ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe to our Newsletter:
Healthy Diet Plans  >>  Questions Asked  >>  Health Advice

Wine Carbohydrates

Does wine contain carbohydrates. Can you give the amount of calories in wine?
(March 8, 2011)

Wine Calories

The first thing about wine calories and digestion that you need to understand is that when you drink wine, the alcohol in the wine gets processed first in your body, before the fat in the cheese that you eat with it can be burnt. The second thing that you need to know is that people who drink a lot put on weight, regardless of whether they drink beer (even low carb beer), wine or hard liquor. It is a fact that alcoholic beverages have a lot of calories, because alcohol has seven calories per gram, next only to fats, at 9 calories per gram. Wine calories per glass can go up to 120 for a five ounce glass of red wine as the wine has at least 12% alcohol. Even a small glass of sherry has 17% alcohol, and a single shot of gin or vodka packs a whopping 40% alcohol.




Does wine contain carbohydrates? Yes it does. Though wine is made mostly from grape juice, and the sugar in the juice gets converted into alcohol during fermentation, some of the sugars remain in the wine. Wine carbohydrates in a five ounce glass of white or red wine range between 3 and 5 grams, depending on the type of wine, while wine carbs from sweet champagne can go up to 10 grams for the same glass. Mixed drinks and cocktails are higher in calories and in the wine carbohydrate counter table. This is because they contain fruit juices and syrups, which increases the carb count, in addition to several shots of alcohol. Weight watchers who scrupulously avoid fast foods, set aside the cream and sugar when sipping their coffee and spend hours training at the gym could be losing the benefit of these measures by just downing a couple of drinks at the bar.
Wine calories have to be added to the caloric intake to calculate the amount of calories consumed at any meal, and this may mean that the person dieting may have to forgo healthier foods to compensate. The higher the alcohol content in the wine, the more wine calories you get from each glass. Regardless of the calories, grape juice and wine have antioxidants that are beneficial in the fight against heart disease.

Alcohol in wine and carbohydrates in a meal almost always send serotonin levels soaring, raising the feel good factor and making a person feel relaxed. Keeping in mind  the calories and carbs in wine, it would be best to imbibe just a glass of wine occasionally with friends or family and not indulge in wine drinking at every meal if you are serious about reaching you ideal weight. Also make sure you check the label on the wine bottle to know the alcoholic content of the wine. 

Drinking wine has a number of health benefits. Drinking a glass of wine daily is beneficial for an individual’s cardiovascular health.  Studies have shown that drinking wine ensures that your heart beats with a healthier rhythm.  It helps the body absorb the anti-oxidants in the food and helps in the metabolism of fat.
Submitted by S M on March 8, 2011 at 05:03

 

Carbohydrates and Calories in Wine

Wine is the oldest of the alcoholic beverages made by fermentation of grape juice. It is a product of vine but also includes all fermented liquors obtained from different fruit juice (fruit wine).There are different types of wines that are named by reference to their place of origin e.g. champagne is produced from the district of Champagne in France. Most of the wines are natural and doesn't contain excess of carbondioxide.Some wines like port and sherry are fortified wines and differ from natural wines in that some amount of alcohol is added before the completion of fermentation.

In the preparation of wine, grapes are picked up at the right time. The composition of the grapes can vary according to the climatic condition and thus the quality of wine can vary from one year to another. The grapes are crushed and the juice, skin. Pulp and seeds are transferred to the fermentors.After fermentation; the fermented juice is pressed out. If the sugar content is low, sucrose is added and the pH content is also adjusted by addition of tartaric acid. The must is inoculated with yeast. Fermentation usually takes 4 to 10 days.

After the fermentation, the clear wine is removed into the barrels and the wine is allowed to age. During this period secondary fermentation takes place and the raw and harsh flavor of the wine mellows down .Then the wine is bottled and allowed to mature.

Carbohydrates that are used is not the main source of energy, it's the alcohol content of the wine that provides energy to the body. Alcohol content can provide 7 calories per gram. The higher the volume of wine per glass, the caloric content will also increase.

Submitted by A M on April 18, 2008 at 10:46

 

Read more questions in Health Advice
 
Log In Here Close