Now, who doesn’t like a big cup of tea or coffee to get you started for the day?
It’s quite common these days to add half and half in your coffee. Isn’t it just fantastic?
So, what happens if you decide to jump on the keto bandwagon? Can you still savor that perfect, flavor-enhancing, fantastical deliciousness?
If you, like us, love getting your caffeine kick but are unsure about how half and a half-fit into the keto diet, scroll down for some great advice on what half and half are alternatives and some hot insights.
What is the Meaning of Half and Half?
Half and half is essentially the best of both worlds! Basically, it means half a serving size of milk and half a serving size of cream.
Just to make things clear, milk refers to the white liquid we get from livestock like cows and goats. Cream, on the other hand, is the milk fat that is found naturally in milk. Usually, the cream can be found on top of the extracted milk in a big, fatty layer.
It is said that grass-fed cow milk is creamier and healthier without added antibiotics.
Variation in milk sorts such as 2 %, whole, skim, and so forth relating to how much fat the dairy farmer wants to homogenize. Homogenization is simply an excellent way of saying how well and how evenly farmers distribute fat particles throughout the milk.
When farmers remove the milk fat, we call it skim milk. 4% is regarded as whole milk or high fat, 2% is seen as low fat, and less than that is usually called fat-free or skimmed milk.
If you haven’t tried half and a half, then do yourself a favor!
Is Half and Half Keto Friendly?![]()
Yes, plain half-and-half with no additives contains only 0.6 grams of carbs per tablespoon, making it easy to incorporate into a standard keto diet of up to 50 grams of carbs per day (*).
Now, isn’t that great news for our keto dieters? Weight loss with low-carb keto coffee!
However, when you’re approaching your daily carb limit, consider one of the keto-friendly creamer alternative options mentioned below, many of which have zero grams of carbs per serving.
Low Carb/ Carb Free
Ordinary half and half with no preservatives is perfect for adding to your morning coffee or any keto diet recipe you can think of. Because it has a relatively high fat-to-carb ratio, the half-cream-half-milk mixture is a great alternative to whole milk.
To avoid getting kicked out of ketosis, make sure to measure out the proper carbs per serving size.
Rich in Fats
Daily fat content is an essential component of a precise keto diet, with resources recommending that 70-80 percent of your daily diet be fat.
This equates to 165 grams of fat per day, which is likely far more than your body is accustomed to. But besides this, fat can be incorporated directly into your diet, for example, by drinking half and half keto coffee.
It could be as easy as mixing your whole milk with heavy whipping cream.
Each spoonful of half and half dairy products contains 2 grams of fat. While this may appear to be a small, healthy amount, the sugar content can quickly add up if you consume more than one serving.
Try to avoid saturated fat that could slow down weight loss and health improvement.
Is Milk Better than Half and Half on Keto?
No, milk is not necessarily better than half and half.
Because the cream is the fat that rises to the top during the milking process, the cream has a higher fat-to-carb ratio and is preferred to milk for the keto diet.
Milk contains more lactose, which is really the natural sugar present in milk, than cream. When you keep increasing the lactose content, you boost the carbohydrates count, so any addition of milk will increase the carb concentration.
Half and half are high in calories and saturated fats while being low in sugars and carbohydrates.
Additionally, half and half is healthy too since it’s high in calcium and Vitamin A, which really isn’t surprising given that those nutrients are associated with whole milk [*].
Calcium aids in the formation and maintenance of bones, while Vitamin A is essential for vision, the immune system, and reproduction [*].
Therefore, half and half could be perfect for keto dieters on the weight loss journey.
How many carbs are in half and half?
One tablespoon contains 2g of fat (one of which is saturated) and 0.6g of carbohydrates (*). Although this isn’t much, it can push you over the edge if you’re not cautious with the heavy cream.
Fast-food restaurants, in specific, put a lot of half and half (and sometimes sweetener) in their coffee, so your best bet is to buy black coffee and add your own, or to always buy homemade coffee.
Coffee contains small amounts of calories (between 2 and 12 kcal for a cup of black coffee); however, most people allow it as part of a fast because the amount is so small.
Remember, fasting is a calorie restriction, and because half and half contain calories, it would therefore break your fast.
If you ever want to stick to your fast, you should avoid putting half and half in your coffee, especially in the morning when you are fasting. This will ensure fewer calories per cuppa!
Fun Fact: Does Half and Half Have Carbs?
Yes, One tablespoon contains 2g of fat (one of which is saturated) and 0.6g of carbohydrates
How to Choose a Keto-Friendly Creamer
When picking a keto coffee creamer, look for products that meet the macronutrient specifications of the keto diet, including those with very little added sugar and ingredients.
As you already know, the most common ketogenic diet is all about limiting your net carbs per day to not more than 50 grams a day.
- Fats should make up the majority of the diet and provide approximately 70–80 percent of the calories.
- Proteins must make up around 20% of calories, while carbohydrates should account for 5–10%.
If you, like us, are conscious about your health, try to avoid long ingredient lists. This is a sign of over-processed food and could contribute to medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and obesity (*).
In reality, store-bought low-carb, high-fat coffee creamer with a shortlist of ingredients would be absolutely fine. This will lower your net carbs per serving.
Best Alternatives for Keto Diet
If you’re following a strict keto diet or choose to limit your amount of carbohydrates as often as possible, there are many more keto-friendly coffee possibilities than half and half.
Are you looking for a keto coffee creamer?
Take a look at our favorite healthy alternatives:
#1. Bulletproof coffee
Bulletproof coffee is a famous keto beverage that consists of coffee, butter (or ghee), and MCT oil. This can be made from scratch or with bulletproof coffee combinations!
If you haven’t tried this yet, we recommend you try it ASAP!
#2. Butter or ghee
If you don’t really like MCT oil or want a more cost-effective option, blending in some butter or ghee may provide the fat and taste mix you’re looking for.
To avoid fat droplets rising to the top, people usually blend the butter in rather than slipping it in, and ghee is simply clarified butter, which is made by heating butter and separating the butterfats from everything else.
Ghee is almost entirely butterfat!
Almond milk
Almond milk, as well as other plant-based milks are acceptable; just choose additive- and sugar-free varieties then you will still be within your daily limits.
Remember to just keep a close eye out on the added net carbs since almond milk can be quite sweet.
Luckily the additive- and sugar-free options contain 0 grams of total net carbs.
All the sweetness and none of the carbs!
Heavy cream
Heavy cream contains 1 gram of total net carbs.
As previously stated, the heavier the cream, the lower the carb count because you’re substituting more of the sugars, which is the source of milk carbs, with more milk fat!
We do like that fatty fat!
People are bashing heavy cream because of its unique flavor and higher calorie content, but a splash of heavy cream is perfect for keto dieters.
You might also make a batch of hand – make whip cream with only heavy whipping cream and put a healthy dose on top of your coffee each morning- DELICIOUS!
#3. Coconut milk
Beware, coconut milk will change the taste of your morning coffee!
So be prepared for an exotic Caribbean taste explosion in your mouth.
Coconut is definitely a favorite all around the world!
With 0.5g of net carbs per serving, coconut milk has a wide variety of healthy fats.
Therefore, coconut milk is an excellent substitute, especially when you are counting those carbs! (*)
Learn more: Is Coconut Milk Keto Friendly?
Frequently asked questions
1. How much cream is there in coffee creamer?
Did you know, coffee creamer is a myth! Have you ever noticed that your coffee creamer lasts so long?
That’s because there is actually no cream in coffee creamer!
Coffee creamer is a misleading term — many big “coffee creamer” brands are dairy-free and produced with water, oil, and sugar!
2. Can I consume “zero- carbs” drinks and food?
Another confusing statement is the “zero- carbs” brands! Manufacturers are not always required to list their carbohydrate content. This allows them to say an item is “zero-carb” without mentioning that it contains trace amounts of carbs.
3. Is heavy cream better than half and half on keto?
Heavy cream and half and half are both great choices for keto because they are high in fat and low in carbs. However, heavy cream has a higher fat content than half and half, so it may be a better choice for those trying to lose weight or stick to a stricter version of the keto diet. Both options are good choices, so it really comes down to personal preference.
4. Does half and half have sugar?
Yes, half and half typically contains sugar. The amount of sugar will vary depending on the brand, but it’s a fair assumption that most brands of half and half have some level of added sugar. If you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative, try unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk.
Learn more: Is Almond Milk Keto-Friendly?
Bottom Line
Carbohydrates are present in half and half, but plain half and half with no preservatives has only 0.6g carbs per spoonful- bonus!
Therefore, you can still have your half and half on keto, but try making sure to account for the carbohydrates in your everyday carb consumption.
If you’ve been attempting to cut back on your half-and-half addiction, cutting back on your daily serving while on keto is a great place to start.
However, plain half-and-half with no additives is keto-friendly because it includes a very low amount of carbohydrates and a high fat intake.
So go ahead, add that half and half, and enjoy one of the good things in life!
