The 5 Best Keto–Friendly Cough Drops

When the common cold strikes, it can leave you feeling achy, congested, and generally under par. 

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to help soothe the symptoms and get over your cold sooner rather than later. 

One way to do this is by consuming cough drops. 

But, only some cough drops are keto–friendly.

So, in this article I’ll discuss what to look out for before buying cough drops on keto, as well as my list of the 5 best low-carb, keto-friendly cough drops.

Can You Have Normal Cough Drops on Keto?

Since normal cough drops have around 4 grams of carbs per drop, they aren’t keto. However, if you only consume one or two cough drops per day, then you likely won’t get kicked out of ketosis.

As long as you don’t pop cough drops into your mouth like Skittles, you’ll likely still stay in ketosis, even if it’s not sugar-free.

But, if your throat is really sore, you may need to consume more than just one or two cough drops per day.

Then you should consider buying sugar-free cough drops.

Can You Have Sugar-Free Cough Drops on Keto?

Yes, you can have sugar-free cough drops on keto. Most sugar-free cough drops have virtually zero carbs, so they won’t affect your ketosis at all.

There are a ton of sugar-free cough drops on the market, formulated with various types of sugar substitutes. 

And luckily for keto dieters, most sugar-free cough drops are keto friendly. 

But, some sugar-free cough drops do contain small amounts of certain artificial sweeteners. 

Generally speaking, artificial sweeteners are keto-friendly.

But, if you have a certain issue that’s caused by a specific artificial sweetener, be sure to check the nutrition label & ingredients on the cough drop package before buying. 

How Many Cough Drops Would Kick You Out of Ketosis?

If you eat more than 5 cough drops per day, you might get kicked out of ketosis. This is because most cough drops have around 4 grams of carbs per drop, & to be in ketosis you should aim to eat less than 40 grams of carbs per day. But, you also eat other carbs from the food you eat.

However, if you consume sugar-free cough drops, you don’t need to worry as much.

How Many Sugar-Free Cough Drops Would Kick You Out of Ketosis?

You can eat as many sugar-free cough drops as you want since they have zero carbs.

But, health wise, it’s not smart to eat cough drops like candy since they contain a lot of chemicals.

The 5 Best Keto Friendly Cough Drops

So, now that we’ve learned that sugar-free cough drops are better than normal cough drops, I’ll discuss the 5 best keto friendly cough drops.

*These are affiliate links so I may earn a small commission if you do decide to buy from these links*

1.) Herbion Naturals Sugar–Free, Mint Cough Drops

Herbion Naturals’ sugar–free cough drops are my favorite cough drops for when I get a sore throat. That’s because it tastes less like candy & more like a mint cough drop, which is what I prefer. This specific variety doesn’t have any artificial colors & is sweetened with stevia instead of other sweeteners, so this is the one I buy for me & my family.

2.) Cold Eeze’s Sugar–Free, Wild Cherry Cough Drops

Cold Eeze’s sugar-free variety is the simplest, & one of the most affordable sugar-free cough drops. When I tasted Cold Eeze’s Wild Cherry flavor, it just tasted like normal cherry candy, which some of you guys may prefer over cough drops. I recommend this cough drop to anyone who just wants something simple & that tastes like candy.

3.) Bold Botanica’s Sugar-Free, Elderberry Cough Syrup

Though Bold Botanica’s sugar-free, elderberry cough syrup isn’t a cough drop, I still put it on this list. I used elderberry cough syrups before I went on keto, & they definitely helped my sore throat & overall recovery process by a ton. Bold Botanica’s sugar-free, elderberry cough syrup tasted the best out of all of the sugar-free options, so I put it on this list.

4.) VapoCOOL Cough Drops

Now, VapoCOOL’s cough drops aren’t sugar–free, so they’re going to have around 4 grams of carbs per drop. However, these drops are super powerful. I remember taking these & just feeling rushed with icy, menthol coolness. I believe it’s because of the winter–ice flavor & whatever magic they put inside of these cough drops. I recommend this option if you find that normal sugar-free cough drops don’t do enough for controlling your sore throat.

5.) Hall’s Sugar-Free Cough Drops

And of course, I didn’t forget about Hall’s sugar-free cough drops. If I can’t find any of the other options, I always know I can find Hall’s sugar-free cough drops at really any store or pharamcy. I also go for Hall’s when I want to switch it up with a ginger flavored cough drop.

FAQ for Cough Drops on Keto

Now I’ll discuss some of the most common questions that people have about cough drops.

What Sweeteners Are In Sugar-Free Cough Drops?

Most sugar-free cough drops are sweetened with aspartame, a zero calorie, sugar-free sweetener that is 200x sweeter than normal sugar.

Are Cough Drops Ok for Diabetics?

Yes, cough drops are ok for diabetics because they only have around 4 grams of carbs per drop. However, if you know that you consume a lot of cough drops when you get sick, you should consider switching over to sugar-free cough drops so you don’t raise your insulin.

How Can I Soothe My Throat Without Cough Drops?

If you can’t buy cough drops, you can still soothe your throat with tea. Try making a herbal green tea with elderflowers, horehound, and slippery elm bark powder & see if it soothes your throat.

Are Cough Drops Gluten-Free?

Yes, cough drops are gluten-free. This is because there aren’t any grains in cough drops, so there isn’t any gluten either.

Conclusion

If you’re on a keto diet and you’re sick or recovering from a cough or cold, it can be difficult to find a cough drop that won’t kick you out of ketosis. Fortunately, there are a ton of great options for low-carb, keto-friendly cough drops on the market. But, if you can only access normal cough drops, just make sure that you’re consuming less than 3 cough drops per day so you don’t get kicked out of ketosis.

In the meantime whilst you recover from your sore throat, you can read my article here where I talk about how I lost 40 pounds with keto & intermittent fasting & how you can too.