Wine and Diabetes

Why is alcohol dangerous for a diabetic | The special properties of wine | What kind of wine can you drink with diabetes


To prevent complications from diabetes, patients need to adhere to a special diet. The ban includes not only many food products, but also most alcoholic beverages.

In diabetes mellitus, only some types of alcohol are allowed, but rarely and in minimal quantities.


Why is alcohol dangerous for a diabetic?

When diagnosing diabetes, doctors advise patients to change their usual diet, including minimizing alcohol consumption. Most types of booze are banned because alcohol provokes the following changes:

Once in the liver, ethanol oxidizes and breaks down into simple elements that are metabolized and excreted from the body. If the volume of these substances in the blood is increased, the liver will not be able to produce glycogen in the proper amount;

  • ethanol enhances insulin production;
  • wine and other alcohol are also dangerous for diabetics in that alcoholic beverages neutralize the therapeutic effect of drugs that lower blood sugar levels;
  • drinking increases appetite. Being intoxicated, a person can neglect the diet, which often causes jumps in blood sugar;
  • alcohol adversely affects blood pressure and lipid metabolism (especially in patients with excess weight);
  • alcohol leads to an exacerbation of chronic liver disease and cardiovascular system;
  • ethyl alcohol, which is part of alcoholic beverages, negatively affects the functioning of peripheral nerves.

The special properties of wine

It must be understood that with diabetes, not all alcohol is harmful. In the course of research, it was revealed that if you drink 50-100 ml of grape wine 2-3 times a week, the drink will not have a detrimental effect on the body. This is especially true of dry red wines, which act on the body as follows:

  • vitamins and amino acids present in the drink improve the activity of all internal organs and systems;
  • resveratol stimulates the circulatory system and minimizes the risk of cardiopathology;
  • polyphenols have a pronounced antibacterial effect;
  • the drink delays the aging process; wine reduces the risk of cancer.

Studies confirm that with moderate consumption, high-quality red wine even helps lower sugar levels, but despite this, you should never refuse to take prescribed medications.


What kind of wine can you drink with diabetes?

Is it possible to drink wine with diabetes, directly depends on how much sugar is contained in the drink. In specialized stores a wide range of wines is presented, however, not every one can drink with this disease.

In very moderate amounts with diabetes, you can:

  • Dry wine. Since sugar is practically absent in the drink, it is allowed to use it for all types of diseases. Depending on your preference, you can choose both white and red varieties.
  • Semi-dry wine (up to 5% sugar). Although the concentration of the prohibited component in such products is quite high, it can be used as an exception and in a very modest dosage.
  • Dry and semi-dry sparkling wines. They have almost no sugar, so they also do not fall under a strict ban.

With an insulin-dependent form of the disease, you can only drink wine, the sugar content of which does not exceed 3%.