Is there a white wine considered safe to drink? I was diagnosed with type l diabetes in Sept. 2010 and just recently, at the suggestion of my endo, am on an insulin pump. My BS runs high rather than low. I am very active (walk 3-5 miles per day) and eat healthy, but would like to have an occasional glass of wine. Please advise?

Amy Campbell


Most people with diabetes can drink alcohol as long as they have no other health or medical issues that may make drinking alcohol unsafe. The guidelines for alcohol use are as follows: up to 2 servings per day for men, and up to 1 serving per day for women. A serving is 5 ounces of wine (red or white), 12 ounces of beer (preferably light beer) and 1 ½ ounces of distilled spirits, such as gin, rum or vodka. There is no white wine that is “safer” than another; the key is to limit your servings, and because you take insulin, you should always eat a carbohydrate food when you drink alcohol. This is because alcohol tends to have a blood glucose-lowering effect, and this effect can occur up to 12 hours after drinking. It’s unlikely that you will go “low” after drinking one glass of wine, but to be on the safe side, it’s best to drink your wine with a meal or an appetizer that contains carbohydrate. Also, checking your blood glucose about 2-3 hours after drinking alcohol will give you a better sense of how it affects your blood glucose.