Raise a Glass...in Moderation

If you have diabetes and have always avoided liquor because of the sugar, you might want to reconsider your habits.

A study found that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, increases sensitivity to insulin in mice.

However: Resveratrol lasts only a short time in the body, so people with or without diabetes would have to consume huge amounts of resveratrol every day to see even a small benefit.

But according to the American Diabetes Association, people with type 2 diabetes can probably drink wine or other alcoholic beverages as long as their blood sugar is under control and they don't have any complications affected by alcohol, such as hypertension.

Drinking alcohol in moderation-up to two alcoholic drinks a day for men and one for women-can help in other ways...

• Reduce risk for cardiovascular disease.

• Relax and diminish stress. Stress aggravates diabetes.

• Interfere with the liver's manufacture of sugar and decrease blood sugar levels.