Alcohol can be very bad if you are trying to control your blood sugar levels. But here’s the news for you. Tequila need not be added to the list.
In other words, those with diabetes need not worry about the drink raising their blood sugar levels.
But then, there are some who are wondering whether this is just a myth, which is wise. After all, with a disease like diabetes, one can’t afford to take the risk.
That said, here’s an article about tequila and what it can do for you, and more so for your blood sugar levels.
Agave: Culprit or Savior?
This is a distilled liquor made by the process of fermenting juice from a plant called Agave Tequilana, after which it is named. The plant is a kind of cactus that is grown in Mexico. It contains agavins which are a type of carbs containing many fructose chains.
However, one does not get the many benefits that come from these fructose chains as the carbs get turned into ethanol in the process of fermenting and turning the drink into tequila.
But today, word has it that the drink has several benefits that can make someone with diabetes smile.
So, What Is the Truth?
Often what happens when you have diabetes is that the cells in the body fail to respond to insulin, a hormone that plays a very important role in regulating the level of blood sugar in the body.
And this is where high blood sugar begins. But then, some say that the sugars that are present in this are natural and non-digestible (very unlike the sugar in the jar that you need to avoid.)
In other words, a diabetic has no reason to worry as he won’t see a spike in his blood sugar level the next day.
Some have even gone to the extent of saying that these sugars are known to even lower your level of glucose. And wait, there’s more. It can even increase your insulin levels, and that is just what you would want here when you are suffering from diabetes, don’t you? But don’t jump the gun.
This is the Truth
Because in the end, there are also findings that have other things to say about how much of this is true and how much is not true.
In fact, studies reveal that these agavins that you want to believe to be the savior may be no savior at all. This is because most of the used drinks are available in the form of syrups, which are unhealthy.
This is because they can contain fructans. Fructans can get broken down into fructose sugars, which are not really your best friends when you have diabetes.
Fructose, at the end of the day, can be digested. And so, in other words, it only goes on to say that it can play a role in digesting the body’s blood sugars.
It’s Not Over Yet
Sadly there is more. This sugar is even known to be sweeter than table sugar. This should be enough to convince you about what you should and should not do by now.
To explain all you have read till now, agave juice is fine and can play a role in reducing your body’s blood sugar. But the same may not hold true in the case of tequila.
Should You Drink Tequila If You Have Diabetes?
However, if you still want to have a glass of tequila, know that it’s at your own discretion and risk. And so, to be on the safer side, skip the soda and the margarita.
Opt for pure silver tequila, and yes, most importantly, make sure that you are keeping track of the number of glasses that you drink.
In other words, if you are not sure about whether this is your second or your third glass, it is high time that you stop.
Finally, make sure to have a good look at the brand. Because when it comes to tequila, there are some brands that are low in sugar content and some that you strictly have to avoid for their levels of sugar content.
Some safe names that you can make a note of here are Herradura, Pardida, and Topatio.
Some Say That Tequila is Good
And now you are left confused! The answer to your doubt is that blood sugar levels can vary from one person to the other, so what works for another need not necessarily work for you.
So, make sure that you don’t simply go by someone’s testimony as he tells you why tequila can be helpful for you too.
While the drink may have proved to be good for some, it may not be the case with you and so make sure that you conduct your own test and drink with discretion, keeping an eye on the results and seeing what a glass could do for you.
Well, at the end of the day, that is what healthy and wise people take care to do.
Conduct a test of your blood sugar within a period of twelve hours to know whether or not the drink suits you.
Myth Vs. Fact: The Final Verdict
In the end, the truth is that no form of alcohol can be considered safe, and that said, one needs to be especially careful with a disease like diabetes. In other words, alcohol consumption has to be strictly limited and checked, if not altogether avoided.
So, if you are the kind suffering from type 2 diabetes, be careful before you go ahead and enjoy a glass of tequila. Research may have found that it can do a world of good, but yes, there are still some things that are just a myth.
Do not make diabetes and tequila an excuse for you to fix yourself a forbidden drink.
If you are on treatment for diabetes, follow the doctor’s advice, and if you still find that tequila is healthy, first make sure that you ask him first and seek his advice.
