Key takeaways
- Some studies indicate that moderate red wine consumption might reduce heart disease risk in people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.
- Alcohol, including red wine, can lower blood glucose for up to 24 hours, so careful blood sugar monitoring before, during, and after drinking is essential.
Adults living with diabetes face about double the likelihood of developing heart disease compared with people without diabetes.
Certain research points to possible cardiovascular benefits from moderate red wine intake, while other experts advise people with diabetes to be cautious about any alcohol use.
Below is a closer examination of the potential advantages and hazards of drinking red wine if you have diabetes.
Diabetes and diet
Type 2 diabetes is usually managed through a mix of medications and lifestyle adjustments, including dietary and beverage choices.
Carbohydrates — found in foods such as bread, starches, fruits, and sweets — are the macronutrient that raises blood glucose. Controlling carbohydrate consumption helps people keep blood sugar levels stable.
Contrary to what many assume, alcohol can actually lower blood glucose rather than increase it, which presents its own set of risks for people with diabetes.
How red wine affects blood sugar
The American Diabetes Association notes that drinking red wine (or other alcoholic beverages) can reduce blood sugar for up to 24 hours. For that reason, they advise checking blood glucose before and while you drink and continuing to monitor it for up to a day afterward.
They also recommend avoiding alcohol on an empty stomach and consuming alcohol only along with food.
Symptoms of intoxication and low blood sugar often overlap. If you don’t monitor your glucose while drinking, you and those around you might miss signs that your blood sugar is dropping to dangerous levels.
Conversely, some alcoholic beverages — particularly those mixed with sugary ingredients — can raise blood glucose.
Benefits of red wine for people with diabetes
Putting blood sugar effects aside, some evidence suggests red wine might offer benefits for people with type 2 diabetes.
A 2019 study found that moderate red wine intake (one 5-ounce glass per day) may lower heart disease risk in individuals with well-managed type 2 diabetes.
In that trial, over 200 participants were followed for two years. One group enjoyed a glass of red wine nightly with dinner, another had white wine, and a third drank mineral water. All groups adhered to a nutrient-dense Mediterranean-style diet without calorie limits.
After two years, the red wine group had increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the “good” cholesterol) and reductions in total cholesterol compared with baseline. They also experienced improvements in glycemic control.
The authors concluded that moderate red wine consumption alongside a healthy diet may help reduce cardiovascular risk.
Earlier research also linked moderate red wine intake with benefits for people with type 2 diabetes — whether tightly controlled or not — including better post-meal blood glucose, improved fasting glucose the next morning, and enhanced insulin sensitivity.
Those reviews suggest the benefits may stem not solely from the alcohol but from constituents in red wine such as polyphenols (bioactive compounds found in foods).
This difference between red wine and other alcoholic drinks was supported by a 2022 study.
The takeaway
Red wine contains antioxidants and polyphenols and might provide health advantages when consumed in moderation — defined as up to one 5-ounce serving per day for women and up to two servings per day for men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Do not drink on an empty stomach and be vigilant about monitoring your blood glucose while drinking.
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