Calories in Wine

Have you often wondered how many calories are in your favorite glass of wine? Or contemplated the calorie count in wine compared to beer, or compared to your other favorite alcoholic beverage?

It is true to say that most of us have a general idea of how many calories there are in solid foods, but it is common to overlook the fact that when we drink, we are still consuming calories.

So in order to complete the picture of calorie consumption, just how many calories are there in wine?

First, we need to standardize on the glass size if we are to make a fair comparison of calorie counts.

One standard drink of wine is generally agreed to be four fluid ounces, or 120 milliliters (ml).

You will often see wine glasses these days with a subtle etch mark to indicate this standard measure.

Now, at the summary level, if you were to learn that most wines come in at less than one hundred calories per glass I expect you would feel somewhat pleased. Furthermore, given the accepted wine health benefits which come from one glass of wine complimenting an evening meal, then the news sounds even better.

However, we do need to consider that most people usually have more than just a single glass of wine, and also that some wines have a higher calorie count than others (see the table below). So we need to factor in both these aspects when keeping track of the wine calories we are consuming.

Also, just so all the facts are on the table, be mindful that wine comes from fruit which is a form of sugar, a natural and healthy energy source.

However, once the fruit has been fermented to produce wine, it tends to a fructose like structure which does make the calories a bit harder to burn off.

But to maintain the positive perspective of calories in wine, note that an average gin and tonic contains about 280 calories and that most frozen alcoholic drinks which are of both delectable taste and appearance can average over 800 calories. Wine is looking pretty good!

This discussion would not be complete without reference to the infamous “beer gut” (note that it is never called a “wine gut”). Regular beer can range from 140 to 200 calories per standard 12 ounce serving, with light beer around 100 calories. Light beer is by no means a very low calorie option beverage.

Here is a summary of how many calories are in a standard glass of the most popular red wine and white wine types:

Based on the above information, it is obvious that a healthy lifestyle can be maintained with a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, or the occasional night out. We wine drinkers are fortunate that the calorie count in most wines is sufficiently low that a few drinks can be enjoyed without have to make significant adjustments to diets and exercise regimes.

For example, in my case I tend to avoid desserts and opt for an additional glass of wine. Personally I find most desserts too rich and sweet, and consider a wine digestive (or similar) better for my health overall, plus an opportunity to try another wine!

So calories in wine is not something that should detract from its enjoyment. It is simply a matter of remembering that each glass of wine contains around 100 calories and that other aspects of our diet may need simple adjustment to accommodate this, plus of course regular exercise which should be a part of everybody’s life.

If you are ready to buy some wines right now, or soon, head over to the biggest and best wine store on the Internet. Cheers!