Moderate consumption of white and fortified wines could reduce diabetic retinopathy; leftover grape pomace shows some health potential.

A new study out of Australia has found a correlation between the moderate intake of wine and a reduction in diabetic retinopathy, a vision problem brought on by diabetes. The authors also discovered that people who suffer from type 2 diabetes and consume white wines or fortified wines like Port and Sherry had a lower risk of diabetic retinopathy than those who drink red wine.

Diabetic retinopathy is triggered when diabetes begins to damage blood vessels at the back of the eye. At first, it may cause vision problems; eventually it leads to blindness. Previous research has shown that moderate wine consumption can have positive effects in diabetes patients.

A team led by Dr. Eva Fenwick of the Center for Eye Research at the University of Melbourne in Australia tracked the drinking habits of 395 participants who had type 2 diabetes. The subjects’ drinking habits ranged from no alcohol consumption to heavy consumption (defined by the team as four or more drinks per day).