Diet for Recovering Alcoholics

Alcoholism affects many people, wreaking havoc on personal lives, careers and health. Food allergies and hypoglycemia are often linked to the disease, and many alcoholics spend years without proper nutrition because alcohol hinders the body's natural processes of absorbing, storing and using nutrients. Many alcoholism experts, including one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson, advise recovering alcoholics to incorporate vitamins, fruits and vegetables into their daily diet to help heal and stay on the wagon.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium, are designed to protect and heal the body's healthy molecules, and alcoholism can affect how the body processes them. According to a study on recovering alcoholics in France, alcoholics had lower amounts of antioxidants in their blood than moderate drinkers. One way to address this issue is to add more antioxidant foods into the daily diet, such as beans, blueberries, cranberries, pecans, artichokes and apples.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps the body reproduce, create new cells and fight infection. When the liver metabolizes alcohol, it excretes Vitamin A, so many alcoholics have a Vitamin A deficiency. This vitamin can be found in foods including broccoli, carrots, kale, oatmeal and spinach. However, too much Vitamin A can hurt a damaged liver, so maximum daily consumption should not exceed 5,000 international units for men and 4,000 international units for women.

Vitamin B

This vitamin naturally works to transmit nerve impulses; seizures and brain damage can occur when there is a deficiency of it. There are many types of B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin and folic acid. Doctors recommend that recovering alcoholics consume foods at least 2 mg of foods rich in Vitamin B daily, such as bananas, turkey, chicken, tuna, lentils, potatoes, and prune juice.

Zinc and Magnesium

According to Dr. Halsted, chief of clinical nutrition at the University of California Davis, alcoholism can interfere with the liver's job of filtering and transferring nutrients in the blood. Zinc and magnesium deficiencies are often the consequence of this effect. Adding foods such as shellfish, eggs, cheese, peanuts and brown rice may increase zinc. Foods high in magnesium include black beans, plantains, tofu and whole-wheat bread.

Foods to Avoid

Some foods can trigger cravings for alcohol, and they usually have high glycemic indexes. They include corn, grapes, processed foods, and food high in sugar.