What's in your drink?

Some of you just completed a 21 day clean eating challenge.  It is funny, but of the seven foods on the list of foods to eliminate from your diet, the "food" that Warriors were most concerned about having to avoid for 21 days was alcohol.  Hmmm...  just sayin'.

One of our Warriors did a little research and noted that on a bottle of Vodka it said it contained no carbs or sugars.  So the question posed was, "Why do we need to eliminate alcohol from our diets?".  For those of you who did not participate in the 21-day challenge, the purpose of the challenge was to clean up our diets by eliminating foods that can cause sensitivities, bloating, inflammation, or increase food cravings.

So why was alcohol on the list?  Alcohol is derived from high carbohydrate fermentables such as sugar, molasses, potatoes, or various grains.  The end result of the process or fermentation and distillation is ethyl alcohol which is a zero-carb liquid.  Therefore, most vodkas (except for some flavored vodkas that add sugar) contain no sugar in the finished product.   Alcohol is in a category of its own and has 7 "empty" calories, meaning it is devoid of carbs, protein, and fat, and has no nutritional value.

But perhaps even more important than the fact that alcohol adds calories to our diet without providing any nutrients, is how it is treated or processed in our bodies.  Alcohol is considered a poison by our bodies, and all efforts are made to excrete it, including the cessation of maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.  Alcohol interferes with the hormones that maintain healthy blood glucose levels.  Heavy drinkers deplete their glycogen stores within a few hours when their diet does not provide a sufficient amount of carbohydrates.  Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can decrease insulin's effectiveness, resulting in high blood sugar levels.

Alcohol can also negatively impact blood sugar levels each time that it is consumed, regardless of the frequency of consumption.  Research has shown that acute consumption increases insulin secretion, causing low blood sugar, and can also impair hormonal response that would normally rectify the low blood sugar.  Drinking as little as 2 ounces of alcohol on an empty stomach can lead to very low blood sugar levels.

With all of that said, it might seem that we are saying you should avoid alcohol entirely.  Not at all.  Like most other foods or choices, it is the extremes that are unhealthy.  Skipping breakfast, or eating an entire box of cookies has a negative impact on our blood sugar levels and hormones, just as inappropriate consumption of alcohol negatively affects our health.  So if alcohol is one of your occasional indulgences, enjoy it guilt free.  One of your trainers has a martini bar in her house, and the other celebrated the end of the 21 day challenge with two martinis.  Remember, it is the choices that you make 80% of the time that make the most difference.  Occasional indulgences or cheats are normal and healthy.