Alcohol withdrawal and alcohol craving are two different issues about one thing in common: alcohol. The latter is not experienced if the individual craving it has not had alcohol use experience, while the former is an individual who has had issues regarding excessive consumption of alcohol. Recovering alcoholics can either be avoiding or withdrawing from alcohol ingestion with determination, resorting to consuming nutritious foods, from easy appetizers to entrees, since food issues have to be put into context since in some conditions.

Certain kinds of food can help with withdrawal from or avoidance of alcohol, as well as other lifestyle changes, dosage-based dietary supplements, and medical and therapeutic treatments which may be are needed. There has been research about some potential benefits of certain types of food consumed during the periods of alcohol withdrawal and avoidance. The focus has been on foods – appetizer recipes, dessert concoctions, smoothie preparations, main dishes, even snacks – which contain the family of vitamin B-complex, albeit the other major vitamins such as vitamins C, E, A, and D (in addition to the vitamin B-complex group) have also been show to play significant roles.

Substitution is an Option

Studies have shown that gradual reduction of sugar intake is able to lower alcohol cravings. Avoidance of sugar with more than the amount of ten grams per serving — especially the refined or processed variety in desserts, for example – as well as reduction of intake of sodas and beverage with sugar as the first main ingredient, as well as reduced intake of naturally “sugary” fruit juices and dried fruits.

The total elimination of sugars in one’s diet is, understandably, impossible to achieve, but reducing the consumption of foods with high sugar content is not difficult to do through substituting them with foods with decreased sugar amounts in them. Instead of having a snack of a Danish and an ice cream float, a vegetable soup recipe like minestrone would be the better choice for a mid-morning respite at work or in school.

Withdrawal from or Avoidance of Alcohol Results in Sugar Cravings

Sugar can have so much impact on regulation of the body’s blood sugar levels, and recovering alcoholics are sometimes not aware that they consume certain foods with hidden amounts of sugar in them. Research has shown that stabilized blood sugar levels reduce craving for alcohol. It may be difficult steering clear from foods that contain large doses of sugar but only at first. A slow but steady incorporation of foods high in nutrients but low in sugar can help the recovering alcohol to completely crave spirits.

Detoxification of a former alcoholic’s body begins with eating foods such as lean meats, fresh vegetables, limited amounts of grains (some of which are converted into starches and then become sugars), limited amount of fruit juices, selected varieties of fruits (mostly those which are not rich in sugar content), and no sweets whatsoever of any kind. Recovering alcoholics need more nutrition than those who have not had alcohol or its excesses in their physical systems. Alcohol quickly depletes a plethora of nutrients that the body stores, makes or obtains from other food sources, the reason why recovering alcoholics need to double time in replenishing the nutrients lost from years of excessive alcohol intake.