A nutritious diet helps reduce cravings for alcohol and improves overall health, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Excess alcohol intake can lead to nutritional deficiencies because heavy drinkers sometimes replace food with alcohol or skip meals altogether. Over the long-term, the negative effects of alcohol, combined with the body's decreased ability to digest and absorb nutrients, can lead to a state of malnourishment. While a healthy diet may help improve the health of an alcoholic and eliminate cravings, it is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from a health-care professional.
Step 1
Eliminate sugar and junk food from the diet. Avoid soft drinks and snacks with a high salt content that may put additional stress on the body. Empty calories offer little in the way of nutrition, and most alcoholics have nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to alcohol cravings.
Step 2
Reduce fat intake and increase intake of protein, multigrains, vegetables and other complex carbohydrates. Research on rats suggests a high-fat diet can reduce physical performance, motivation and working memory by as much as 50 percent.
Step 3
Switch to decaffeinated products. Caffeine frequently causes agitation, which may lead to a desire for alcohol to counteract the edgy feelings.
Step 4
Eat healthy meals and nutritious snacks on a regular schedule. The University of Michigan Health System states that drinkers sometimes interpret hunger as a craving for alcohol, because they are not accustomed to eating at regular intervals.
Step 5
Drink plenty of water. Alcohol is a diuretic that flushes fluid from the body and brain. When the body is dehydrated, it may crave more alcohol to correct the imbalance.
Tips and Warnings
- Vitamin B and C deficiencies are common in heavy drinkers. Consider taking vitamin supplements to replace the nutrients depleted by excess alcohol consumption. To stay hydrated, drink a full glass of water with every serving of alcohol.
References
- University of Michigan Health System: Alcohol Withdrawal
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diet and Substance Abuse Recovery--Overview
- Medical News Today: After 9 Days in Rat Model, High-Fat Diet Affects Physical and Memory Abilities
- Alcohol Health and Research: Nutritional Advice and Diet Instruction in Alcoholism Treatment
