Type 1 Best beers for a level blood sugar?

[pancreas_party]

Hello -

I am 23, new here and have recently been diagnosed with Type 1. Despite experiencing the classic symptoms I really did not see this coming and, as a very social person, I am nervous about how this will impact my social life.

In reading online about diabetes and alcohol, there is excellent advice on the effects/dangers/treatments associated with drinking. However can anyone recommend a particular alcoholic drink which they have found to keep a constant blood sugar level (particularly when going 'out out')?

Grateful for any advice before I start trialling...

Many thanks!

 

[tim2000s]

If you're going "Out out" then drink wine or spirits with diet/slimline mixers. Beer really plays havoc with glucose levels....!

 

[Deleted Account]

Unfortunately, I have not found a good low carb beer ... actually I haven't found any and the idea or making it low carb is so alien that I haven't looked very hard.

Low carb drinks tend to be spirits with non-sugary (or no) mixers and wine.
Alternatively, be ready for a quick insulin jab between pints of beers and/or cider.

And, if you have been on a "fun night", don't forget to eat something carby (such as a slice of toast) before going to bed.

 

[jackois]

I just drink whatever ales I fancy. I find that over an evening of 3 or 4 pints that the alcohol seems to balance itself out...

 

[Jordan Kehoe]

I’m 24 and have been diagnosed since December. I like yourself was wondering what impact beer & ale would have in my levels. I have found carling or hobgoblin gold (which is soooo nice) tends to get me up to 11 and then drop me to about 6. So not too bad. But I had a Stella the other day and it rose to 16 and then dropped to 2. So safe to say I’m staying away from Stella lol. But everyone is different, I suppose it’s just a case of having one and finding out how your levels react and as it’s a Friday night... Cheers !!

 

[bamba]

I suppose that this is an example where Test,Test,Test would perhaps be more welcome than wise.

Was'nt Pils the "Diabetic's Beer" ?

 

[kev-w]

Was'nt Pils the "Diabetic's Beer" ?

In my early days this when drunk to excess put me in hospital a few times, the higher alcohol & low sugar seemed to affect my insulin uptake, by experimentation I later found Guinness agreed with me best on a session and spirits for me are a definite no

These days I don't drink at all.

 

[chri5]

Hi, if you want to drink beer then the best one that I know of is Marston`s Resolution Low C. It`s a bottled beer and comes out at 1.65g carbs per 1/2 pint.

 

[LooperCat]

Rum

 

[bangkokdiabetic]

For me Iused to drink after being diagnosed was not a big beer drinker used to drink Gin & Tonic after I had 2 Strokes and the doctor told me if I kept drinking I would Die (about 14 yrs ago I have not touched a drink, still get the annoying person saying one wont hurt,but I don't trust myself to stop at one now my drinks of choice are Water/Iced tea or the occasional Coke Zero.
nd iced tea not in a can or out of a packet but 1 Tea bag in a 2or 3 cup pot Boiling water A 1/2 pint glass filled with ice pour the tea over ice and add sweetener to taste. Add 1 more T/bag to pot refill I pot in most Thai Bars is about 60 Baht 1 pound fifty refills free = Cheap Night Out

 

[Scott-C]

Once you've got some more experience under your belt, beer isn't out of the question. The main issue is how to bolus for it. If I don't bolus, I'll go through the roof, so I bolus, but try to do so in a way that I know there'll be no or little insulin on board by the time I'm going to bed, and then have some food.

There's always going to be a degree of uncertainty involved, mainly to do with how the liver plays the game once it stops dealing with the alcohol, but we've got to be able to live our lives. Those of us lucky enough to have cgm will have the security net of hypo alarms if things don't work out.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I drink XXXX Gold low carb beer.

 

[bangkokdiabetic]

I drink XXXX Gold low carb beer.

What's the point you drink beer because of the affect it has the slightly high/relaxed feeling you get I would have to drink many of these to replicate that feeling Not Worth the effort in my opinion Remember r the No of Carbs etc. if for 1 Bottle

 

[Deleted member 308541]

What's the point you drink beer because of the affect it has the slightly high/relaxed feeling you get I would have to drink many of these to replicate that feeling Not Worth the effort in my opinion Remember r the No of Carbs etc. if for 1 Bottle

I cannot understand the point you are trying to make here, it's hard to read as well.

 

[AlexMagd]

Pure Blonde is the nicest low carb beer I've found (but it's Australian so expensive), but you can also get Skinnylager which shouldn't impact your levels too much.

Personally when I go out I either drink spirits with zero-sugar mixers (no impact at all on BG levels) or dry wines like Pinots or Sauvignons (minimal impact - but the next day I'll be a big higher than usual).

Regular beer and cocktails are totally out if you want to maintain level blood sugar, unfortunately

 

[Chris Bowsher]

I tend to find the alcohol in beer raises my blood sugar the evening when i drink. Not to mention the fact i end up stuffing my face when i'm drunk.

But i have to reduce my novo rapid dose the next day as it can cause crashing blood sugars.

 

[Deleted Account]

I tend to find the alcohol in beer raises my blood sugar the evening when i drink. Not to mention the fact i end up stuffing my face when i'm drunk.

But i have to reduce my novo rapid dose the next day as it can cause crashing blood sugars.

Have you tried reducing your basal dose after drinking?
The reason for the crash after drinking is the inability for your liver to cope with both clearing out the toxic alcohol and dripping glucose.
As the purpose of your basal is to manage the glucose drip, you need less of it.
How much less depends on how much you've drunk, how often you drink and how fickle your body is. So, it's a bit of trial and error but I find this a useful way to cope with drinking and reduces the combined hypo-hangover.

 

[Chris Bowsher]

@helensaramay That's really helpful thanks. I have certainly learnt a lot more over the last few days from reading this forum.

Like the fact your liver drips glucose constantly and thats what the basal insulin is for. Really useful.

 

[richie2k3]

I REALLY enjoy beer, and i don't really drink anything else when I'm out, so I too have struggled with this...

Through years of trial and error I have found that the best 'commonly available' beer for T1D's is Coors Light, in NW England this is available in pretty-much every pub and has roughly half the carbs of Stella/Peroni etc... try to avoid Corona/Desperados like the plague as they are basically alcoholic Lucozade.

Generally speaking, the cheaper beers are sweeter too (fosters,carling etc) and this means more carbs, so if your out and they dont sell Coors then id go for a Becks(5% - sugars converted to alcohol) or a John Smiths(3.5% - brewed with less sugar) which are both reasonably low carb

Id also note that after a recent trip to the Florida, every single bar I visited had at-least 5 different 'low carb' beers, and even low carb corona which was gorgeous too... the UK is still quite far behind other countries on the diabetic-friendly 'out out' stuff