Alcohol substitutes for diabetes

Unfortunately, adding alcohol to some recipes can make all the difference in terms of taste. As a diabetic, you may need to moderate your alcohol consumption to such an extent that you don't feel comfortable adding it to your recipes.

• Read about Diabetes and Alcohol

Alcohol is also often used in marinades to tenderise meat.

If you are a diabetic cook or you are cooking for someone with diabetes, many substances can be used as alternatives to alcohol when cooking or marinating food.

Alternative flavours to common alcohols for diabetes patients

• BEER OR ALE: Chicken broth, white grape juice, or ginger ale
• BRANDY: Apple cider, peach or apricot syrup
• CHAMPAGNE: Ginger ale
• CLARET: Grape juice, or cherry cider syrup
• COGNAC: Juice from peaches, apricots or pears
• COINTREAU: Orange juice
• CREME DE MENTHE: Spearmint extract or oil of spearmint diluted with water or grapefruit juice
• KIRSCH: Syrup or juice from black cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, grapes or cherry cider
• RED BURGUNDY: Grape juice
• RED WINE: (unsweetened) water, beef broth, tomato juice, diluted cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
• RUM: Pineapple juice or syrup flavoured with almond extract
• SHERRY: Orange or pineapple juice
• WHITE BURGUNDY: White grape juice
• WHITE WINE: (unsweetened) water, chicken broth, ginger ale, white grape juice, diluted cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

Alternative marinades for diabetes patients:

Substitute 1 cup of alcohol for:

• 1 cup of citrus, pineapple or orange Juice.
• ½ cup of fresh lemon or orange juice.
• 1 cup of tomato juice diluted with ¼ cup of water or vinegar.
• ½ cup of soy sauce and ½ cup of citrus juice.
• ½ cup of light soy sauce and 2 TBLS of oil.
• 1 cup of teriyaki sauce
• 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

Alternatives to cooking alcohol for diabetes patients:

• Non-alcoholic cooking sherry
• Non-alcoholic cooking wine
• Raspberry extract in place of brandy