where the sugar (maltose) comes from for the yeast. It’s also very similar to wheat. It’s a very bad carb. And it’s the reason that some people call beer “liquid bread”. It is far too rich in carbohydrates, not just the sugars, but the other “glutenous carbs”. So it’s a definite no for Ketovangelists. Beer does not fit into a ketogenic lifestyle. (Sidenote: A Continue reading >>
7 Things You Need To Know About Alcohol And The Keto Diet
Clay Rattenbury started the keto diet in 2014 because he wanted to lose weight. And it worked. He took 70 lbs (32 kg) off his 6’1′ (185 cm) frame in six months. During that time he drank alcohol every day — straight vodka, or vodka mixed with diet coke, often until he blacked out. Still, the weight came off. He actually liked the fact that the ketogenic diet lowered his alcohol tolerance: he’d get drunk faster. About six months into his keto journey, however, Rattenbury knew alcohol was causing too much havoc in his life, harming his health and hurting people he loved. He had to stop drinking. “I realized the way I ate and the way I consumed alcohol were very similar. Once I started I couldn’t stop. It was hard for me to do anything in moderation,” says Rattenbury, 28, who is in the US Navy. He has been sober now for 2.5 years and on the keto diet for three years (except for 8 weeks in Navy boot camp). He feels wonderful, both because of his diet and his sobriety. He is a lean, muscular 185 lbs (84 kg) and feels fit, strong and clear-headed. He enjoys working out regularly. The cravings for both his trigger foods and for alcohol are gone. He sees the two as being very closely related. And he will not risk, ever, bringing up those cravings again. “A few potato chips from time-to-time might not kick me out of ketosis, but it could very well awaken the cravings in me… so that saves me from taking the first bite. And I stay away from alcohol entirely. It is not worth taking a single sip, knowing where my mind goes when I drink.” Alcohol consumption and the keto diet is a hot topic. Many people who want to shed pounds come to ketogenic eating and are delighted that, unlike almost all diets, alcohol is not strictly forbidden when going low carb/high fat. W Continue reading >>
Transcript Of Episode 146: Can You Drink Wine And Stay In Ketosis?
Meredith Dykstra: Welcome to Cellular Healing TV. I’m your host Meredith Dykstra and this is Episode Number 146, and we have Dr. Dan Pompa, our resident cellular healing specialist on the line. Today we have a very special guest, and his name is Todd White. Todd White is a wine expert and we have a lot of fun things to talk about. This is not your average wine that he makes. We’re going to talk a lot about wine today, but before we delve in, let me tell you guys a little bit more about Todd. Todd White has been a serial entrepreneur and creator since he was age 17. Today, after 15 years in the wine business, his life is dedicated to educating and helping people make better choices about food nutrition and how they think about consuming alcohol. He is the founder of Drive Farm Wine, a writer, speaker, and a leading authority on healthy organic natural wines, and the importance of micro-dosing alcohol for health, longevity, and vitality. Todd’s passion is unlocking the best way to enjoy alcohol, how to enjoy the benefits of modern consumption while avoiding the negative outcomes. Todd has been a featured guest on many of the nation’s leading health influential podcasts, including David Asbury, Bullet Proof Radio; Mark Sisson, Primal Blue Print; Abel James, Fat Burning Man; Rob Wolf’s, Paleo Solution; and Jimmy Moore, Living Low-carb Show. Todd is a self-described biohacker who practices daily meditation, Wim Hof breathing, cold thermogenesis, a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and he is a fitness enthusiast. He’s also a frequent speaker on ketogenic lifestyle, and is completing a cookbook on the ketogenic diet and lifestyle to be released this fall called, Keto Well. He was most recently the featured ketogenic speaker at the 2016 Bulletproof annual confer Continue reading >>
