Alcohol Can Disrupt Gene Expression
Consuming alcohol can have negative impacts on the central nervous system, causing changes in gene expression and the performance of neuronal circuits.
It means that after some time, our brain gets used to alcohol and cannot function properly without it, which can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and addiction [2] [3] [4].
Alcohol Can Cause Inflammation
Studies show that excessive use of alcohol can disrupt multi-organ interactions, which causes inflammation and organ damage [5].
It can also cause intestinal inflammation, which can change the composition and function of intestinal microbiota, which can damage the intestinal immune function [6].
Alcohol Can Increase Food Cravings
Alcohol can affect the reward/ pleasure centers in the brain. Sugar can similarly affect these centers. Since the stimulations caused by alcohol and sugar in the brain are so similar, studies suggest that consuming sugar can lead to alcohol use [7].
It means that our brain reacts similarly to alcohol and sugar stimulations. So, by drinking alcohol, you trigger the reward centers, and the brain can make you eat high-carb foods to induce pleasure, which negatively affects your weight loss and Carnivore results [8] [9].
Alcohol Causes Weight Gain
Alcohol contains high numbers of calories. For example, beer, wine, and spirits contain approximately 150, 125, and 95 calories, respectively. But black coffee and tea contain less than 5 calories.
Drinking alcohol with meals or before meals adds more calories to the total calories you gain from food. That’s how drinking alcohol can lead to weight gain [10].
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Alcohol Can Negatively Impact Ketosis and Damage the Liver
On the Carnivore diet, you need to eat large amounts of fatty meats, which are processed in the liver. Since alcohol is also processed in the liver, if you drink alcohol, your body cannot effectively induce and maintain ketosis–the process of turning fatty acids into energy [11].
Drinking too much alcohol can put pressure on the liver and negatively affect liver metabolism and function [12].
Alcohol can cause metabolic problems, disrupt gene expression, set off inflammatory pathways, increase food cravings, lead to weight gain, negatively impact ketosis, and damage the liver.
So, if you still want to drink alcohol on the Carnivore diet, you need to go for low-carb, low-calorie beverages.
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The Best Alcohol on the Carnivore Diet
There’s no best alcohol on the Carnivore diet. We need to minimize alcohol consumption gradually, but these kinds of alcoholic drinks have lower carbohydrates:
- Red wines like dry Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir
- Dry white wines, such as Chardonnay, Champagne, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc
- Distilled liquors like Rum, Vodka, Gin, Tequila, and Whiskey
Let’s take a look at the total carbs, calories, and sugar content of these alcoholic drinks.
Type of Alcohol |
Serving Size |
Total Carb Content |
Calorie Content |
Sugar Content |
Dry Merlot |
1 ounce |
0.7 grams |
24 calories |
0.18 grams |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
1 ounce |
0.8 grams |
24 calories |
0.19 grams |
Pinot Noir |
1 ounce |
0.7 grams |
25 calories |
0.21 grams |
Chardonnay |
1 ounce |
0.7 grams |
25 calories |
0.28 grams |
Champagne |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
38 calories |
0 grams |
Pinot Grigio |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
90 calories |
0 grams |
Sauvignon Blanc |
1 ounce |
0.6 grams |
24 calories |
0 grams |
Rum |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
64 calories |
0 grams |
Vodka |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
64 calories |
0 grams |
Gin |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
65 calories |
0 grams |
Tequila |
1 ounce |
0 grams |
69 calories |
0 grams |
Whiskey |
1 ounce |
0.03 grams |
70 calories |
0.03 grams |
Light Beer |
1 ounce |
0.48 grams |
9 calories |
0.03 grams |
So, as the Carnivore diet focuses on low-carb, low-calorie, high-fat, and high-protein foods and drinks, we need to steer clear of the following high-carb alcoholic drinks.
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The Worst Alcohol on the Carnivore Diet
The following liquors can be the worst on the Carnivore diet because they contain high levels of carbohydrates and calories.
- All drinks with tonic water (they are only soda plus 2.6 grams of sugar per ounce).
- Regular beer
- Port, Moscato, and Riesling wines
- Cocktails (mostly high in sugar)
So, when we say these drinks are high in carbs, how high do we mean? Here’s a table showing the carbs, calories, and sugar content in popular mixed drinks:
Type of Alcohol |
Serving Size |
Total Carb Content |
Calorie Content |
Sugar Content |
Bloody Mary |
1 glass (14 oz) |
13.3 grams |
294 calories |
9.38 grams |
Regular Beer |
1 can |
12.6 grams |
153 calories |
0 grams |
Margarita |
1 cup (8 oz) |
38.4 grams |
296 calories |
38.4 grams |
Whiskey Sour |
1 packet |
16.5 grams |
65 calories |
16.5 grams |
Cosmopolitan |
1 cup (8 oz) |
19.2 grams |
72 calories |
19.2 grams |
Sangria Red |
1 cup (8 oz) |
20 grams |
232 calories |
16.8 grams |
Pina Colada |
1 cup (8 oz) |
47.2 grams |
360 calories |
42.4 grams |
So, if you want to drink alcohol anyway, here are the tips you should know.
Tips for Drinking Alcohol on the Carnivore Diet
- Don’t have the all-or-nothing approach. It’s ok if you can’t follow all the rules at first. You need to learn how to minimize and avoid non-Carnivore foods and drinks.
- If you like to drink once in a while, do it, but don’t make it a habit, as it takes three weeks for your body to recover. If you want to drink alcohol, do it rarely.
- Think of alcohol as other high-carb, high-calorie foods/ drinks that are not good for you and hinder your weight loss and health results on Carnivore.
- Drink lots of water as alcohol is dehydrating.
You can also minimize your alcohol use by substituting it with Carnivore-friendly drinks.
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Alcohol Alternatives on the Carnivore Diet
You can drink the following beverages on the Carnivore diet:
- Mineral water: It contains natural or added minerals, which help hydration and electrolyte balance.
- Bone broth: It contains collagen, gelatin, amino acids (such as glycine and proline), and minerals (like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus), which help joint and gut health. It also helps hydration and contains natural electrolytes (sodium and potassium).
- Club soda or sparkling water: Both are carbonated water. Club soda contains minerals (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) with no carbohydrates. Sparkling water is calorie-free, so it’s suitable for the Carnivore diet.
- Electrolyte drinks: They support hydration and mineral balance and have no carbohydrates or sugar. They also help recovery after intense physical activities.
- Butter coffee or fatty latte: It’s one of the favorite drinks of Carnivores and contains only coffee and butter. It’s a good Carnivore-friendly drink as it has no carbohydrates or sugar, contains fat, and can boost energy.
- Plain tea: It’s black tea with no sugar, which has almost zero calories and helps hydration.
Yes, these alcohol alternatives contain no alcohol, but they are healthy and help you reach your weight loss and health goals on the Carnivore diet.
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Summary
The Carnivore diet is an elimination diet to reverse inflammatory health conditions caused by different factors like drinking alcohol.
It’s okay if you drink on special occasions, but remember that alcohol is like poison, and we’d better avoid it or at least minimize it.