The 12 Best Types of Alcohol for People With Diabetes

Excessive alcohol consumption with diabetes can cause numerous health risks.

Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition affecting the metabolism of blood sugar (glucose). It is caused by either tissue resistance to the body's available insulin or lower-than-normal insulin production (a hormone produced by the pancreas).

Does alcohol raise blood sugar or lower it? Depending on the drink consumed, stomach status (empty or full), and medicines you take, alcohol consumption may excessively increase (hyperglycemia) or reduce (hypoglycemia) blood sugar levels. Read on to learn if diabetics can drink alcohol, and if so, which are the best alcoholic drinks for diabetics.

Consuming alcohol can affect diabetes in the following ways:

• Alcohol can compete with the liver's ability to produce glucose when the blood sugar is low.
• Alcohol can cloud judgment, preventing you from realizing hypoglycemia symptoms.
• Alcohol can dangerously lower blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours in people on insulin or other antihyperglycemic medicines.
• Long-term alcohol consumption damages the liver and may limit the permissible medications you take for your diabetes.

Can diabetics drink alcohol?

It is best if people with diabetes mellitus avoid alcohol. There really is no "best alcohol for diabetics," but alcohol may be safe as long as it is consumed in extreme moderation and suitable types of drinks are chosen that are free of or low in carbohydrates and sugar.

The best alcoholic beverages for diabetics include:

Beers

Beers contain carbs, but if you prefer drinking beer, let's see which beer is good for diabetes.

The following are some light beers that are low in carbs and relatively safer for diabetics, in moderation:

1. Coors Light: One of America's popular beer brands with a low-carb version suitable for people with diabetes.
   • A serving of a 12-ounce (360-mL) bottle provides five grams of carbs.
2. Miller Lite: An American-style light lager made with barley malt and corn syrup.
   • A standard 12-ounce (360-mL) can contains 3.2 grams of carbohydrates.
3. Bud Lite: Slightly sweet and a low-carb beer that provides fewer than five grams of carbs per 12-ounce (360-mL) serving.
4. Busch: A good alternative for people with diabetes due to its low carb content.
   • A 12-ounce (360-mL) serving of regular Busch contains just seven grams of carbs, whereas the same serving sizes of Busch Ice and Busch Light provide 4.2 and 3.2 grams, respectively.
5. Amstel Light: A unique mixture of barley and hops that delivers a full, never-diluted flavor.
   • A 12-ounce bottle of Amstel Light has five grams of carbs.

Wine

Wines contain sugar and carbs too, and in general, red wines and white wines contain less sugar than dessert wines. Choose a drier wine and drink moderately.

1. White wine: Has a carb content similar to red wine; a standard five-ounce (150-mL) serving of white wine provides 3.8 grams of carbs.
   • Dry and brut varieties of Champagne are good choices; they are low in sugar and carb content.
2. Red wine: Has high antioxidant content, which is linked with the most health benefits, such as improving heart disease markers and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (damage to the blood vessels of the eyes), in people with diabetes and without diabetes.
   • A standard five-ounce (150-mL) serving provides 3.8 grams of carbs.

Distilled spirits or hard liquors

The best liquor for diabetics is any alcohol that is distilled, because distilled spirits are devoid of carbs. Moderation is still the key to drink safely.

1. Gin, rum, vodka, or whiskey: A serving of 1.5 ounces (45 mL) contains zero carbs.
   • Avoid these drinks on an empty stomach or mix them with sugary drinks to prevent blood sugar spikes and then dipping to dangerously low levels.

Cocktails made with hard liquor contain carbs, but here are some low-carb options if you like to drink cocktails.

Low-carb cocktails

1. Vodka soda: A combination of vodka and club soda with a carb count of 0 grams.
   • Try to avoid flavored vodka, which may contain added syrups.
2. Martini: Made by mixing gin or vodka with dry vermouth in a 2:1 ratio and then garnishing it with an olive or a twist of lemon peel.
   • A four-ounce (120-mL) drink contains 0.2 grams of total carbs.
3. Bloody Mary: Made by mixing vodka and tomato juice with different sauces and spices and serving it with a celery stick.
4. Gimlet: A classic cocktail featuring gin, lime juice, and sugar.
   • A serving of this simple drink contains one gram of carbs.

Irrespective of whether you have diabetes, the rules are the same for everyone; that is, no more than one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. Contrary to some past studies that suggested that moderate drinking was beneficial for health, newer studies show that moderate drinking is not more beneficial than not drinking at all and may in fact be harmful. It is best for health to avoid drinking altogether, but if you do drink, drink moderately, whether diabetic or not.

Drinking more than four drinks (for women) or five drinks (for men) within two hours is strongly discouraged for health and safety reasons, irrespective of your diabetic status.

The American Diabetes Association and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that moderate alcohol consumption (no more than one to two drinks per day) is reasonably safe for most people with diabetes.

One serving of alcohol looks like the following:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (gin, rum, vodka, etc.)

If you have diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption can cause other health risks, such as:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Worsening of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)
• Insomnia or decreased quality of sleep
• Obesity
• Dehydration
• Increased risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease

To stay safe, follow these practices when drinking:

• Eat beforehand to avoid drinking on an empty stomach.
• Never drink on an empty stomach, especially if you take insulin or diabetes pills called sulfonylureas.
• Stay hydrated.
• Monitor blood sugar regularly before, during, and after drinking.
• Avoid drinking if your blood sugar is low.
• Always keep treatment for low blood sugar with you, particularly if at risk of hypoglycemia.
• Know your limit and stick to the rule of moderation.

What alcohol is lowest in sugar?

Light beers, and dry red and white wines are the lowest in sugar. Distilled liquors are completely devoid of sugar and can offer the option of sugar free alcohol for diabetics.

Does alcohol increase blood sugar levels?

Many alcohols increase blood sugar levels because they contain a lot of sugars and carbs. These include dessert wines, many types of cocktails, cream liqueurs, and others. It is difficult to determine your intake of carbs when you drink, and if you take more than one drink, it impairs your judgement as well. Indirectly, alcohol stimulates appetite and often, alcoholic drinks are accompanied by unhealthy and excessive amounts of fried snacks that are loaded with carbs, which can raise blood sugar.

Can alcohol lower blood sugar?

Alcohol can lower blood sugar because it is a toxin broken down by the liver. The liver is responsible for converting stored glycogen into glucose when your body needs it. When you drink alcohol, the liver's priority becomes breaking the alcohol down, instead of producing the glucose your body needs, leading to hypoglycemia.

Does alcohol cause diabetes problems?

Diabetes is a condition that affects sugar levels to begin with, which can only be controlled by following a healthy diet and exercise regimen, along with the necessary medications. Alcohol, by impacting the sugar levels can further compound the problems for diabetics. It can affect liver function, contribute to obesity and insulin resistance, and affect the pancreas and insulin production, all of which can make it difficult to maintain optimum glucose levels in people with diabetes.

In addition, antidiabetic medications increase your insulin levels and/or insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk for dangerous hypoglycemia when you drink alcohol. Although not very common, drinking alcohol when you are taking metformin, an antidiabetic drug, can lead to buildup of lactic acid in the blood and lead to lactic acidosis, a serious medical condition.

Can alcohol cause diabetes?

Alcohol does not directly cause diabetes, but it increases the risk for developing diabetes. It is a contributing factor to obesity, insulin resistance, and liver and pancreas damage, all of which are risk factors for diabetes.

Can quitting alcohol reverse diabetes?

Diabetes is not a curable condition and has to be managed with medications and a healthy lifestyle. Quitting alcohol is unlikely to reverse diabetes, but it will definitely make it easier to maintain blood sugar at optimal levels. It will also cut down the risk of disease progression and other diabetic complications, and you will be able to manage your diabetes better with diet and exercise without the need for higher doses of medications.