Check your blood sugar before and while you’re drinking and then again before you go to bed. For example, studies have shown that for people who have type 2 diabetes, occasionally drinking alcohol may slightly reduce glucose levels. Many spirits (vodka, tequila, and so on) have only trace amounts of carbohydrates; a glass of wine probably has only a few grams of carbs.
However, some studies don’t account for frequency, the population being studied, and the types of beverages consumed. The ADA neither forbids nor advises people to drink alcohol. However, the organization recommends that females with diabetes limit their consumption to one drink per day and males limit their consumption to two drinks per day. However, according to American Diabetes Association (ADA), heavy consumption and zero consumption increase the risk. The ADA also states that a drink or two may improve insulin sensitivity and sugar management. If you drink, do it occasionally and only when your diabetes and blood sugar level are well-controlled.
Choose foods that contain carbohydrates so that you have some glucose in your system (meaning, you will be at lower risk of having low blood sugar). This means drinking can make it even harder for people with type 2 diabetes—which is defined by elevated glucose levels—to manage their blood sugar. At this point, alcohol can affect blood sugar in ways that are especially important for people with type 2 diabetes.
Hypoglycemia Unawareness
If you are maverick sober living following a calorie-controlled meal plan, one drink of alcohol should be counted as two fat exchanges. While alcohol can lower blood sugar levels, it also has the potential to increase them. Regular, long-term use of alcohol has been shown to increase insulin resistance. View a list of calories and carbohydrates in popular alcoholic beverages on A Look at your Liquor.
Eat First
Alcohol consumption can lead to dangerously low blood sugar levels. This is because the liver has to work to remove the alcohol from the blood instead of managing blood sugar levels. Alcohol consumption can also lead to situational unawareness eco sober house of low blood sugar levels.
- Different drinks vary in alcohol, carb, and sugar content and in how they affect a person’s blood sugar levels.
- According to the American Heart Association, red wine contains antioxidants, which are compounds in certain foods that help prevent cell damage.
- Tomato juice in a Bloody Mary provides lycopene, a pigment that has antioxidant and antidiabetes properties and may protect people with diabetes from heart disease.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies define that as one drink per day or less for women and two drinks per day or less for men.
Because alcohol is highly addictive and research links heavy consumption to an array of adverse health effects, avoiding the beverage is the healthiest choice for anyone. The important thing to understand, though, is that this presumed benefit is just a theory. There is no research to show a definite link between drinking red wine and improved diabetes management.
Conditions
An occasional social drink is how long after taking muscle relaxer can you drink alcohol usually harmless for people with diabetes. But if you do have diabetes, drinking safely involves more planning. Consider what type of alcohol you are drinking, when, and how much.
For example, margaritas, piña coladas, and daiquiris may pack 35 to 44 g of carbs per 7-oz (225-mL) drink. While there are some diabetes-friendly cocktails, such as the ones mentioned above, traditional cocktails are generally very high in added sugars. Therefore, try to avoid them unless you’re making them yourself. However, the carb content of your drink may vary depending on what you mix the liquor with. Bud Light is another low carb beer that provides fewer than 5 g of carbs per serving. Talk to your provider about how much alcohol is safe for you.
You make a Bloody Mary by mixing vodka and tomato juice with different sauces and spices, depending on the recipe, and serve it with a celery stick. Among white wines, some styles of champagne may be a good choice. By Barbie Cervoni, RDCervoni is a New York-based registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist.