Healthy Wine Defined

What Makes a Healthy Wine?

With a good game plan, “healthy wine” can be a part of any diet regime. For wine lovers, the idea of eschewing their favorite drink to shed calories may not be appealing. So here are a few tips to get on board the healthy wine train.

Healthy Wine – The Calorie Count

Wine can be incorporated into any diet plan, in moderation. Portion control is the name of the game, with a recommended 5oz. pour daily for those looking to curb calories.

According to Livstrong.com, “Red wine is a little higher in calories than white wine, with an average of 125 calories per 5-ounce glass. A 5-ounce glass of red zinfandel is a little higher than average, with 129 calories and the cabernet sauvignon is a little less than average with 122 calories.” This handy wine calorie chart from Calorie Lab provides a calorie listing for most varietals.

Calculating calories in any wine

We use the following calculation from Decanter to calculate the number of grams of alcohol in a bottle or glass of wine, use this formula:

volume (ml) x alcohol (ABV %) x 8
1000

Multiplying this answer by seven will give you the approximate calorie content of a bottle of wine.

Using this model, a standard bottle of wine at 750ml with an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of 12.5% would have approximately 525 calories. With approximately 5, 5oz servings of wine per 750ml bottle, that means there would be an estimated 105 calories per glass.

For an easy way to keep track of wine calories at home, try these elegant portion control wine glasses. The etched lines on the glass indicate the level for 4, 6 or 8oz. pours, making it easier for dieters to keep tabs on consumption.

Sugar Free Wines

Those on low-carb diets also want to know how many carbs are in their glass of wine. Wine is a fermented beverage and begins of course with a base of grapes, which are naturally high in carbohydrates due to their sugar content (glucose and fructose). During the fermentation process, the yeast eats the sugar, and produces alcohol, heat and CO2 (bubbles). Any leftover sugar creates the overall carbohydrate content of the wine. Sweet wines, such as Port or dessert wines, have a high carbohydrate content. The sweeter the wine (or other type of alcohol), the higher the carbohydrates. But dry wines, with little or no residual sugar, have lower carbs. These wines that are “fully fermented,” where virtually all sugars are consumed, have the lowest carbohydrate count.

Dry white wines and red wines with lower residual sugar, such as our Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Blanc Sauvignon-Semillion blend and Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Rouge with Merlot, Cabernet and Cabernet Franc are some of the lowest in calories and carbs with approximately 109 calories and under 1 carb per 5 oz. pour. For perspective, two creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies contain 140 calories, and a large serving of fast food french fries will cost you more than 500 calories. It’s all about choices!

The TTB’s definition of sugar free wine is a serving (5 fl. oz.) that contains less than 0.5 g of sugar. Our sugar free wines have anywhere from .1-1 g/l residual sugar and .015-.15 carbs per 5oz serving. While saying they are “carb free” is pushing the definition, these come as close as you can get.

Check out our list of sugar-free wines with a carb and calorie chart here.

Health Benefits of Healthy Wine

A glass of healthy wine a day may just keep the doctor away:

Moderate alcohol consumption — the equivalent of one glass of wine per day — could lower a person’s risk of hospitalization, a new study conducted by Harvard University says. “…those who drink in moderation present a lower risk of hospitalization for all causes and for cardiovascular diseases compared to lifetime abstainers and former drinkers.”
Drinking wine supports longevity of life – red wines have a higher level of the powerful antioxidant Resveratrol, which helps the body fight off disease.
Wine is heart-healthy – according to Prevention, “Red wines with more of a dry flavor profile, like cabernet, boast higher levels of flavonoids—an antioxidant that’s been shown to promote healthy cholesterol levels and help prevent coronary heart disease.”
Health.com also suggests selecting dry reds for their health benefits: “Ruby red wines are the healthiest wines, with more antioxidants than all the other varieties. That’s because the grape skins aren’t removed during fermentation. The antioxidants the dark skins provide, such as procyanidins, have been linked to health benefits including heart disease protection, and possibly longevity.”
Wine can reduce the risks of heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes – a recent study out of Israel showed that red wine increased the good HDL and decreased the overall cholesterol ratio.
Anticancer effects – a scientific study shows that red wine polyphenols, which have been shown to be higher in organic wines than in conventional wines – “have been implicated in cancer prevention and that promote human health without recognizable side effects.”
Nutrients in wine may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease – A long-term study suggests that the resveratrol found in wines help in keeping blood vessels open, so that essential supply of oxygen and glucose can move freely to the brain to keep it alive and working.

Read more in our full blog post “Top 5 Health Benefits of Wine According to Science,” by guest blogger Jen Miller.

Why Our Organic Wines are the Best Healthy Wines

Good for you and good for the planet – no toxic pesticides or fertilizers are allowed in organic wine production, from vine to bottle.
All wines are made with 100% organic grapes.
Sustainable farming practices = Healthy soil and the finest-quality grapes.
Minimal use of sulfites as a stabilizer and preservative in Wines Made with Organic Grapes; zero added, “No Detectable Sulfites” in Organic (USDA seal).
No hidden additives in production-conventional wines may contain additives to artificially enhance color and flavor.
Wild or Local Yeast only – no chance of GMO yeast (currently available for use in the US) in any of our wines.
100% of our wines are Vegan with no use of animal byproducts in wine production.
100% Non-GMO Ingredients-our Non-GMO Project Verified wines ensure the purity of every ingredient.
Family owned and operated wineries – a real person and a real story is behind every wine.
Organic wines are the purest expression of the grape in every glass!