Diabetes is directly related to your diet, so it makes sense that people focus on their food when managing the condition. However, what you drink can also affect your ability to manage diabetes. Sugary drinks can worsen your condition and make it harder to control blood sugar levels.
Why sugary drinks are bad for people with diabetes
Managing diabetes means keeping blood sugar (glucose) levels in a target range. Blood sugar levels that are too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia) put you at higher risk for several health conditions, including nerve damage, eyesight issues, heart conditions and kidney disease.
Drinking beverages with added sugar can spike your blood sugar. Research shows that it can also cause higher levels of inflammation in your body, which can harm healthy tissues and organs.
You can still enjoy a sweet drink from time to time — you just need to count it as part of your daily calories and carbohydrates. Check the nutrition label to see how much sugar is in your drink so you can make smart decisions.
Best drinks for diabetics
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with diabetes drink mostly zero- or low-calorie beverages. The best choices include:
- Water (either still or sparkling water)
- Unsweetened or diet teas
- Unsweetened coffee
You can also enjoy diet sodas and zero- or low-calorie drink mixes in moderation. While they won’t spike your blood sugar, the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks may cause some health issues.
Some higher-calorie drinks offer vitamins and minerals — so keep an eye on how much you have. Drinks that are OK in small amounts include:
- Low-fat and fat-free (skim or nonfat) milk, which provides protein, calcium and possibly added vitamins and minerals
- 100% juice, with no added sugar
- Low-sodium vegetable juice, which may offer vitamins, minerals and a full serving of vegetables
How to jazz up your water
Without a doubt, water is the best drink choice — even for people who do not have diabetes. If you find it hard to drink a lot of water or don’t love the taste, try these tips to keep things interesting:
- Squeeze in some lemon or lime.
- Add fruits to sparkling (seltzer) water as a substitute for soda.
- Make flavored ice cubes by freezing iced tea, fruit pieces or juice and adding them to water.
What not to drink if you have diabetes
One serving of some drinks can have nearly a meal’s worth of carbohydrates and several hundred calories — while offering little to no nutritional value. People with diabetes should avoid certain drinks, including:
- Regular soda
- Fruit punch
- Lemonade (or any drink ending in “ade”)
- Sports drinks
- Energy drinks
- Sweet tea
Diabetes and alcohol
Alcohol adds calories and carbs to your daily diet. It can also worsen other health conditions.
The biggest concern about drinking alcohol when you have diabetes is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), especially if you take diabetes medications. When you drink, your liver — which helps maintain blood sugar levels — turns its focus to breaking down alcohol instead, allowing your blood sugar to drop.
Talk to your doctor about drinking alcohol with diabetes. Having an occasional drink if you have diabetes may be OK if you understand the risks and do it safely, remembering to:
- Ask your doctor about drinking alcohol if you take diabetes medication, since alcohol interferes with the effects of some medicines
- Include the drink’s calories and carbohydrates in your daily diet
- Limit yourself to 1 drink per day for women and 2 daily drinks for men
- Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach or when your blood sugar is low
Your doctor can help you make healthy food and drink choices and offer other support for managing diabetes, so you can continue to feel your best.
Contact us
If you need help managing your diabetes, find a doctor at MLK Community Healthcare or call 424-529-6755 today to make an appointment.