Recovering alcoholics need a balanced, nutritious diet to complement their involvement with support groups, counseling or medication to deal with cravings. Nutritional deficiencies result from alcohol addiction, especially for prolonged alcoholism. The deficiencies increase the risk of nervous or mental disorders and damage to the liver. A post-alcohol addiction diet improves health and mood to help avoid relapses.
Diet Quality
Increased alcoholic beverage consumption can lead to decreased diet quality, according to an analysis of 15,000 American adults reported in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The more people drink, the more likely they will make "poorer food choices," explains the study's author, Dr. Rosalind A. Breslow, an epidemiologist at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. They tend to eat less fruit and get more calories from alcohol, unhealthy fats and added sugars. The study also included researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Cancer Institute.
Detoxification
The detoxification process leads to withdrawal symptoms that may include cravings for alcohol, anxiety, fatigue, headaches, nausea and other effects. Alcoholics may need medical supervision during this process, the University of Michigan Health System points out. Doctors can recommend diet and vitamin or mineral supplements to replenish lost nutrients, based on physical examinations, for a post-alcohol addiction diet.
Balanced Meals
Eating a low-fat diet, rich in protein, complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, helps alcoholics return to normal eating patterns, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Alcoholics may have increased feelings of hunger when their drinking stops. They may misinterpret these feelings as cravings for alcohol. Keeping scheduled mealtimes avoids urges. Consuming nutritious meals and snacks helps with recovery as their appetite improves.
Low-Fat Nutrition
Lean meats, fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads, pasta and cereals, oatmeal, rice and potatoes, satisfy hunger without unhealthy weight gain. Snacks, including sweets, help reduce alcohol cravings, with low-fat snacks encouraged. Avoiding high-fat, high-calorie foods as much as possible helps during recovery. However, weight gain can be dealt with as time goes on and offsets the problems from alcohol addiction. Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day reduces the dehydration that may occur from alcoholism.
Supplements
Doctors may suggest vitamin and mineral supplements for alcoholics deficient in certain nutrients, the UMMC notes. An increase in the B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and zinc add to a post-alcohol addiction diet. Amino acid combinations help stabilize blood sugar, reduce cravings and relieve the stress caused by alcohol withdrawal. Thiamine, or vitamin B1, supplements aid in recovery from prolonged alcoholism. Deficiencies in thiamine can cause brain disorders in long-term heavy drinkers.
