Moderate amounts of alcohol could reduce diabetes risk

Fri, 25 Nov 2011
It appears that middle-aged women who consume a large amount of refined carbohydrates could reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by drinking moderate levels of alcohol. Researchers think that alcohol could affect the release of insulin after eating a meal, which reduces the impact of blood sugar spikes that can lead to diabetes.

A study by scientists in the United States, which involved data from over 80,000 women over a 26-year period, showed that women who consumed diet rich in refined carbs, including potatoes, white bread and fizzy drinks, but drank a moderate amount of alcohol had a 30 per cent less chance of becoming diabetic than those who had similar dietary patterns but did not drink alcohol.

The research, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, focused on the reasons behind women with a high glycaemic diet of refined carbs were more likely to have increased levels of blood sugar, but didn’t claim that drinking alcohol is able to protect against diabetes.

Frank Hu, lead author on the study, commented "If you eat a high carb diet without drinking alcohol, your risk of developing diabetes is increased by 30 per cent."

He added "However, if you eat a high carb diet, but (drink) a moderate amount of alcohol, the increased risk is reduced."

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