Alcohol generally isn’t recommended for those with diabetes, but red wine may contain some beneficial compounds for heart health. Still, experts recommend moderation.
Adults with diabetes have twice the risk of heart disease as those who don’t have diabetes.
Some evidence suggests that drinking moderate amounts of red wine could lessen the risk of heart disease, but other sources caution people with diabetes against drinking any kind of alcohol.
Here’s a closer look at the potential risks and benefits of drinking red wine if you have diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is typically managed with a combination of medication and changes to your lifestyle, including what you eat and drink.
Found in many foods such as breads, starches, fruits, and sweets, carbohydrates are the macronutrient that causes blood sugar levels to rise. Managing carbohydrate intake helps people manage their blood sugar.
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol may actually cause blood sugar levels to go down instead of up, which comes with its own potential risks if you have diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, drinking red wine (or any alcoholic beverage) can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours. As a result, they recommend checking your blood sugar before and while you drink and monitoring it for up to 24 hours after drinking.
They also recommend avoiding drinking on an empty stomach and only consuming alcohol along with food.
Intoxication and low blood sugar can share many of the same symptoms. Not monitoring your blood sugar while drinking could lead to both you and those around you ignoring signs that your blood sugar may be reaching dangerously low levels.
On the other hand, some alcoholic drinks, particularly those made with sugary mixers, can increase your blood sugar.
Effects on blood sugar aside, there is some evidence that red wine might provide benefits to people with type 2 diabetes.
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In the study, more than 200 participants were monitored for two years. One group had a glass of red wine each night with dinner, one had white wine, and the other had mineral water. All followed a nutrient-rich Mediterranean-style diet without any calorie restrictions.
After two years, the red wine group had higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good cholesterol) than they did before, and lower cholesterol levels overall. They also saw benefits in glycemic control.
The researchers concluded that drinking moderate amounts of red wine in conjunction with a healthy diet may help to reduce heart disease risk.
Older studies also suggest associations between moderate red wine intake and health benefits among those with type 2 diabetes, whether well-controlled or not. Benefits included improved post-meal blood sugar levels, better next morning fasting blood sugar levels, and improved insulin resistance.
The review also points out that it may not be the alcohol itself, but rather components of the red wine, like polyphenols (health-promoting chemicals in foods) that confer the benefits.
This distinction between red wine and other alcoholic beverages was further confirmed in a
Red wine contains antioxidants and polyphenols and may offer some health benefits when consumed in moderation. That means no more than one 5-ounce serving of wine for females and no more than two servings for males per day, according to the
Be sure to also ensure you don’t drink on an empty stomach and keep a close watch on your blood glucose levels as you drink.