Which alcohol won’t spike your glucose? 4 low-sugar options to choose from

Alcohol plays a prominent role in many social events. Work parties, family gatherings, and meetings with friends provide ample opportunity for the serving of alcohol.   

But like many treats, alcoholic drinks can also increase your chances of having a glucose spike. Many contain high levels of sugar or carbohydrates that your body quickly absorbs, and the rapid rise in glucose they can cause can have a negative effect on your sleep, energy, and mood among other things. ¹ 

If you include alcohol as part of a social event, there are some low-sugar drinks you can have at home or order at a bar that are less likely to cause a spike. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at four different options along with some general tips for keeping steady when consuming alcohol.   

1. Spirits 

On their own, many spirits contain zero carbs or sugar due to the distilling process. Examples include: 

• Vodka 
• Gin 
• Whisky 
• Tequila 
• Rum 

This lack of sugar and carbs means that – on their own – spirits are unlikely to cause a glucose spike. 

Shots don’t lend themselves to casual drinks, however, so it’s the mixers that you’ll need to think about when it comes to keeping steady. 

Many classic mixers, such as fruit juice and soft drinks, will introduce a lot of sugar to your beverage, making it far more likely to spike your glucose. 

Instead, try a shot of one of these spirits in a glass of plain sparkling water. You can add extra flavour and sweetness with some slices of fresh fruit or sprigs of rosemary or thyme. 

2. Dry wine 

When it comes to wine, your best bet for steady glucose will be to choose a dry wine. 

Dry wines contain little residual sugar, with the pre-existing sugar fermenting into alcohol during the winemaking process. In contrast, sweet wines (perhaps unsurprisingly) contain a certain amount of residual sugar, giving them their flavour. Some examples of dry wines include: 

• Brut Champagne 
• Prosecco 
• Cabernet sauvignon 
• Malbec 
• Merlot 
• Pinot noir 
• Pinot grigio 
• Sauvignon blanc 
• Chardonnay 

If you’re ordering at a bar, you might not be able to check exact sugar contents, but generally, the dry wines listed above will be lower in sugar than another type. You can also ask your server or bartender for the dry wines they have available.  

As an example, a serving of merlot red wine contains around 1 gram (g) of sugar, and a serving of chardonnay white wine contains about 1.5 g. ^2,3 In contrast, a serving of rose wine contains about 5.5 g. ⁴ 

And if you’re considering an alcohol-free wine, it’s worth noting that many bottles contain added sugar to balance the flavour in the absence of the alcohol. If you’re shopping for alcohol-removed wine, make sure to check the nutrition label and ingredients for added sugar.   

3. Light beers 

Light beers contain fewer carbohydrates than regular beers. For many brands, a light version of beer can contain around half the carbs of a regular version. 

In general, beers tend to be lower in sugar than other alcoholic drinks. It’s their carb content, however, that has the biggest impact on your glucose. The carbs come from grains like barley and wheat, which brewers ferment to make the beer, as well as sugar, which brewers may add to speed up fermentation. 

Having fewer carbs means that drinking a light beer will result in a smaller rise in glucose than drinking a regular beer would. Light beers can be a decent option to order at a bar if you’re looking to keep steady. 

It’s worth noting that non-alcoholic beers can contain considerably more carbs than their alcoholic versions. So, while they’ll stop you from getting tipsy, they may be more likely to get your glucose levels rising. Be sure to check the labels if you’re going down this route.  

4. Hard seltzers 

Hard seltzers are huge in the States and are a drink that’s getting more and more popular in the UK. If you’ve not encountered them before, they’re a combination of sparkling water (or seltzer water), alcohol, and usually some kind of flavouring. 

These drinks are generally low in both sugar and carbs, meaning they’ll have less of an impact on your glucose than many other drinks. 

In comparison with light beers, they’re lower in carbs, but some may contain a small amount of added sugar. They’re also lower in carbs than dry wines, and their sugar content can be similar depending on the type. 

Different brands of hard seltzer contain different amounts of sugar, but in general they’re a good bet if you’re looking to keep your glucose as steady as you can while drinking.  

Drinks to avoid for steady glucose

On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of alcoholic drinks that can cause your glucose to rise rapidly. 

If you’re looking to limit the sugar in your drinks, you may want to steer clear of these: 

• Cocktails with sugary ingredients, such as Long Island iced teas and piña coladas. 
• Spirits that come with sugary mixers, such as fruit juice and soft drinks. 
• Dessert wines, such as sherry, port, and ice wine. 
• Liqueurs, such as coffee liqueur, crème de menthe, and advocaat. 

The drinks listed above contain a lot of sugar. But there are also some with higher carb counts that aren’t necessarily sugary but can have a similar effect. 

Darker beers (think certain ales, stouts, and porters) use more grains in their brewing, giving them a higher carb count. So, you may want to limit these drinks if you’re aiming to keep your glucose steady.  

Tips for steady glucose when consuming alcohol 

Keeping your glucose steady isn’t just a matter of the drinks you choose. How you drink them and what you do before and after has an impact too. Here are some other tips if you choose to drink alcohol during a social event: 

• Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Grab something to eat beforehand to reduce the impact of alcohol on your glucose. ⁵ We recommended eating something with protein, healthy fats, and fibre to keep your glucose steady before drinking. 
• Go for a walk after drinking. Physical activity after eating or drinking can lessen its impact on your glucose. ⁶
• Drink some water and eat some unsalted nuts alongside your alcoholic drinks. The water will keep you hydrated, and the fat and protein in the nuts can make it easier for your body to stabilise your glucose. ^7,8
• Drink in moderation. You’ll be more likely to make mindful food choices, consume fewer calories, get quality sleep, and feel better. ^9,10

For those who drink, the NHS recommends no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 or more days. In drinks, 14 units is approximately: 

• 6 pints of 4% beer 
• 6 medium (175 ml) glasses of wine 
• 14 small single shots of spirits  

So, this could involve having one pint of 4% beer or medium glass of wine on six days, with one day with no drinks. Another example would be having two drinks on three days during the week, with no drinks on the other four days. 

It’s also okay to forgo alcohol. Instead of an alcoholic beverage, why not try a low-sugar mocktail? You can swap in one of these alcohol-free alternatives for a regular cocktail, and their low sugar content will help with managing your glucose. 

Here are two recipes you can try: 

Non-alcoholic mulled wine 

This recipe makes five servings and contains around 13 g of carbohydrates per serving (which includes about 10 g of sugar). 

Ingredients: 

• 1 bottle of alcohol-removed wine (or 475 ml water and 475 ml pomegranate juice) 
• 1 orange, sliced 
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks 
• 2-3 star anise pods 
• 3 cloves 
• Fresh cranberries (optional) 
• Cinnamon or nutmeg (optional) 

Instructions: 

• If cooking on a stove: combine all the ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 25 min.  
• If cooking with a slow cooker: combine all the ingredients and set the cooker to low for 2 hours. 

Cranberry spritzer mocktail 

This recipe makes one serving and contains around 9.5 g of carbohydrates (which includes about 8 g sugar). 

Ingredients: 

• 90 ml alcohol-removed sparkling white wine (not sparkling cider) 
• 90 ml low-sugar cranberry juice 
• 30-60 ml soda water 
• Rosemary sprig and handful of cranberries, to garnish 

Instructions: 

1. Fill half of a white wine glass with ice. 
2. Pour in 90 ml of alcohol-removed sparkling white wine. 
3. Add 90 ml lower-sugar cranberry juice. 
4. Top with 30-60 ml soda water. 
5. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a few cranberries. 

A final note from Lingo   

If you’re planning on having a drink, try to do so both responsibly and mindfully. Overdoing it can send your glucose levels soaring then plummeting, through the drinks themselves but also with the way that alcohol can influence your food choices and sleep. 

You may find it easier to manage your glucose when drinking by choosing low-sugar options where they’re available. Spirits, dry wines, light beers, and hard seltzers will all likely have much less impact on your glucose than other choices. If you do choose to drink alcohol, we recommend choosing beverages you genuinely enjoy and savouring them. 

While these are all general rules of thumb, alcoholic drinks can affect everyone’s glucose in different ways. If you’re interested in learning more, using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like Lingo can give you insight into how your body responds to different drinks, so you can choose the options that are best for you. 

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