Beer in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Beer is one of the most popular drinks in many countries of the world. It is produced on a grain basis without distillation by fermentation, has a pleasant taste, is a good tonic, not too strong, which allows you to drink it leisurely with friends, stretching out the pleasure and not getting drunk. But is diabetes an obstacle to its consumption?

Is it possible to drink beer if you have diabetes type 1 or 2?

For a healthy body, beer can be very useful, because it contains a lot of protein, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, folic, ascorbic acid, phenolic and mineral compounds, phytoestrogens, and salts of organic acids. [ 1 ]

It has been proven that moderate consumption of the drink reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, prevents anemia, kidney stones, removes "bad" cholesterol, helps cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, fights stress, has a diuretic property, increases bone density, preventing their fragility, thins the blood, preventing the formation of blood clots. [ 2 ]

It would seem that all these characteristics are so necessary for a person suffering from diabetes, if not for the high caloric content of the drink and the presence of ethanol in it. For type 1 diabetes, beer is not recommended at all, since alcohol increases glycemic indicators for the next 10 hours.

The second type allows a limited volume (no more than a glass of 250-300 ml per day 2 times a week), which does not apply to people with excess weight. In this case, it is necessary to adjust the diet, counting bread units.

Moreover, high alcohol consumption increases the risk of impaired glucose regulation in both men and women. [ 3 ]

Non-alcoholic beer for diabetes

Non-alcoholic beer varieties do not contain alcohol, so they are more acceptable for diabetes, but you still need to be interested in their composition. There are 2 technologies for obtaining it:

• suppression of fermentation, which removes the strength of the drink, but carbohydrates remain, their glycemic index is quite high;
• removing the strength from the finished drink by filtration, the sugars have already been fermented, the beer does not contain carbohydrates.

Beer made using the latter method has no restrictions in case of pathology.

Horseradish, garlic and beer for diabetes

In folk medicine, there are many recipes that use plant components that lower blood sugar. One of the well-known is horseradish root. It is often used by housewives when preparing vegetables for the winter, and also as a hot seasoning.

Horseradish is a natural antibiotic, this and its other beneficial qualities are provided by the presence of a large amount of vitamin C, PP, E, folic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin.

Enrichment with micro- and macroelements (sulfur, manganese, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus, aluminum, copper), unsaturated fatty acids, mono- and disaccharides allows it to improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, normalize blood pressure, and regulate blood serum sugar. [ 4 ], [ 5 ]

Garlic has no less of a track record. Phytoncides and allicin, released when the clove is broken, provide an antibacterial effect, and the biologically active substance ajoene reduces blood viscosity. In addition, its numerous useful components are not destroyed by heat treatment. [ 6 ]

And if there are no contraindications to its consumption (gastritis, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer), then it is not limited in diabetes.

There is a recipe for significantly lowering blood glucose levels that combines these valuable gifts of nature.

Grate a medium-thick horseradish root, the length of which is on average 20 cm, 10 cloves of crushed garlic. All this is placed in a liter jar and filled with beer, infused in a warm place for 10 days. The remedy is taken before meals, in the first few days a teaspoon, then a tablespoon three times a day.