Alcohol

Barrowbakers

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Like most people I enjoy my wine and whisky! My query is quantity - and I’m not talking about government guidelines although agree in moderation. My last two HBA1C have been 5.7 and 5.8.
I know if you test after a 3 glasses of wine the bs is reduced but am I doing any harm as long as I don’t regain any of the 4 stone I lost.
In other words does the alcohol react badly with a type 2 diabetic?
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Not more than in non diabetics, as far as I know, as long as it doesn't give you hypo's later in the night. Only relevant if on glucose lowering medication.
 

Barrowbakers

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Not more than in non diabetics, as far as I know, as long as it doesn't give you hypo's later in the night. Only relevant if on glucose lowering medication.

I only drop to about 4.5 min at bedtime and back to 6.0 at awakening
 
M

Member496333

Guest
There’s possibly an argument to be made that it may exacerbate fatty liver in an insulin resistant diabetic, but I have no idea if that would be true. I am teetotal but that’s just a personal choice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peadair O Brionn

Traceymac23

Well-Known Member
Messages
603
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Moaner
I like a drink but I find the biggest drawback for me if I have a few ciders is increased smoking and all of the implications of that.

I normally test first to see if my bg has enough leeway to handle it as I do with all naughty treats
 

enb54

Well-Known Member
Messages
265
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Have found that sweet liquers (sambuca, Bailey's) and beers like my favourites "Guiness" and "Traditional" make blood sugars rise uncomfortably so limit beer consumption to one per week. Red wine (dry) and hard liquor do not seem to appreciably increase blood glucose levels but then again I don't get "likkered" on the stuff. Your blood glucose monitor is your best friend when determining what refreshing beverages you can and cannot (or should not) drink.
 

tottenham11

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I drink quite heavily at weekends and am starting to control this as only recently diagnosed!? Any advice on good things to drink?
 

Adm_Mad

Well-Known Member
Messages
112
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
@tottenham11 It looks like high alcohol spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, are very low carb but you need to be careful what mixers if any you use. From what I've looked at, 40% and above spirits seem to be okay, but anything below that is more likely to have lots of added flavourings etc including sugar.

I love G&T's but haaaaate diet tonic water, so looks like I'll be switching to vodka, soda and a twist of lemon or lime. Thank god it looks like the Absolut flavoured vodkas are still very low carb.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjraak

enb54

Well-Known Member
Messages
265
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Tequila and carbonated water with a lemon chunk is pretty nice for me, but rum and diet Pepsi/Coke is also a favourite (favorite?). Anything that does not make your blood glucose go up is OK, so some experimentation is likely in order. We Canadians get to spell our words in Bringlish and Ameringlish, either/or...
 

Chook

Expert
Messages
5,095
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People who think they know everything.
The spiced rum (not tried the other sort) raised my BGs but its quite sweet.

i drink in moderation, rarely more than two drinks because since i started low carbing alcohol seems to affect me very quickly. Nowadays I choose from red wine, dry sparkling wines like champagne, Prosecco or Cava and gin or vodka and slimline tonic. Particularly nice was vodka with Schweppes elderflower tonic. None of these seem to affect my BG - but any kind of beer or - worse - cider makes it go up very quickly.
 

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Spiced rum is a favourite of mine but they vary in the amount of carbs. Captain Morgan Original is 0.5g in 50ml, Parrot Bay is about 8g in 50ml. It is very difficult to find carb content you can trust, the likes of FatSecret seem to guesses by members of the public. I would like to try Kraken, anyone with any experience?
 

lessci

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,023
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
@tottenham11 It looks like high alcohol spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, are very low carb but you need to be careful what mixers if any you use. From what I've looked at, 40% and above spirits seem to be okay, but anything below that is more likely to have lots of added flavourings etc including sugar.

I love G&T's but haaaaate diet tonic water, so looks like I'll be switching to vodka, soda and a twist of lemon or lime. Thank god it looks like the Absolut flavoured vodkas are still very low carb.

Have you tried with diet lemonade instead of tonic? Not a Gin drinker myself but my sister hates all tonic so has with lemonade
 
  • Like
Reactions: Adm_Mad

SGR1806-20

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Spiced rum is a favourite of mine but they vary in the amount of carbs. Captain Morgan Original is 0.5g in 50ml, Parrot Bay is about 8g in 50ml. It is very difficult to find carb content you can trust, the likes of FatSecret seem to guesses by members of the public. I would like to try Kraken, anyone with any experience?

Kraken is my favourite spiced rum, but I haven't tried it since I was diagnosed. I might have to try and experiment with it this weekend to see what it does to my BG.
 

enb54

Well-Known Member
Messages
265
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I tried 2 shots of Kraken before bed Saturday night and it didn't seem to make a lot of difference but I also ate some nuts and my morning FBG was a bit higher than I expected (5.9 instead of 5.3). I'll test again later this week...
 

oopsupside

Active Member
Messages
27
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Sand
I really enjoy the very occasional dark rum. I will miss this if I can’t have a couple here and there.

I also love Kahlua coffee liqueur and have a fear that I won’t be able to have a few in extreme moderation

I’m newly diagnosed type 2

David
 

Sapien

Well-Known Member
Messages
140
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
My understanding is that the conventional wisdom is that a small amount of alcohol can improve insulin sensitivity, but larger amounts (more than a couple drinks) will not help and likely worsen insulin sensitivity.

https://betterbodychemistry.com/obesity/weekend-beers-insulin-resistance/

https://www.endocrineweb.com/news/diabetes/17936-red-wine-dinner-new-study-says-yes-you-can

There are some studies that suggest that even moderate alcohol consumption can hurt insulin sensitivity.

https://www.endocrineweb.com/amp/18809
 
  • Like
Reactions: oopsupside

oopsupside

Active Member
Messages
27
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Sand
Thanks for that. I'm just going to stick with a few dark rums in coffee :) David
I like a drink at the weekend . 2 pints of Coors light and a few vodkas and Diet Coke or a bottle of red and a couple of single malts on a Saturday . Keeps me sane . Then LCHF all week .