Socialising.
- Thread starter winky 57
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- 3,008
- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
Hi winky 57, and welcome to the forums.
There's a couple of ways to answer your question, so I need to make clear I'm answering from the point of view of a T2 who wants to keep carb intake to a minimum, not about the alcohol itself. With that in mind, it also depends what I've eaten the rest of the day - if it's been next to no carb, I can be a bit more relaxed.
The other thing to remember is that alcohol ties up your liver for a while. Until the liver has metabolised the alcohol, you can find that BG readings fall in the short term.
So - for alcoholic drinks I find most spirits (as zero carb) to have as you would expect no impact on my BG - I don't tend to use any mixers but if so they would be zero sugar ones anyway. Wine is generally OK too - although there are some carbs, they need to be judged in the context of how much wine you drink.
Beer is unfortunately pretty high in carbs so I either avoid it altogether or on rare occasions, if my carb intake has been otherwise low, have one or two. I do drink a couple of zero and very low sugar beers at home.
Fruit juices are completely out and things like most cocktails, sherries and ports are once in a blue moon items.
Most sorts of made up bottled alco-pop drinks have a lot of added sugar - didn't drink them anyway and certainly wouldn't now.
Non-alcoholic - tea, coffee (with cream if possible), things like Coke Zero, soda water, etc. Many "energy drinks" have a zero sugar option, which if OK if you're fine with artificial sweetners. Milk does have carbohydrate in the form of lactose and hot milk will deliver a rise in my blood sugar very quickly.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/ has some useful information. There's also a website https://getdrunknotfat.com/ which lists drinks by carbs (and calories, not that I count calories).
The other thing to remember is that if you are low-carbing it can change how alcohol hits your bloodstream. In my experience, tolerance markedly decreases, so watch out for that.
There's a couple of ways to answer your question, so I need to make clear I'm answering from the point of view of a T2 who wants to keep carb intake to a minimum, not about the alcohol itself. With that in mind, it also depends what I've eaten the rest of the day - if it's been next to no carb, I can be a bit more relaxed.
The other thing to remember is that alcohol ties up your liver for a while. Until the liver has metabolised the alcohol, you can find that BG readings fall in the short term.
So - for alcoholic drinks I find most spirits (as zero carb) to have as you would expect no impact on my BG - I don't tend to use any mixers but if so they would be zero sugar ones anyway. Wine is generally OK too - although there are some carbs, they need to be judged in the context of how much wine you drink.
Beer is unfortunately pretty high in carbs so I either avoid it altogether or on rare occasions, if my carb intake has been otherwise low, have one or two. I do drink a couple of zero and very low sugar beers at home.
Fruit juices are completely out and things like most cocktails, sherries and ports are once in a blue moon items.
Most sorts of made up bottled alco-pop drinks have a lot of added sugar - didn't drink them anyway and certainly wouldn't now.
Non-alcoholic - tea, coffee (with cream if possible), things like Coke Zero, soda water, etc. Many "energy drinks" have a zero sugar option, which if OK if you're fine with artificial sweetners. Milk does have carbohydrate in the form of lactose and hot milk will deliver a rise in my blood sugar very quickly.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/ has some useful information. There's also a website https://getdrunknotfat.com/ which lists drinks by carbs (and calories, not that I count calories).
The other thing to remember is that if you are low-carbing it can change how alcohol hits your bloodstream. In my experience, tolerance markedly decreases, so watch out for that.
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I think you just have to be careful around the amount you are going to drink and then think about how to manage your diabetes around it.
I had plenty of experiences at uni and generally going out over the past 10-15 years. (Heavy sessions, bars, clubs, to wine with my partner) Otherwise I have generally not worried too much about what I am drinking, just being careful on the amount and making sure I’m okay during and after which means you have to prep before and after.
Main things I do, make sure I eat before I go out with a carb meal and make sure I have something there in the morning like a juice or Lucozade.
I would always avoid anything like an energy drink with alcohol as they have too much sugar and can make you jittery with caffeine which could mistake you for feeling low. Wine is okay but I would tend not to mix with other alcohols. Usually stick to one type of drink for the night.
Beer has a lot of carbs in it so you will see your levels spike but they will come crashing down in the night so be careful.
Gin, vodka, whisky all fine but just be careful on the amount your going to drink and always have a zero mixer or a diet one.
Hope that helps?
- Messages
- 3,008
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Hi Michael
Your advice is (I understand) excellent alcohol intake advice for T1s on insulin, but the OP is a T2 on metformin only, and has a different set of concerns - going low is not going to be one of them.
Cheers!
K
Hi ..I find when eating out that eateries are very accommodating if you ask to swap starchy carbs (pots rice etc) for extra green veg. Drink wise I don’t really drink alcohol but a gin and low sugar tonic doesn’t spike my BS . Puddings I avoid but occasionally I might ask my husband for one bite of his . Yes it’s very restrictive but I am all but in remission now so I know this works and you can still go out for a meal and enjoy life. Good luck with finding your best levels …glucose testing of course will let you know what’s going on …
Thanks KennyA
I mistakenly didn’t check OP profile and see they were type 2.
Still new to this forum..!
- Messages
- 3,008
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
It's easily done, and unfortunately the sidebar cuts off that important bit of info.Thanks KennyA
I mistakenly didn’t check OP profile and see they were type 2.
Still new to this forum..!
