ROCHESTER — To drink booze, or not to drink booze. The question of whether or not drinking alcohol is good for you is controversial and confusing. Some studies show there may be health benefits, others find booze hurts your health.
A new study from the American Heart Association suggests that drinking alcohol, particularly wine, with meals in moderation is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
But the Heart Association also offers some caveats, including:
- The research is preliminary.
- People who don't drink shouldn't start.
- People who drank beer or liquor with meals instead of wine had an increase in type 2 diabetes risk.
- You should talk to your healthcare provider about drinking because of the potential health risks associated with it.
The researchers say the take-home message from this study is that drinking moderate amounts of wine with meals may prevent type 2 diabetes if you do not have another health condition that may be negatively affected by moderate alcohol consumption. And, again, that you should do so in consultation with your doctor.
Understandably, the study has sparked debate, including comments from a past president of the American Heart Association. He says data suggests that it’s not the alcohol, but other ingredients in wine, such as antioxidants, that may be the beneficial factor.
There will, no doubt, be more to come on this topic.
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