Who wouldn’t love a glass of wine after a hectic day? The alcoholic beverage instantly calms the mind and body. Even the food tastes better with wine. Wait, is that why fancy restaurants treat us with free wine with the food?
Wine also has many health benefits. While having a small amount of red wine every day is known to be heart-friendly, having white wine promotes weight loss and anti-aging effects. It is because white wine is rich in antioxidants. Although, both red and white wine will fetch you empty calories since there is lack of nutrition.
It is noteworthy that despite having little carbohydrates and 0 fats, the wine still has calories. The calories in wine are due to the presence of alcohol and sugar in it. The higher the alcohol content, the more will be the calories. Also, calories in white wine are found to be lesser than red wine. So, even if you are drinking less sweet but high- alcohol wine, you will end up consuming more calories. Therefore, dry white wine with low alcohol content will be the lowest in calories.
Talking about the numbers, a large glass of wine (250 ml) which has 13% ABV (alcohol by volume) can add approximately 230 calories to your meal. Now it’s the same number of calories that a scoop of ice cream has. A standard glass (175 ml) with the same alcohol content has 160 calories. So, if you are sharing a bottle of 13% ABV wine, the calories in wine can go up to 340 for each one of you, and that’s an hour of walking at 4 miles per hour.
That means even if you have zero-fat wine, you will still be consuming calories. In case you are struggling to lose weight, keeping a count on the number of wine glasses you drink will help definitely you.
To avoid calories in wine, follow these easy tricks.
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Table of Contents
Have protein before drinking:
Protein is known as fat-cutter. First off, it suppresses hunger. Secondly, in order to digest protein, the body requires more energy. So, if you consider eating protein before having wine, you will feel fuller. This will discourage binge eating.
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Count the number of glasses you have:
Wine lovers often tend to drink a whole bottle of wine instead of just a glass. And you are not to be blamed. Wine is after all heaven’s drink and just a glass never feels enough. But, if you want to reduce weight, avoid filling the glass up to the brim, which by the way equals to 200-300 calories. Even if you fill your glass half, avoid drinking too many glasses. This way, you will responsibly drink while counting the calories in wine.
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Eat responsibly:
Alcohol triggers hunger. No one needs proof for it. The desire to have a pizza or pasta or breads increases strikingly when you are drunk. And obviously, a glass of wine with savory food is the best combination. But do not let the alcohol trick you into binge eating or even choosing high-calorie food.
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Ask for or pour small servings:
Usually, restaurants pour 175 ml of wine. Some restaurants also pour 250 ml. Always make sure to ask the serving size. At home, do not fill the oversized wine glass until it’s full. This is another trick to avoid extra calories in wine.
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Sharing is the key:
No matter how difficult it is to share, do not have a single bottle of wine all by yourself. If you cannot control, invite friends over whenever you are about to open that bottle. This way, you will share while caring for yourself.
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Opt for spritzer:
The most fascinating way to cut down on calories is two have wine with club soda and lots of ice. The soda has 0 calories. This way, you can make two wine drinks with the same amount of wine. Isn’t this an excellent way to trick your mind into having two glasses of wine?
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Choose a low-calorie wine:
Sparkling wine has less alcohol than most wines. And if it is Brut, it will also have low sugar. Choosing a sparkling wine that is Brut will ensure that you consume lesser calories. Always check the contents while buying wine to make sure you don’t end with a high-calorie wine.
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Keep in mind, the harmful effects of wine:
While wine is known to benefit heart health, excessive wine drinking affects your health adversely. Like any other alcoholic beverage, heavy wine consumption will attack your liver, heart, immune system and cause weight gain. Those extra wine glasses every day can also cause diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, depression, and anxiety.
If you follow these steps, you can avoid extra calorie intake while having wine. This way, you can enjoy your wine even more and not worry about your weight.
