Updated on March 30, 2016.
By Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE
The calorie and carbohydrate content of alcoholic beverages can vary widely. Since calorie and carb intake is crucial for people with diabetes (for weight management and blood glucose control), drinking with diabetes is no small matter. You have to consider alcoholic beverages as potential sources for added calories and carbs.
Alcohol has calories — about 64 in 1 ounce of 80-proof distilled spirits — but no carbs. Beers and wines, which are lower in alcohol content, have some carbs from the fermentation process. Mixed cocktails, dessert wines, liqueurs and craft beers are wild cards because they can be extremely high in both calories and carbs. A blended frozen margarita from a premade mix can add 400 or 500 calories to your day. If you indulge in these specialty drinks, be sure to check the nutrition facts label for the calorie and carb amounts and the serving size.
That said, moderate drinkers managing diabetes who are otherwise healthy should be able to adjust their daily meal plan to accommodate the calories and carbs in a shot of bourbon, an ice-cold beer, or a relaxing glass of wine. And, if you select a low-carb beer, the carb count for each drink is negligible — 6 grams or less. In addition to choosing wisely (check out our carb count table to learn the nutrition facts and serving sizes for common alcoholic beverages) and keeping consumption moderate (that’s no more than one drink a day for women, and two for men), here's how to safely mix diabetes and drinking alcohol:
Published on March 18, 2015.
Toby Smithson holds a master of science in nutrition and wellness and has effectively managed her own type 1 diabetes for more than 45 years. Smithson is the co-author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies.
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