What to Know About Alcohol and Diabetes
Can I drink alcohol? This is one of the top questions people with diabetes (PWDs) ask their health care providers after being diagnosed with diabetes. This is understandable if you want to continue to enjoy alcohol as part of your lifestyle. The answer about alcohol and diabetes varies based on you, your health status, and the blood glucose-lowering medications you take to manage your diabetes.
In general, diabetes experts recommend that most PWDs can drink alcohol in moderation without compromising their health, blood glucose control, or safety. In fact, there may be a few health benefits of regular moderate alcohol intake.
Here is expert advice on drinking alcohol with diabetes, plus up-to-date advice about how to fit alcohol into your healthy eating plan. Plus find out how many calories a margarita has, if a glass of wine will spike blood sugar, if a beer will derail your diabetes meal plan and more. From wine and spirits to beer and cocktails, our guide to drinking with diabetes tells you all you need to know about mixing alcohol and diabetes.
How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
Adults with diabetes can drink alcohol and should follow the same guidelines as the general public: an average of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men (see serving sizes below). Adults, with or without diabetes, should not drink more than three or four drinks in any single day. Health care providers do not advise you start drinking if you typically abstain.
When it comes to blood sugar control, research shows a moderate amount of alcohol has minimal short- or long-term effects on blood sugar levels in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, drinking more than three drinks per day over time has been shown to make glucose control a challenge.
A serving size for one drink is:
12 ounces of regular or light beer
5 ounces of wine (any type other than sweet dessert wine)
1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (such as scotch, gin, rum, or whiskey) (consumed alone or within a mixed drink)
1-1/2 ounces of liqueur
Alcoholic beverages are made from grains or fruits (starches or sugars) through the processes of fermentation and distillation, so alcohol cannot be changed into glucose. Also, alcohol is the only nutrient that doesn't require insulin to be broken down for energy—carbohydrate, protein, and fat do.
Heart-Healthy Benefits of Alcohol
Moderate consumption of alcohol has been shown to have a few health benefits: It's associated with a 30-50 percent decrease in the risk of heart disease and a 50-80 percent decrease in the risk of death from heart disease.
Improves HDL (good) cholesterol
"The majority of alcohol's beneficial effect is on improving HDL (good) cholesterol," says Alan Graber, M.D., Ph.D., FACE, a past president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). Studies suggest that one to two alcoholic drinks a day (beer, wine, or spirits) increases HDL an average of 12 percent. "However, the benefit of improving HDL is lost if a person gains weight," Graber says.
Improves insulin sensitivity
A couple of recent research studies have shown that adults with diabetes might see a slight improvement in their insulin sensitivity with moderate alcohol consumption. This means the body may make more efficient use of the insulin the pancreas continues to make.
Alcohol and Blood Glucose-Lowering Medications
The biggest concern surrounding alcohol consumption is for people who take insulin and/or glucose-lowering medication, which can cause the increased risk of hypoglycemia. These include all of the insulins and pills in the sulfonylurea category and in the glinide category. The most commonly used glucose-lowering medications for type 2 diabetes today generally don't cause hypoglycemia.
The effects of insulin and other blood glucose-lowering medications that work by increasing your body's release of insulin, such as sulfonylureas and glinides, can also increase the risk of late-onset hypoglycemia, says endocrinologist Alan Graber. Talk to your healthcare team about the type of medicine you're taking and how it may react with alcohol.
When to Say ‘Yes' or ‘No' to Alcohol
When to say 'yes' to alcohol:
"If a person with diabetes chooses to drink alcohol, they should also know what effect alcohol may have on their blood glucose control and the management of their diabetes, and how to drink safely," Graber says.
When to say 'no' to alcohol:
Drinking alcohol isn't recommended for PWDs who:
are not yet of legal age to consume alcohol.
take prescription or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol.
have uncontrolled blood sugar.
have a history of alcohol abuse or dependence.
take metformin (Glucophage) and have difficulty restricting alcohol intake to more than a moderate amount, including a history of binge drinking. If so, talk to your provider about not using metformin.
have a condition that prohibits consuming alcohol: liver disease, pancreatitis, advanced neuropathy (nerve problems from diabetes), or severe hypertriglyceridemia (elevated triglycerides).
plan to drive or operate machinery, which could cause injury to one's self and others.
are pregnant (due to the general recommendations and warnings about alcohol consumption and pregnancy).
are breastfeeding.
Trying to lose weight?
Most PWDs can enjoy moderate alcohol consumption. However, the amount of alcohol should be considered additional calories within a healthy eating plan. Healthful foods should not be omitted to compensate for the calories from alcohol. Each serving of alcohol contains about 100-150 calories, and they can add up quickly. Consider keeping alcohol consumption to a couple times a week or less if weight loss is in your diabetes management game plan.
Top Tips for Drinking Alcohol with Diabetes
Here are the top tips for drinking alcohol for people with diabetes:
Don't drink on an empty stomach.
Don't skip meals when you drink alcohol, particularly if you take a blood glucose-lowering medication that could cause hypoglycemia. As a guideline, plan to eat when having a drink, and know what your blood sugar level is before you start drinking.
Limit extra calories and carbohydrate with alcohol.
Avoid high-calorie and high-carbohydrate mixed drinks, such as margaritas and daiquiris. Keep the calorie and carb count of your alcohol drinks low by drinking light beer, a glass of wine, or a shot of distilled spirits on the rocks or mixed with a noncaloric beverage like water, club soda, diet tonic water, or diet soda.
Practice moderation.
One way to stick to your drink limit is to not use your alcoholic beverage to quench your thirst. Have a no-calorie drink with a meal, or alternate an alcoholic drink with a nonalcoholic drink (within your alcoholic drink limit).
Test, test, test.
Your blood sugar should be at a safe level (90-150 mg/dl) before you drink alcohol. If your blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dl and you take a glucose-lowering medication that can cause hypoglycemia, treat your low before you drink. The best way to learn how your body responds to alcohol is with frequent glucose checks.
Carry emergency glucose.
If you're at risk of hypoglycemia, make sure you carry glucose tablets, gel, or liquid. Hypoglycemia treatments such as juice or regular soda might be available where you are consuming alcohol, but it's best to have treatments on hand.
Hypoglycemia may strike later.
The potential for late-onset hypoglycemia in PWDs who take insulin happens a number of hours after consuming alcohol. Therefore, regular blood sugar checks are important, including overnight if necessary.
Educate companions to provide an assist if needed.
Alert friends and family about the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and how these signs could differ from overconsumption of alcohol. Let them know how to check your blood sugar if you can't and where you have your hypoglycemia treatments. If you are unconscious and experiencing severe hypoglycemia, encourage them to call 911 and to stay with you until emergency personnel arrive.
Wear a diabetes ID.
Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia can be similar to the effects of excess alcohol consumption. People who don't know you, such as law enforcement personnel, might attribute these signs and symptoms to intoxication and not realize you have diabetes. This can prevent you from getting the rapid care you need. Wear a diabetes ID to help people quickly identify that your blood sugar is low and provide you with the proper care.
Carb & Calorie Drink Guide for Diabetes
Nutrition values vary by brand (the manufacturer may be able to provide precise nutrition information), serving size, and how they're prepared. Cocktails made from packaged mixes will have higher carb and calorie values than listed.
Light Beer
Serving Size: 12 ounces
104 calories
6 grams carbs
0 grams sugar
Tip: The difference between light beer and low-carb beer is insignificant. If you are watching calories, choose a light beer that satisfies you. If you have calories to spare, enjoy a regular beer of your choice.
Margarita
Serving Size: 3.5 ounces
128 calories
17 grams carbs
17 grams sugar
Tip: Measure the serving of your favorite drinks at home so you'll be able to better estimate the servings when you're at a restaurant. Many restaurants serve super-sized margaritas made with very sweet mixers. Make a margarita with less sugar at home and you'll know exactly what you're getting, like our Blood Orange Margarita pictured above.
Red Wine
Serving Size: 5 ounces
153 calories
5 grams carbs
1 gram sugar
Tip: No studies have found that red wine is a healthier choice than any other form of alcohol. However, it does have a unique profile of antioxidants that can be beneficial to your health if consumed in moderation.
Scotch
Serving Size: 3 ounces
194 calories
0 grams carbs
0 grams sugar
Tip: Healthy mixers for scotch, bourbon, and other spirits include water, club soda, diet soda, and diet tonic. Fruit juice is an option but adds carbs and calories.
Sparkling or White Wine
Serving Size: 5 ounces
148 calories
5 grams carbs
2 grams sugar
Tip: Different types of sparkling wine contain different amounts of sugar: Extra Brut contains less than 0.6 percent sugar per liter, while the sweetest type, Doux, can have up to 8 percent sugar per liter. Create your own wine spritzer with a 5-ounce serving of wine along with the sparkle from club soda or diet lemon-lime soda.
Regular Beer
Serving Size: 12 ounces
155 calories
13 grams carbs
0 grams sugar
Tip: If you're trying to lose weight, choose a light beer to save calories and carbs.
Martini
Serving Size: 4 ounces
241 calories
0 grams carbs
0 grams sugar
Tip: Whether it's a sweet or savory martini, go light on the garnish. Some olives are packed in sugar-water and can add unwanted carbs. So can oranges, strawberries, grapes, and sugary rims. Making your own can save you calories and added sugars.
Mojito
Serving Size: 7 ounces
137 calories
6 grams carbs
4 grams sugar
Tip: Make your mojito with a low-calorie sweetener to help save calories and carbs.
Bloody Mary
Serving Size: 10 ounces (with ice)
155 calories
7 grams carbs
5 grams sugar
Tip: Use low-sodium tomato juice when making your bloody mary. Recipes like our Spicy Pickled Blood Marys add pickled vegetables and celery so you can boost your veg intake, too.
Kahlua and Cream
Serving Size: 3 ounces
294 calories
18 grams carbs
18 grams sugar
Tip: Cut the fat in this drink by choosing 2 percent milk, low-fat milk, or almond milk instead of high-fat cream.
Daiquiris
Serving Size: 8 ounces (with fruit and ice)
266 calories
35 grams carbs
34 grams sugar
Tip: Have fun making your own sweet cocktail. Sugar-filled drink mixes, such as daiquiris and pina coladas, may pack 25-50 grams of carb in just 4 ounces, whereas cocktails made from scratch can have significantly less carbohydrate. If you're making drinks at home, shop for low-sugar or sugar-free mixers or use fresh fruit, such as strawberries. We have this Classic Daiquiri recipe that uses fresh citrus to keep it light.
Irish Coffee
Serving Size: 7 ounces
211 calories
5 grams carbs
5 grams sugar
Tip: Save calories by sweetening with a sugar substitute.
Egg Nog
Serving Size: 4 ounces
112 calories
10 grams carbs
10 grams sugar
Tip: Choose light egg nog to save calories, carbs, and fat.
Sherry
Serving Size: 3 ounces
168 calories
14 grams carbs
8 grams sugar
Tip: Sherry is a great drink to sip slowly and enjoy.
