All the Keto-Friendly Ways You Can Enjoy Coffee

If you’re like most keto followers, you breathed a sigh of relief to know that coffee can be part of a keto diet. Sure, you have to replace half and half with heavy cream. And you have to replace sugar with a sugar-free sweetener. But knowing you can still jumpstart your day with a freshly brewed cup of coffee certainly makes the keto diet that much more sustainable.

Black coffee, Bulletproof coffee, and coffee with heavy cream aren’t the only ways to enjoy your daily cup of joe, though. Let’s count all the ways we can enjoy coffee while staying in ketosis, shall we?

But first, let’s go over why drinking coffee is beneficial to your health.

Health Benefits of Coffee

1. Boost Your Mental Focus

When it comes to the health benefits of coffee, increased mental focus almost goes without saying. Caffeine in coffee is transmitted through the bloodstream to the brain, where it blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine, leading to an increased firing of neurons. This causes all sorts of mental benefits, including greater energy, improved memory, and faster reaction times [1].

2. Decrease Muscle Pain

Coffee is often thought of as a pre- rather than a post-workout drink, but one study found coffee can lower post-workout muscle pain by 48% [2]. The study was tested on people with a low regular caffeine intake, so the effects might be less substantial for daily coffee drinkers. But we’ll never say no to less muscle pain, or an excuse to drink another cup of coffee.

3. Protect Against Disease

Drinking two or more cups of coffee a day can lower the mortality risk of liver cirrhosis by 66% [3]. Coffee consumption has also been linked with decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. This is due to the minerals and antioxidants in coffee (rather than caffeine), so the benefit extends to decaf coffee too [4]. Finally, there’s evidence suggesting caffeine protects against Alzheimer’s disease [5] and Parkinson’s disease [6].

Keto-Friendly Ways to Enjoy Coffee

Black Coffee

Brew and pour into a mug. Done.

Coffee with Heavy Cream

Brew a cup and add in as much heavy cream as you’d like (in place of half and half). If you want to sweeten it up, add in a non-sugar sweetener, such as Stevia, Splenda, or KetoLogic’s own natural sweetener.

LEARN MORE: What is Erythritol?

Coffee with Unsweetened Almond Milk

Also straightforward – add in unsweetened almond milk to your liking. If you want it sweeter, add in a non-sugar sweetener, such as Stevia, Splenda, or KetoLogic Erythritol.

Coffee with KetoMeal®

Our chocolate and vanilla KetoMeal® shakes are surprisingly delicious with coffee. Most people mix them with water or almond milk but coffee is probably the third most popular option. Our KetoMeal® shakes are anchored with MCT oil powder so they can boost your ketones and enhance weight loss when consumed in place of breakfast as part of our KETO 30 Program.

Coffee with Grass-Fed Butter

We’ll be the first to admit butter in coffee doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but trust us on this one. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and a pinch of cinnamon to black coffee, then blend together for a smooth consistency. For best results, we recommend an organic, high-quality grass-fed butter. That’s because grass-fed butter comes from grass-fed cows, which live their lives foraging and grazing on grass in wide open spaces. They’re happier and healthier when raised this way so produce higher quality and better tasting butter. From a nutritional standpoint, grass-fed butter contains nearly five times more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) than butter from grain-fed cows. CLA is a naturally occurring type of omega-6 fatty acid that has been scientifically shown to break down fat and enhance weight loss. CLA is found in beef, whole milk, eggs, butter, yogurt, and cheese.

Coffee with MCT Oil

MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides. They’re quickly absorbed by the body and used for energy. You only need a tablespoon of MCT oil mixed into your morning cup of joe to rev up your engine for the day and stay satiated until lunch. MCT oil is also popular because it can boost your metabolism and enhance weight loss, improve gut health, and minimize inflammation.

Coffee with Keto Coffee Creamer

Our MCT powder-based coffee creamer helps give you a nice boost of fat macros to jumpstart your day. And because of the high-quality fats, you’ll enjoy steady energy for hours. Our line of coffee creamers comes in three delicious flavors: french vanilla, mocha, and caramel macchiato.

Coffee with Sugar-Free Sweeteners

Erythritol and stevia are natural plant-based sweeteners with practically zero calories, making them perfect for keto-lovers. Add them to your coffee for an extra boost of sweetness.

KetoLogic’s Version of Bulletproof Coffee

You can make your own bulletproof coffee at home with a combination of unsalted grass-fed butter, heavy whipping cream, KetoLogic’s MCT oil, KetoMeal®, or Coffee Creamer.

Ingredients:

12 ounces freshly brewed hot coffee
1 tablespoon grass-fed butter plus one of the following MCT choices:
1 tablespoon KetoLogic® MCT Oil
1-2 scoops KetoLogic® KetoMeal®
1 scoop KetoLogic® Coffee Creamer

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until frothy and thoroughly mixed (or use a handheld immersion blender). Sip and enjoy!

Keto-friendly Coffee Options at Starbucks

There’s no need to give up your trips to Starbucks on the keto diet, but knowing what and what not to order is crucial to staying in ketosis. Here are a few basic guidelines:

Order sugar-free options. Starbucks offers several sugar-free syrups (hazelnut, vanilla, mocha, and cinnamon dulce), or try Stevia, Splenda, or erythritol for a sugar-free pick-me-up.
Request heavy cream instead of half and half or milk (lactose is another carb) to get some extra fat into your day. Feel free to add some water if the heavy cream is too thick.
Try unsweetened nut milks (almond and coconut are great choices) to take your drinks to a whole new level.

While black coffee is 100% keto, we all have those days when we need something that packs a little more punch. Try these keto takes on Starbucks classics:

Snickerdoodle Shake

Spice up your day by ordering a tall Americano in a venti cup with ice. Leave a little room at the top to add heavy cream, nutmeg, and cinnamon. You’ll save money adding it yourself, so both your wallet and body will be happy.

Pink Drink

Starbucks made waves with the release of this bright delight of a drink. But instead of the carb-heavy version, make a keto-friendly drink by ordering passion iced tea, sugar-free vanilla syrup, heavy whipping cream, and some ice. Ask your barista to blend it like a frappuccino to get that perfect frozen texture.

Keto-Friendly Frappuccino

The frappuccino is a classic for a reason: it’s delicious. Make a keto-friendly version with almond milk, heavy whipping cream, two pumps of sugar-free cinnamon dolce syrup, and some ice. Have your barista blend it up for that signature frappuccino consistency!

Conclusion

There’s no reason a keto diet should keep you from enjoying your favorite coffee blend. With the right know-how and a little creativity, you can find a delicious, keto-friendly version of your favorite morning brew.

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Looking for other great keto-friendly coffee recipes? Try our Vanilla Cappuccino with Vanilla KetoMeal® and our Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte with Vanilla KetoMeal®.

Want keto-friendly breakfast recipes? Check out our Easy Keto Breakfast Ideas.

New to keto? Jumpstart your morning with KetoLogic Coffee Creamers!