Short answer: yes, you can drink cappuccino on keto—with some modifications. Here is what you need to know about making it work.
Traditional cappuccinos use whole milk, which contains enough carbs to potentially kick you out of ketosis. A standard 6-ounce cappuccino has around 6-8 grams of carbs from the milk alone. That is not ideal when your daily limit might be 20-50 grams. But swapping to unsweetened almond milk, heavy cream, or other low-carb alternatives lets you enjoy your cappuccino without the carb hit.
The Keto Diet For Coffee Lovers
The ketogenic or the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that, when done properly, encourages the body to produce energy from fats rather than carbohydrates. This diet has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to help people lose weight, reduce blood sugar, and lower insulin levels.
People who partake in the keto diet typically allocate 10% of their daily food intake to carbs. This equates to between 20-30 grams of net carbs per day.
To manage this, dieters need to avoid grains, fruit, and sugary foods, among other foods. They should also abstain from foods with added sugars, like sweetened milk.
Can You Drink Cappuccino On A Keto Diet: Making Cappuccinos Keto-Friendly
Cappuccinos are technically keto-friendly. Or at least, they can be.
They are a 1:1:1 ratio of espresso, milk, and milk foam. Espresso, which is just boiling water pressed through coffee beans, is only .5 grams of carbohydrates per fluid ounce, meaning this portion of the beverage is essentially carb-free.
Learn more about drinking coffee while fasting.
It gets more complicated when the milk and milk foam portion is factored in. Ideally, you want to find a suitable milk alternative to make your cappuccinos “keto,” although not all milk alternatives are created equal. Don’t forget to buy the best coffee for keto.
Milk And Milk Alternatives
Regular full-fat cow’s milk contains lactose, which is essentially natural milk sugar. A single cup of full-fat milk equals approximately 12 grams of net carbs. If you’re on a keto diet that only allows you to eat 20 grams of net carbs per day, a single medium cappuccino can make up half of your day’s allotted carbs.
Furthermore, milk made from grains like oat milk or rice milk knock them out of the running when making a keto-friendly cappuccino. Their carb content is between 17 and 21 net grams per cup.
To make a cappuccino that won’t exceed a daily allotment of carbs, nut milk tends to be a better choice.
Almond milk, for example, is one of the most widely used keto milk types that go well in a cappuccino. It is a healthy dairy-free alternative that can be frothed easily, despite being low in fats. A single cup of almond milk carries only a gram of net carbs, which means an entire cappuccino made with almond milk would be about 1.5 to 2 grams.
Other alternatives like cashew or macadamia nut milk are also great options that taste great in a cappuccino. You could also try soy milk or coconut milk. These do tend to be pricey, however. If you like this post, you might enjoy our guide on how to make keto-friendly bulletproof tea.
It is important to note that whatever milk alternative you use to make your cappuccino is unsweetened. The added sugar of sweetened varieties will have hidden carbs that can add up quickly.
A Note From Our Team
We’re coffee enthusiasts, not doctors—so here’s our honest perspective:
The research cited above comes from peer-reviewed studies, but science evolves. What we know about coffee and health has changed dramatically over the decades, and it’ll likely continue to evolve. We update our content when significant new findings emerge.
Everyone’s body responds differently to caffeine. Some of us on the team drink 4+ cups daily with zero issues; others get jittery after one. Pay attention to how YOU feel rather than following general guidelines blindly. Your body knows better than any study.