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What Do You Know about the Calories in White Wine?

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In today’s health conscious society you may wonder about the calories in white wine before taking a sip from that glass in front of you. But what do you really know about the caloric content of wine? Probably not much if you are like most other people.

To start, you should understand that the term “white wine” is pretty much a blanket phrase when it comes to discussing wine. Because all white wines are not created equal and are made differently, they do not have the same amount of calories. If you are watching your caloric intake, you should become familiar with the different types of white wine and their respective calories. And remember, calories aren’t the only dietary factor in white wine – don’t forget the wine carbohydrates!

A typical serving of white wine will be about five ounces. Below is a list of the most common white wines and their caloric worth. It is a good idea to keep this in mind when you are imbibing in white wine.

Wine	No. of Calories
Dessert Wine	217 calories
Champagne, Doux	120 calories
Chardonnay	120 calories
Gewurztraminer	120 calories
Riesling	120 calories
Vigonier	120 calories
Champagne, Brut	115 calories
Sauvignon Blanc	110 calories
Pinot Grigio	100 calories

List of different types of white wine and their respective calories - based on five ounces.

People may be concerned about their daily caloric intake for a number of reasons including weight loss or maintaining a healthy diet. However, many people don’t realize that there is a difference between food calories and alcohol calories. Alcoholic calories are different simply because of the way the body converts and burns them.

When you consume alcohol, your body converts most of it into acetate, not fat. In general only a very small percentage of the alcohol you consume, whether it is from wine or another type of drink is converted into fat. Acetate is produced by the liver, and when there is a buildup of this compound the body will choose to burn the acetate rather than any stored fat. This slows fat metabolism.

Burning acetate makes sense, as it is more readily available than fat and the body will always burn the most available energy source first. However, this has a negative effect on those who are hoping to lose weight and rid their body of excess fat.

The key to dealing with the calories in white wine is to drink in moderation. You probably have already heard that moderation is key, but it is especially true when it comes to consuming alcohol. It is a common misconception that people who drink white wine instead of other drinks such as beer or liquor will not get the dreaded “beer belly.” It really doesn’t matter what type of alcohol you drink but how much.

Just remember, the more alcohol, even in white wine, that you drink, the less fat your body will burn.

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