Keto Lemonade with Monk Fruit

What is better on a hot summer day than a glass of cold lemonade? Lemonade with tequila, obviously, but that was a rhetorical question. This keto lemonade is low carb, sugar-free and low calorie. It taste like nostalgia without the blood sugar spike and is ready in only minutes. Cheers to that. 🍋

Jump to:

• Using Store Bought Lemon Juice
• Sugar-Free Sweetener Notes
• How to Make Keto Simple Syrup
• How To Make Keto Lemonade
• Electrolyte Needs on Keto
• Adding Electrolytes To This Recipe
• Recipe Tips
• Other Low Carb Beverages
• 📖 Recipe

Low-carb drink options are widely available these days, but sometimes you just want a classic. This keto lemonade will scratch that itch and allow you to partake in the simple summertime joy without overdoing it on carbs.

Using Store Bought Lemon Juice

While using fresh lemons is never a bad decision, I am not a zealot when it comes to always needing fresh squeezed juice in every recipe. Fresh lemon juice is my preferred option for this recipe, but using a good quality store bought lemon juice can be almost indistinguishable from fresh juice.

I use Santa Cruz Organic 100% lemon juice. This brand, or something similar, is what I would recommend if you are not planning on using fresh lemons.

Sugar-Free Sweetener Notes

For this recipe, I chose to use the powdered monk fruit and erythritol blend from Lakanto. This sweetener works great in this recipe because it dissolves easily and has a comparable flavor to sugar.

I have also tested powdered monk fruit without erythritol, which worked well. This option will taste less like classic sugar, but if you are used to the flavor of monk fruit and prefer "clean" (or paleo) ingredients this will be the option for you. You will only need about 2 teaspoons of powdered monk fruit for this recipe, but I recommend starting with 1 teaspoon, dissolving it in the lemon juice + water mixture, and then tasting and repeating until you get the perfect level of sweetness for your taste buds.

When choosing a sweetener, I opt for one that is natural. My top choices are monk fruit, stevia and erythritol.

If you decide to use a granulated sweetener, you will need to heat the water and make a "simple syrup" in order for any granulated sweetener to dissolve properly. A powdered sweetener will usually dissolve in cold water as long as you whisk or agitate properly.

All sweeteners have a different level of sweetness. So, if you choose to deviate from the recipe start with a small amount of sweetener and add until it meets your desired level of sweetness.

How to Make Keto Simple Syrup

While using a powdered monk fruit and erythritol blend is my favorite option to make keto lemonade, a granulated low-carb sweetener can be used to make a keto simple syrup which will mix well into this beverage. Here is how you can do it:

1. Bring one cup of water to a low boil in a small sauce pan.
2. Once water is boiling, whisk in sweetener (see note). Continue to stir until the sweetener has fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Note: You will need a little less than ½ cup of a sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar, but every sweetener is a little different so adjust to taste.

How To Make Keto Lemonade

This keto lemonade is the easiest recipe you will find because of the powdered sweetener. Here is how you do it:

1. Combine the filtered water, lemon juice, and powdered sweetener in a large bowl or wide mouth pitcher.
2. Whisk together until the sweetener is full dissolved and no longer settling on the bottom.
3. Serve over ice.

Electrolyte Needs on Keto

Whether you are doing keto or just living in a hot climate, you might benefit from supplementing with electrolytes. There are many electrolytes but the three most commonly needing supplementation are sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Those living a ketogenic lifestyle have higher electrolyte needs compared to those who are not in ketosis. There are several reasons for this:

1. Less Glycogen - Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrate in your muscles. When you are eating fewer carbohydrate glycogen begins to get depleted. Each glycogen molecule contains water. The release of glycogen causes a shift in body fluid which subsequently causes a loss in electrolytes.
2. Lower Circulating Insulin - Insulin is used to remove glucose from the bloodstream. When someone is eating low carb there is a decrease in circulating insulin. When insulin levels lower the kidneys excrete electrolytes.

These combined factors make your electrolyte needs higher for those in ketosis, specifically sodium. A general recommendation is to aim for 3000-5000 mg of sodium, 3000-4000 mg of potassium and 300-500 mg of magnesium daily when following a ketogenic diet (1). You may need more or less depending on activity level and body size.

Adding Electrolytes To This Recipe

• Sodium - Pink Himalayan salt is a good option because it contains other trace minerals apart from sodium. Start by adding a little and then adjusting according to your taste.
• Potassium - Using "Lite Salt" or "No Salt" will add additional potassium to this lemonade. Lite Salt is a combination of sodium and potassium. No Salt does not have the sodium. Be a little more cautious adding this because it has a metallic taste.
• Magnesium - I would generally recommended supplementing with magnesium glycinate (this would be taken in pill form and not added to this drink). Magnesium glycinate is better absorbed and utilized by the body and it can actually cross the blood brain barrier. Whereas, magnesium citrate which is more commonly mixed in drinks, generally stays in the GI tract and can cause a laxative effect.

When adding sodium and/or potassium to this recipe, I would limit to ¼ teaspoon total. This will help preserve the flavor of the lemonade. But! Please add slow and taste before you commit because preference will vary depending on your individual electrolyte needs and tolerance to salty things.

Another simple way to add electrolytes (and my personal favorite) is to add about ½ packet of Raw Unflavored LMNT. This electrolyte supplement is composed of sodium, magnesium, and potassium and is perfect for someone on a low carb diet. The flavored varieties of LMNT already contains stevia and will likely make this lemonade overly sweet, so I would recommend using the unflavored version.

Recipe Tips

• If using the recommended Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener, you can get away without mixing it into warm water to form a simple syrup. This is mostly used when adding granulated sweeteners. The powdered sweeteners will usually dissolve right into the cold water.
• If using coarse salt, it can be helpful to dissolve in warm water. You can use 1 cup of water from the recipe, heat it and dissolve the electrolytes before mixing in the sweetener and lemon juice. LMNT electrolytes will dissolve in cold water.
• Adjust the sweetness to taste. I like my lemonade a little sour, but don't be afraid to add a little more sweetener if that is your preference.
• Adding a little (subjective) vodka or tequila to this recipe would be a good option for a delicious low carb cocktail.

Other Low Carb Beverages

• Turmeric Golden Butter Latte
• Keto Hot Chocolate (Vegan)
• Keto Mojito with Lime and Mint

Did you try this Keto Lemonade? I would love to
see your creations! Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or leave a
photo comment on Pinterest.

📖 Recipe