Diabetics who pay close attention to their blood sugar levels probably heed their doctor’s advice about diet as well. This means plenty of lean protein, moderate complex carbs, and little to no alcohol, right?
Maybe not!
An abstract presented at the Congress on Obesity in Prague in 2015 reported that wine in moderation could help with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and even glucose metabolism.
The Basics Of the Study
During two years, 224 patients were randomly divided into three categories 
and assigned to drink one beverage with dinner every night. The categories were mineral water, white wine, and red wine drinkers. The patients were also placed on a Mediterranean diet with no calorie restrictions.
The Results Are In!
At the end of the study, those who drank red wine and those who drank white wine both saw modest improvements in the metabolism of blood sugar.
The researchers also found that those who drank red wine had a modest improvement in apolipoprotein A1, a component of HDL, and in HDL cholesterol levels. It’s possible that the polyphenols, plant antioxidants, in the wine were what provided the beneficial effect. However, the researchers don’t know the exact cause for certain yet.
Does This Mean You Can Drink?
The study provides some support for drinking wine in moderation. The study authors didn’t look at whether beer or other types of alcohol had the same effect. If you want to try to gain some of the benefits that the study participants reaped, you should stick to a single 5 oz glass of red or white wine at most per day.
Also be aware that higher amounts of alcohol do raise your risk of increased blood pressure, mortality, and certain cancers of the liver and upper digestive tract.
[expand title=”References“]
Does Wine Help or Harm People with Diabetes? URL Link. Accessed May 3, 2017.
Expert Reaction To Abstract Of Research On Wine Intake and Type 2 Diabetes. URL Link. Accessed May 3, 2017.
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