Wine is a beverage that has been around for ages. Who ever thought that the by-product of mixing crushed grapes and yeast could be so satisfying? Although too much consumption of wine can lead to detrimental effects, when used in moderation it can be a healthy addition to your daily diet.
Serving Size
Whenever you analyze nutritional information, you should always look at the serving size suggested. For example, if you have two or more servings of a particular substance, you must multiply all nutritional information by two or more. According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, a serving of wine is 4 ounces. This equates to about 1/2 cup. The AHA recommends no more than two servings a day for men and one serving a day for women to promote cardiovascular health. However, do not start consuming alcohol for health benefits.
Calories
The next step to analyzing nutritional information is to look at the number of calories in what you are consuming. The average calories in a glass of wine is 100. However, this can range from 80 to 180 calories. Sweet dessert wines can be even higher at 300 per serving. There is no average difference between white wines and red wines. For reference, it takes about 2,000 steps, or approximately one mile of walking, to burn 100 calories.
Alcohol
Up to 90 percent of calories in wine comes from alcohol. The alcohol content varies in different types of wines from 4 to 7 percent in wine coolers to 20 percent in port wines. Keep this in mind if you are driving, operating heavy machinery or simply do not want to be intoxicated. Drinking one serving of port wine has the same alcohol content as drinking two to five wine coolers.
Carbohydrates
The remaining calories in alcohol come from grape juice that was not completely fermented by yeast. The total carbohydrates in wine is about 4 to 5 grams per serving.
Other Nutrients
There generally are not too many other nutrients in wine. Wine has no fat, cholesterol, protein or vitamins.
Healthy Substances in Wine
The heart healthy portions of wine are found in both the alcohol and the grape itself. According to the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, wine "contains a large variety of antioxidants including resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins." Researchers strongly believe that these components may increase cardiovascular health.
References
- AHA: Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease
- CDC: Wine Glass Size
- Bertelli A., Das D. (2009). Grapes, Wine, Reveratrol and Cardioprotection. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology. Published ahead of print.
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