Dont Drink Energy Drinks Which Contain Sugar And Caffeine
Energy drinks give you a temporary boost of energy that comes from sugar, caffeine, and other additives, but all of that can also cause heart rhythm disturbances, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and disrupt sleep, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Just one 8.4 oz serving of Red Bull energy drink contains more than 26 g of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine, notes the USDA, and even the sugar-free version has 75 mg of caffeine. For comparison, 8 oz of brewed coffee contains roughly 92 mg of caffeine.
Instead of relying on liquid energy to keep you going, fight fatigue in other ways. Some of the best ways to stay healthy and alert are to focus on getting quality sleep and regular exercise . If you do need a quick energy boost, stick to healthier beverage options like unsweetened coffee and tea.
Additional reporting by Lauren Bedosky.
Learn more about the relationship between diet soda and diabetes in Diabetes Daily’s article “The Truth About Diet Soda“!
Be Good To Your Heart And Waistline
Alcohol is high in calories and low in nutrients. Thats why alcohol is often called empty calories. When your liver breaks down alcohol, it turns the alcohol into fat. That means drinking alcohol can make you gain weight. At 7 calories per gram, alcohol is nearly as calorie-dense as fat . Thats where that beer belly comes from! Alcohol use can also lead to elevated blood fats, or triglycerides, which raises your heart disease risk.
Red Wine And Type 2 Diabetes
Even though some alcoholic beverages increase blood glucose levels, research indicates that drinking red wine may actually be beneficial to those suffering from type 2 diabetes.
In a recent study out of the Annals of Internal Medicine, it was found that drinking red wine in moderation can decrease the chances of developing heart disease in those suffering from type 2 diabetes.
In this study, greater than 200 research participants were watched for up to 2 years. One group were instructed to drink a glass of red wine every day with supper, while others drank white wine and still others drank mineral water instead. All participants ate a Mediterranean-type diet that didnt restrict the intake of calories.
The study lasted 2 years. After 2 years, those who drank red wine had elevated levels of HDL cholesterol and decreased total cholesterol than were found in people who drank white wine or only drank mineral water. There were also benefits in the blood glucose level in the red wine drinking population. Researchers believed that drinking moderate amounts of this type of alcoholic beverage along with eating a healthy diet may moderately decrease the risk of heart disease.
Also Check: What Is The Best Blood Sugar Level
Whats The Relationship Between Alcohol And Diabetes
There is debate on whether light to moderate amounts of alcohol use can increase the risk of diabetes. Alcohol use, however, is known to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. There are several ways that alcohol may do this, including:
- Damaging your pancreas where insulin is made
- Increasing your weight, a known risk factor for diabetes
- Impairing the liver, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels
The safest way to avoid any of the potential risks of alcohol and diabetes is to avoid using alcohol altogether.
If you want to start living an alcohol-free life but cant seem to stop, help is available. Contact The Recovery Village to discuss treatment options that can fit your needs.
How Red Wine Affects Blood Sugar
According to the American Diabetes Association, drinking red wine or any alcoholic beverage can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours. Because of this, they recommend checking your blood sugar before you drink, while you drink, and monitoring it for up to 24 hours after drinking.
Intoxication and low blood sugar can share many of the same symptoms, so failing to check your blood glucose could cause others to assume youre feeling the effects of an alcoholic beverage when in reality your blood sugar may be reaching dangerously low levels.
Theres another reason to be mindful of your blood sugar levels while drinking: Some alcoholic beverages, including drinks that use juice or a mixer high in sugar, can increase blood sugar.
Also Check: Can Sugar Make Your Joints Hurt
Red Wine Alcohol And Blood Pressure In Healthy Males
One study that sheds light on the paradox involved 25 middle-aged men who were slightly overweight but otherwise healthy, with normal blood pressures, cholesterol and glucose levels. Each volunteer was asked to drink either half a bottle of red wine , or 375ml de-alcoholized red wine, or 375ml water with a light meal on three occasions, to compare the effects.
Their blood pressures were recorded over the following 24 hour periods with an ambulatory monitor. This showed their blood pressure fell by an average of 4.7/3.9 mmHg during the first four hours after drinking red wine, compared with the alcohol-free wine or water. During the following 24 hours after drinking red wine, their blood pressures were also lower, overall, by an average of 2.1/1.4 mmHg. However, during the last 4 hours, their systolic blood pressure increased significantly by 1.8 mmHg.
This initial fall and subsequent rise in blood pressure appeared to be linked with their levels of a powerful blood vessel constrictor called 20-HETE . Levels of 20-HETE fell in the 2 hours after drinking all the beverages but was then relatively higher 24 hours after drinking red wine. As this substance causes arteries to constrict, it could help to explain why long-term drinking is associated with an elevated blood pressure.
However, this study was in people with normal blood pressure control, and those with high blood pressure appear to respond differently.
Red Wine Indicates A Better Cardiometabolic Rate
After 2 years, no material differences were identified across the groups in blood pressure, adiposity, liver function, drug therapy, symptoms or quality of life, except that sleep quality improved in both wine groups compared with the water group.
However, patients who drank wine showed decreased cardiometabolic risks compared with those drinking mineral water. The red wine drinkers experienced the most significant changes in lipid variables.
The researchers unexpectedly found that while the alcohol itself appears to aid glycemic control, red wine has a stronger effect on lipid levels and overall variables of the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that its non-alcoholic constituents also play a role.
The red wine had seven times higher levels of total phenols than the white wine. Whether the phenolic compounds increase the cardioprotectiveness is still debated. The team calls for differences between red and white wine to be further studied, with focus on the varied biodeliverability of the compounds.
The team found that genetic differences affected glycemic control and therefore suggest that genetic information could assist in identifying which patients with type 2 diabetes would benefit from moderate wine consumption.
Limitations include the participants not being blinded to treatment allocation, but the long-term nature of the study is a strength.
Read Also: How To Cut Sugar From My Diet
Three Glasses Of Red Wine A Week Can Lower Blood Pressure Study Finds
A new study suggests you shouldnt feel guilty about drinking red wine in moderation during the week in fact, it could give you health benefits.
A team of experts in Germany and Northern Ireland looked at the link between consumption of flavonoids found in red wine, among other food and drink and blood pressure in a sample of nearly 1,000 German people.
They found drinking three standard-sized glasses of red wine a week can lower blood pressure.
Its thought that flavonoids promote the relaxation of muscles in our arteries, allowing them to widen and therefore improving blood flow.
However, the experts stress that if you dont drink alcohol already, you shouldnt start, and that boozers should always bear in mind official drinking guidelines.
Red grapes, their skin, their seeds and the wine derived from them are rich in beneficial compounds called flavonoids
Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol
Check with your doctor to make sure alcohol doesnt interfere with your medications or complicate any of your medical conditions. Drinking alcohol can lead to serious low blood sugar reactions, especially if you take insulin or types of diabetes pills that stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas. Alcohol can also affect other medical conditions you may have, like diabetic nerve damage, diabetic eye disease, and high blood triglycerides. Get guidelines for alcohol use from your medical provider.
Also Check: Do Insulin Pumps Measure Blood Sugar
It Wears On Your Entire Body
Regular drinking is not only going to make your blood sugars more difficult to control, its going to wear on your liver and your kidneys, both of which are already under greater stress if your blood sugars are higher than ideal.
If you already have diagnosed retinopathy in your eyes, regular drinking can worsen the health of the nerves and blood vessels in your eyes.
The long-term effects of regular alcohol consumption are well documented, but for people with diabetes, anything wears on us more noticeably because our body is already experiencing higher levels of inflammation along with blood vessel and nerve damage due to non-diabetic blood sugar levels.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people living with diabetes follow the general guidelines for alcohol consumption:
- Men: No more than 2 drinks per day on average
- Women: No more than 1 drink per day on average
Alcohol And Blood Sugar
Alcohol, including wine, may increase the risk of dangerously low blood sugar, even in people who are not taking insulin or other diabetes medications.
The liver releases glucose to help the body maintain a healthy blood sugar level. The liver also must break down alcohol. So when a person is drinking, the liver is less effective at releasing glucose when the body needs it.
The risk of alcohol-related low glucose is higher when a person:
- drinks on an empty stomach
- takes diabetes medication or insulin
- replaces a meal with alcohol
- drinks to excess
It takes about 11.5 hours for the liver to break down the alcohol in one drink. Until the body successfully metabolizes the alcohol, the risk of low blood glucose persists.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following strategies:
- eating plenty of low glycemic index foods, such as whole wheat pasta and bread, milk, yogurt, and apples
- eating a high-fiber diet that includes foods such as whole grain bread, vegetables, and fruits, which can help lower blood glucose
- switching from eating three large meals a day to having more frequent, smaller meals
- eating plenty of lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, and lentils
- reaching or maintaining a moderate body weight to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications
People can take the following measures to drink more safely:
Emergency help will be necessary if a person faints or experiences other symptoms of low blood glucose.
Recommended Reading: How To Bring My Sugar Down
Red Wine’s Glycemic Index
The glycemic index of any food or drink indicates how the item affects your blood sugar. Foods or drinks with a high glycemic index — 70 or above — cause a faster rise in your blood sugar than items with a moderate- or low-glycemic index. Red wine has a glycemic index of zero. Beer and distilled beverages also have a glycemic index of zero.
Take Notes On How Much Insulin You Took For Different Types Of Alcohol
Everybodys a little bit different, so you cant just copy how a friend with diabetes manages their insulin around a glass of wine, says Harris.
For some people, one glass of wine at 9 p.m. can cause a significant drop in blood sugar at 4 a.m. And for others, nothing happens at all! Its crucial that you approach each type of alcohol with an awareness that it might affect you differently than the last type of alcohol you drank.
Beer, for example, varies in its carb-count but those carbs are coming from a very starchy sourcegrain. So you may find that one bottle of beer calls for 1 unit of insulin while two glasses of pinot grigio doesnt require any insulin.
Harris wants to remind us all again to keep track of how many drinks weve had, too, because the more you drink, the more work your liver has to do to process that poison. And that means more time spent with alcohol impacting your blood sugars, too.
You May Like: Can Low Blood Sugar Cause You To Blackout
Can Diabetics Drink Wine Safely
As you are probably aware, small amounts of alcohol may cause your blood sugar to rise but excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level causing it to drop into dangerous levels, especially if you suffer from type 1 diabetes.
So, the recommendation is to check blood sugar before you drink, while you drink, and monitor it for up to 24 hours after drinking. If drinking wine makes you feel dizzy or weak, stop drinking right away.
The best recipe lies in moderation. Two glasses of wine are sufficient for your condition. Plus, for diabetics, it is recommended to always eat while you drink.
Which wine you drink matters as well. Some wines give you a headache while others can seriously increase the levels of sugar in your blood. Thats why it is important to read the labels and choose those types that are more suitable for your health condition.
Learn more about sulphite free wine and how sulphites can affect your possible hangover.
Can Diabetics Drink Wine
Wondering if a glass of red or white wine is OK to have with dinner? The American Diabetes Association says yes, as long as youre not pregnant and dont have a history of alcohol abuse.
The ADA also recommends that you eat whenever youre drinking an alcoholic beverage. Since alcohol can cause severe, life-threatening low blood sugar , food is essential to help the body regulate blood glucose levels.One study showed that moderate alcohol intake was associated with lower blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity in healthy people without diabetes. Another study showed that blood sugar levels didnt differ for 12 hours after a meal between diabetic patients who drank a glass of wine with dinner and those who drank an equal amount of water. Finally, a number of studies have suggested that moderate alcohol intake may have a positive effect on blood cholesterol and lipid levels. Just remember that alcohol calories should be included in your meal plan . Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on the latest news. Share it with your friends , and bookmark it so you dont miss a single juicy post!Talk to us on and !
Also Check: Is 88 Blood Sugar Good
Can You Recommend A Few Low
Q: Can you recommend a few low-sugar wines for a diabetic? Patti
A: According to Thomas Donner, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and acting director of the Diabetes Center, most table wines have little to no residual sugars, and therefore no immediate effect on blood sugar levels. Dessert wines, however, do have residual sugars, and should be avoided by sugar-sensitive patients.
But as a diabetic, it’s not enough to know how much sugar is in wine, you also have to be aware of how alcohol affects your sugar levels. In diabetics, the liver produces extra sugars. Alcohol reduces the amount of sugar a liver produces, so consumption of alcohol can actually bring these sugar levels down temporarily. As such, according to Donner, “alcohol may be paradoxically beneficial for people with diabetes.”
Patients taking insulin need to be especially cautious when drinking alcohol, since insulin also lowers blood sugar levels. Donner explains: “the amount of alcohol in one glass of wine is enough to prevent the liver from making sugar, thus increasing the risk of a more severe low blood sugar reaction from insulin therapy.” Too much alcohol can also impair someone’s ability to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar. Insulin patients, therefore, must be vigilant and test their blood sugar levels when consuming alcohol.
Have a question about wine and healthy living? .
Teach Your Friends And Family About Alcohol And Diabetes Management
Even if its your first week at college with brand-new roommates, its critical that the friends youre going to parties with know they can never let you just sleep it off if you pass out on the couch after a lot of alcohol.
They should try to wake you up to be sure you are not blackout drunk and insist that you check your blood sugar and think about any medications you still need to take. If they discover that you are blackout drunk and unresponsive, they should call 911.
The risk of experiencing a severe low blood sugar after that much alcohol is too high to risk hoping you wake up feeling fine in the morning.
Also Check: How To Decrease Blood Sugar Level
Does Red Wine Raise Blood Sugar
4.8/5red wineblood sugarred winecanblood sugarblood sugar
Accordingly, can wine raise your blood sugar?
While moderate amounts of alcohol may cause blood sugar to rise, excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level — sometimes causing it to drop into dangerous levels, especially for people with type 1 diabetes. Beer and sweet wine contain carbohydrates and may raise blood sugar.
Additionally, what is the best alcohol to drink for a diabetic? The best alcoholic drinks for diabetes include:
- Light beer and dry wines. These alcohol drinks have fewer calories and carbohydrates than other alcoholic drinks.
- Liquor neat, on the rocks, or with a splash.
- Sugar-free mixers for mixed drinks.
Similarly one may ask, does red wine raise insulin levels?
In comparison, wine is made from fermented grapes, a fruit that does not cause insulin levels to spike because they have a low Glycemic Index. One glass of wine may have as many calories as one bottle of beer, but the former doesn’t cause an insulin spike, while the latter does, Dr. Nguyen adds.
Is red or white wine better for diabetics?
Those who drank red or white wine also saw modest improvements in glucose metabolism. Drinking one 5-ounce serving of red or white wine wasn’t associated with any negative effect on medication use, blood pressure or liver function tests. The current thought is that people with diabetes can drink moderately.