Eating low carb but miss having an occasional beer? If you’re craving a brew, let’s take a look at some of the best low carb beers to keep you on track.
Even though we’ll highlight some low-carb-friendly beers, they’re not meant to be chugged and consumed in six-pack quantities. Nope, these low-carb-lifestyle- approved beers are for occasional enjoyment. Think of your low-carb beer as a reward for sticking with your diet.
Before we divulge some of the best low carb beers to drink on a keto diet, let’s clear up an important low-carb lifestyle fact….
If you’re going to drink alcohol on a low-carb diet, beer is one of the worst alcoholic beverages to imbibe. Sorry for the buzzkill news, but the average amount of carbs per serving of beer is about a dozen per gram.
If you’re on a low-carb diet, having an extra 10 or so grams of carbs might not seem much, especially if it’s an infrequent indulgence, and especially compared to a rum and coke, which has about 40 grams of carbs (nearly all from the soda).
But an extra 10-15 grams of carbs from one beer can potentially make a huge difference in two ways. So, keep these points in mind if you are tempted to have a beer.
First, if you’re overweight and new to a low-carb diet, drinking a beer can gum up the fat-burning furnace. Although having a beer every now and then won’t radically affect your metabolism for the worse, your liver will first have to work hard to metabolize the beer before it can start burning your glycogen (carb storage) again.
Is it worth delaying bikini season for a beer?
That’s not a big deal if you’re pleased with your low-carb diet results thus far and want to treat yourself to the occasional beer. But if you’re not happy with your current body composition and can’t wait until you look sexy in a swimsuit, you need every fat-burning physiological tool at your disposal.
If you can’t wait to look sexy in a swimsuit and feel powerless against the urge to drink a beer, hold tight … we’re soon about to review some acceptable beers for low carb diets.
Here’s another important thing to consider, though, about having an extra 10-15 grams of carbs from a beer. When you’re eating low-carb, especially a strict version (roughly 25 grams per day), you’ll likely feel buzzed more quickly.
Beers with the fewest carbs: less filling … but is that a good thing?
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s discuss another low-carb beer buzzkill, something that may be obvious, but nonetheless important to distinguish: the beers with the fewest carbs are often the cheapest. While that may be good for your wallet, if you’re looking for a great-tasting beer with the fewest carbs, good luck!
Of course, taste is relative. Some people prefer drinking domestic light beers. But realistically, an American light beer that’s low in carbs will never beat out a craft, micro-brewed IPA in a taste test.
If you are going to have a very occasional beer, you may indeed want to opt for a beer that’s higher in carbs. This way, you’ll enjoy the reward and the taste. You’ll also be less likely tempted to have another beer.
Are you looking for the lowest carb beer? Here are your options:
Domestic beers with fewest grams of carbs
- Bud Select Light — 1.9 grams
- Miller 64 — 2.4 g
- Michelob Ultra — 2.6
- Budweiser Select — 3.1 g
- Busch Light — 3.2 g
- Natural Light — 3.2 g
- Miller Lite — 3.2 g
- Bud Ice — 4 g
- Coors Light — 5 g
- Bud Light — 7 g
By now, you should be getting the idea that the beers above are representative of suds that aren’t going to wow any judges at a tasting competition. That being said, though, if it’s been a long time since you’ve had a beer, maybe you should drink one of the above low carb beers to keep you within strict low-carb counts, in an indirect way.
See if you can follow this logic: maybe you forgot how bad domestic light beer tastes. Especially now that your taste buds have been reset.
If you’re on a low carb diet and have ditched sugary snacks, a handful of blueberries should make your taste buds jump with joy. So maybe, just maybe, if you have one domestic low-carb beer, you’ll get a bitter beer taste and swear off beer for good, opting instead to feed your alcohol jones with an even lower-carb treat. Maybe champagne, red wine, or spirits such as whiskey, brandy and vodka is a better choice. Find out what’s the best low carb alcoholic beverage choices here.
But, hey, if you enjoy a Bud Light every now and then, and aren’t having problems losing weight on a low-carb diet, enjoy your domestic beer and be merry!
Better tasting beers that are still low carb
For those that don’t enjoy domestic light beers, here are some common alternative low carb beers:
- Beck’s Light — 3.9 g
- Corona Light — 5.0 g
- Amstel Light — 5.3 g
- Heineken Special Light — 6.8 g
- Carlsberg Light — 7.8 g
- St. Pauli Girl (regular) — 8.7 g
If you’re going to enjoy a tasty, imported low-carb beer with your kale chips and guacamole (as opposed to regular chips and guac), you might want to select one of the above safe beers for low-carb diets.
Does drinking beer lead to hunger?
It’s worth repeating that light beers can go down the gullet very easily. The rapidly-digested carbs, even if it’s only a handful of grams worth, may trigger cravings for more carbs. Some studies like this one show a link between increased calorie consumption and alcohol.
If you’re truly trying to limit your carb intake, avoid rich, dark beers like stouts. Stouts typically contain oatmeal, which, of course, as you probably are aware of, if you’re a low-carb dieter, is rich in carbs. Stout beers can contain up to 20 grams of carbs per 12 oz. serving.
Then again, stout beers are so rich and filling that if you limit yourself to a taster-worth, or a half-pint at most, it will likely satisfy you more so than drinking a bottle or can of light domestic beer.
Conclusion: What Best Low Carb Beers?
If it’s beer you’re craving, you’ll have to experiment and see which low-carb brew is best for you. Willpower to stick to one beer is a must. You should also resist temptation of drinking more beer by eating some calorie-rich fats and proteins such as grass-fed meat or wild game combined with some grilled veggies drizzled with olive oil.
Debra says
What about Corona Premier? It says 2.6 carbs.
Lisa says
Sounds like a good choice. I wasn’t aware of it when the post was written but can add it in.