Ketogenic Champagne
Ketogenic Champagne: I had a client who told me he HAD to have a few glasses of wine in the evening so he would blow ketones in the morning and if he didn’t drink, ketones were not present. UM, WHAT? Yep, he was right. A breath ketone tester is a lot like the breathalyzer that police use. Which made me think if someone in ketosis gets pulled over and asked to blow in a breathalyzer would they be in trouble just for being in ketosis?
But the truth is alcohol does not help you get into ketosis if anything alcohol is holding you back from your best self. Not only physically but mentally.
ALCOHOL AND KETOSIS
When people go on a diet, they often choose the “light” version of their favorite alcoholic beverages in order to save a few calories. However, that is only a small piece of the puzzle. Fat metabolism is reduced by as much as 73% after only two alcoholic beverages. This scary fact shows that the primary effect of alcohol on the body is not so much how many calories we consume, but how it stops the body’s ability to use your fat stores for energy.
Muscle Tip: Drinking alcohol is the most efficient way to slash your testosterone levels; women…we don’t want this to happen either. Just a single event of serious drinking raises levels of the muscle-wasting stress hormone called cortisol and decreases the levels of testosterone for up to 24 hours. If you are working out to build strong fat-burning muscles yet consuming alcohol, this actually breaks down muscle further and you end up with a slower metabolism. This is because you break down muscle as you lift weights and you repair them as you rest if you have proper hormone levels…if not, you never repair your muscles properly!
Alcohol in the body is converted into a substance called acetate. Unlike a car that uses one supply of fuel, the body is able to draw from carbohydrates, fats and proteins for energy. When your blood acetate levels increase, your body uses acetate instead of fat. To make matters worse, the more you drink the more you tend to eat; and unfortunately, drinking will make your liver work to convert the alcohol into acetate, which means that the foods you consume at this time will be converted into extra fat on your body.If that didn’t sound bad enough; alcohol stimulates appetite and decrease your testosterone levels for up to 24 hours and increases estrogen by 300%. The infamous “beer belly” is really just an “estrogen belly.” Biochemically, the higher your level of estrogen is, the more readily you absorb alcohol, but the slower you break it down.
Also, we all know that alcohol dehydrates us. In order for fat to be metabolized, it must first be released from the fat cell and then be transported by the bloodstream where it is pushed to the liver to be used as fuel. If you are dehydrated, the liver has to come to the aid of the kidneys and can’t focus on its role of releasing fat.
Alcohol affects every organ of the body, it’s most dramatic impact is upon the liver. The liver cells normally prefer fatty acids as fuel, and package excess fatty acids as triglycerides, which they then route to other tissues of the body. However, when alcohol is present, the liver cells are forced to first metabolize the alcohol, letting the fatty acids accumulate in huge amounts. Alcohol metabolism permanently changes liver cell structure, which impairs the liver’s ability to metabolize fats, which causes fatty liver disease. Remember that T4 is converted into the activated T3 in the liver, not in the thyroid so a toxic liver causes issues with thyroid function and also lowers mood.
To read more, check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. I have a whole chapter called “Alcohol, It’s Not Just the Calories!”
To read more on how alcohol impacts ketosis, click HERE.
If you are looking for a tasty ketogenic beverage for New Years, and do not want to be bugged my everyone why you are not drinking, you must try this!
Ketogenic Champagne
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut LaCroix or other can LaCroix sparkling water
- 1/4 teaspoon EVERLY DRINK MIX about 1/2 scoop
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
- 1-3 drops lime essential oil
- 1/8 teaspoon citric acid for sour flavor
- Natural Sweetener for additional sweetness, or stevia glycerite
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a glass. Stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking. Serve in champagne glasses for a festive drink!
Nutrition
TESTIMONY OF THE DAY
“My keto journey 
1 month after my youngest son was born I weighed in at a whopping 110kg (242 pounds)…. this was the heaviest I’d ever been (I didn’t even get close to this with my twins).
over the past 2 years I’ve exercised intermittently but never enough to really make a difference. I tried isagenix, weight loss pills, skipping meals & fad diets…. until a year ago when my cousin rang me from Switzerland desperate to find a way to save her own life as she had stage 4 cancer. Sadly she didn’t make it, but it was due to that call that got me looking at cancer research and what role food/preservatives/sugar/wheat/gluten played in all of this.
I had unexplained bleeding & a biopsy that ‘concluded’ I had an autoimmune disease & Was lactose intolerant. I had prior tests showing I was also wheat intolerant.
I then found/read Maria’s books and blog…. I decided to change my diet to exclude wheat & sugar & in the past 6 months began a ketogenic diet. I am keto adapted & slip out randomly as I like to eat fresh fruit on occasions, but I’m back in ketosis within a day. I never eat sugar/wheat products though.
I had a severe car accident in 2006 & as a result I have a significant back injury. I was prescribed slow release endone, 8 panadeine fortes a day, 2x lyrica & Celebrex…. oh and sleeping pills + anti reflux tablets of course. I’ve stopped taking all of these as I feel minimal pain whilst in ketosis… I sleep better, have more energy & began crossfit training. I do still get cortisone injections/spinal block but this is for movement. I also have 3 young kids (3yr old twins & a 2yr old), I am studying & working full time so life is busy but manageable as I have the patience, energy & natural pain relief to help me.
Maria, you’ve given me the tools to change my life & I am eternally grateful. For anyone out there wondering if this is right for them…. I can’t express the benefits enough. It’s not hard… you just need to plan it & execute that plan. I use the app ‘my fitness pal’ & keep my meals simple as I’m obviously busy & like simplicity. Give it a go…. check out what elite athletes eat (even crossfit champions, weightlifters etc)… it’s pretty much ketogenic but keep in mind they burn ALOT more considering they train for 4-6hrs a day. So 1 avocado to them would be like 1/8 to me.
I’ve wasted ALOT of time/money looking at other keto diets/information & I have to say that Maria covers it all…. the keto summit is amazing & I will never look elsewhere again. Anyone can write a book/blog but only a select few can do it correctly! Well done Maria, you have truly found your life’s purpose & are making a difference.
Tanja
(Australia)”
It’s a good thing I dislike alcohol in the first place!
I wonder about NA beer, wine, etc like “Fre” I know they are high in carbs…. but if one wants to join in on New Years, at weddings and other celebrations-this is often our go to in my house where we have not been drinkers for 20yrs or so. Any thoughts? Happy New Year!
Thank you Maria for this post! I need these reminders and have read your chapter on alcohol in your book many times. I’m going to get some strawberry kiwi stur and LaCroix coconut flavor as you suggested in another post. I have made passion tazo ice tea which is nice for an end of day drink. I really appreciate you and Craig for all you do. Look how many people you have helped and still do. What a rewarding job. Thank you!