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Drinking and Diabetes

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Firthy76

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello

I was diagnosed with border line Type 2 four months ago and have been managing with diet, mainly low carb. I'm happy to say i've lost nearly 30 pounds in this time but am confused about alcohol.

I have been mainly drinking red wine and prosecco as I can have a few glasses for a relatively low carb count (i try and restrict myself to 20 grams total a day) but a few people have asked about the sugar in the wine? And I simply don't know!

Can someone enlighten me please

Thanks
Rory
 
Last edited:
Better to be confused about alcohol than be confused by alcohol I suppose.

I think the party line is it it better to nearly abstain, although a small glass of red can possibly be beneficial.

Well done with the weight loss, by the way! :)

Edit: @daisy1 for the welcome pack.
 
Diabetes control is the art of the possible. If you find a small glass of red wine is enjoyable and helps you abstain from other things then I would go for it -- it definitely works for me. I call it 'customized abstinence'.
 
Red wine and dry white have little sugar. Spirits have even less. Sweeter whites can be quite carby; things like port and sherry are obviously out. A 9% white wine probably has too much sugar. A 13% wine should generally be ok. Beer is generally quite high-carb. Alcohol can also lower blood sugar levels, and block your liver from causing spikes: it's not really a healthy way to deal with things, but I have sometimes had a gin when my readings have been high and it will drop them right back down.

For me, if I drink red wine, I will expect to see a significant drop in my levels. If I have a meal of something like pasta, or if I have birthday cake, I would expect BG levels of 8-9 two hours afterwards, but with wine, my 2 hr result will be in the 5-6 range.
 
Red wine is my friend! Test with your meter. I had chicken curry with rice one day and recorded a spike of 1.6 after one hour but the next day had the same meal with a glass of red wine and only spiked 0.1 after one hour. I also tested at 2 & 4 hr intervals with no further spikes, next morning fasting numbers were also normal.
 
I drink what I want when I want, but most often it is if I am out with friends, and maybe the occasional glass of white at the weekends. I carb-count it (usually with dinner) or as a PM snack in My Fitness Pal so I know how many it is, but I see no reason not to enjoy a beer or a wine in the company of friends.
 
I know that (as stated) that Sherry & Port have more carbs in them however I do makle various saces with both when cooking & find very little fluctuation in my BG lvels 7 over Xmas i drank a glass of either on a couple of occasions with again very little elevation in bG. A lot as stated in various discussions depends on the individual & the way their body is able t deal with what is thrown at it.
 
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