Alcohol and low carb

[Rayjen]

Hi

I have been reading the site a lot this year. Diagnosed with high BG late Dec, had heard about the Newcastle diet.
Lost 10kg with a low calorie diet and continuing with a low carb diet. No longer worried about BG or the reversal/remission debate (which I had been hung up on earlier). Partner and I are finding low carb is relatively easy to keep going. It just makes sense to eat less carbs as they have an impact on BG.

The site has been wonderful, thank you, with lots of generous contributions, and empathy.

Browsing the other night I found a reference to the Freshwell low carb project, and in the section for professionals I found a reference to a paper that mentioned that alcohol tolerance is reduced on a low carb diet. In fact there is lots of online references to alcohol and low carb.

I hadn't previously known that, even with all the reading I had done this year. Maybe there are some others who are not aware?

I had read that wine may be a good choice if you want to drink alcohol on a low carb diet, but had some wine on a night out a few weeks ago, and found I was more affected than previously.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I like real ale. 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi

I have been reading the site a lot this year. Diagnosed with high BG late Dec, had heard about the Newcastle diet.
Lost 10kg with a low calorie diet and continuing with a low carb diet. No longer worried about BG or the reversal/remission debate (which I had been hung up on earlier). Partner and I are finding low carb is relatively easy to keep going. It just makes sense to eat less carbs as they have an impact on BG.

The site has been wonderful, thank you, with lots of generous contributions, and empathy.

Browsing the other night I found a reference to the Freshwell low carb project, and in the section for professionals I found a reference to a paper that mentioned that alcohol tolerance is reduced on a low carb diet. In fact there is lots of online references to alcohol and low carb.

I hadn't previously known that, even with all the reading I had done this year. Maybe there are some others who are not aware?

I had read that wine may be a good choice if you want to drink alcohol on a low carb diet, but had some wine on a night out a few weeks ago, and found I was more affected than previously.

That is interesting but it may be more to do with the food you also had, than the wine or the combination of the two.
I think the effect can vary person to person, for some it can increase blood glucose, for other it reduces it. I suppose it all depends on what priority your body gives to dealing with the alcohol.

 

[Callista]

Apart from dry white, I've heard that for red, Cab Sav is a 'less worse' option for diabetes. Not sure if this is so or not, but if it is, I assume Cab Sav is pretty dry?

Of course, all alcohol is metabolised to glucose, but presumably if it already comes with sugar (eg, port!) then it is adding even more to our glucose loading?

Some wines also have more alcohol/stronger proof, so that too is something to watch out for.

 

[harbottle]

Apart from dry white, I've heard that for red, Cab Sav is a 'less worse' option for diabetes. Not sure if this is so or not, but if it is, I assume Cab Sav is pretty dry?

Of course, all alcohol is metabolised to glucose, but presumably if it already comes with sugar (eg, port!) then it is adding even more to our glucose loading?

Some wines also have more alcohol/stronger proof, so that too is something to watch out for.

No, alcohol is not metabolised to glucose.
It’s metabolisation has different pathways based on how much is drunk, but some is turned into fatty acids, some is turned into some pretty poisonous stuff. Hence the health warnings!

I find three drinks, including a pint, sends my BG spiralling downwards. Apparently due to the living being unable to multi task!

 

[Callista]

Well, that's a turn up! I'm sure I've always read in the 'popular press' (!) that alcohol is empty calories and just ends up as sugar in your blood. However, maybe that's only if you drink sweet alcohol (port, sweeter wines, dessert wines etc)??

So, does drinking dry wine/non-sweet cocktails etc, not contribute to higher BG levels (outwith what our livers may do in response - ie, it's no the alcohol of itself turning to glucose and raising BG levels)??

 

[harbottle]

If the drink has carbs in it, like beer, they’ll go through the usual process… hence why I drink spirits although I have had the odd pint and not seen any rise.

Alcohol actually can lower blood sugar due to the way the body works.

 

[Callista]

Gosh, forgot about beer - and cider.

But it's encouraging (if that's the right word!!) to know I can drink some dry alcohol (spirits is not my thing, which is just as well)(unless they are diluted with fruit juice into a yummy sweet cocktail!), and not have to worry about my BG from that cause at least!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Gosh, forgot about beer - and cider.

But it's encouraging (if that's the right word!!) to know I can drink some dry alcohol (spirits is not my thing, which is just as well)(unless they are diluted with fruit juice into a yummy sweet cocktail!), and not have to worry about my BG from that cause at least!

Cider was one of the worse drinks for me, even dry cider is back sweetened.