After-Dinner Drinks Reduce Rise in Blood Sugar

Reuters Health is reporting the results of a study explaining how moderate drinking might reduce heart disease and diabetes risk.

"Under realistic conditions, moderate quantities of beer, wine, and gin reduce postprandial glycemia (i.e., post-meal blood sugar) by up to 37% in lean healthy subjects," Dr. Jennie C. Brand-Miller [of The University of Sydney and her team state]. This is likely because alcohol reduced gluconeogenesis as well as release of glucose by the liver.

Interestingly the blood sugar benefits came when the alcoholic drink was consumed after the meal and not before or during. This is the opposite of the way that most people consume alcohol. At pretty much any restaurant, the server will come up and ask for the drink or cocktail order, and only on special occasions do most people have an after dinner drink.

According to Dr. Brand-Miller:

"We conclude that alcoholic beverages consumed alone, with or before a carbohydrate-containing meal, are capable of reducing peak blood glucose concentrations or the overall postprandial glucose response in young, lean, healthy subjects. These effects may provide a hitherto unrecognized benefit of moderate alcohol consumption for cardiovascular health."

More information can be found in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.