Beer advice confusing

6 posts, 5 contributors

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Dave H DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lothian
3 posts

Hi
DAFNE carb counter suggests 1 CP for standard beer / lager but a massive 3.5 for a strong ale.
Logic tells me that stronger alcohol content will have bigger impact on delayed drop in BG, so frankly I'm having trouble believing this difference.
I'm a 3 week graduate so realise I'll have to experiment for myself, but all advice welcome.
My usual beer is 3.2 °, but when abroad I like local lagers which are invariably 4.5 to 5.

Alan 49 DAFNE Graduate
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
284 posts

Yes, Dave - it is confusing. I always thought that the brewing process changed sugar into alcohol, so the stronger the beer, the less sugar it contained.

marke Site Administrator
South East Kent PCT
675 posts

I would advise a lot more research into this to be sure, in my experience studying the affects of beer on your BG is always a worthwhile activity Very Happy

But seriously its the old maxim, everyone is different and the carb counter is just a rough guide, the only way to be sure is try it and see what happens.

Rafa DAFNE Graduate
St Vincent's Healthcare Group
99 posts

Yes if I drink branded beers my sugars will be high waking up and won't drop later that day but any craft beers and if I don't eat before bed I wake up really low. Trial and error.

Brock DAFNE Graduate
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
1 post

Hi Dave, I have just graduated and have yet to try this out, how did it go?

Dave H DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lothian
3 posts

Hi Brock, welcome to the chat.

I have found with my usual choice of beers (3.5 - 4.5) that on a 4 beer evening I tentatively take an extra 1 unit. I usually go to bed high but it drops by morning, still on the high side (10+). I'm wary of over correcting as a single unit drops me by about 3.5 - 4. of course sometimes a 4 beer evening turns into 6 Shocked

The best news is that with the flash glucose monitoring which will soon be available on prescription, we will get a much better idea of the overnight and next day impact. I've trialled the Abbot freestyle libre sensors and they are fab.