BACKGROUND: A high alcohol intake is significantly associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but less is known about the effects of moderate consumption, specifically moderate average volume of alcohol consumption. METHODS: A systematic computer-assisted literature review was completed in order to review current scientific knowledge surrounding this topic. RESULTS: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a number of gastrointestinal health risks, including liver diseases, oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatitis but may play a positive role in gastritis and cholelithiasis. CONCLUSION: Moderate alcohol consumption may play a positive or negative role in disease etiology, but the overall conclusion is that moderate alcohol intake is not a high risk factor for many of the gastrointestinal diseases associated with high levels of consumption. The etiology of alcohol diseases is also linked to patterns of drinking, so this is an important area for future research in this area.