Red Wine Vs White Wine Which Is Better
The good news is, wines are generally low in carbs. However, it is best to check the sugar content on the bottle because there are wines such as Port, Moscato and other dessert wines that are known to be on the sweeter side. Do check out Dry Farm Wines if youre looking for wine options, theyre fabulous and oh so healthy for you too.
On choosing between red wine vs white wine, it actually depends on your preference. Red wine is fuller and richer in flavor while white wine is lighter and more on the fruity side.
Personally, since switching to keto, Ive almost completely lost my taste for sweeter wines.
Pure The Winery Zero Sugar Sparkling Ros
This is another keto and vegan-friendly wine. It is made in Piedmont, Italy, from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. It has zero sugar and zero carbohydrates and contains only 55 calories per 100 mL serving. Its 10.5% ABV is also within the ideal amount. It is light and refreshing with hints of citrus, young red fruits, and red flowers.
Great with: Pizza, quesadillas, steak, duck, spicy food, fish, cured meat, soft cheese, lamb, charcuterie, sushi
What We Learned On Our Hunt For Keto Wines
Bad News: youre not going to see RS listed on the label.
The US has no labeling requirements for nutrition, so no one adds it. Additionally, we found searching for this information online complicated.
It took me multiple back-and-forth emails to squeeze this information out of one producer.
Good News: Many wines will fit the bill! On our searches, we discovered a few key clues:
What Wines To Avoid
Wines with higher alcohol levels include varieties like Shiraz, Pinotage, Zinfandel, and Grenache. You cant blame them for it. Theyre naturally high in sugar.
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How Much Sugar Is In A Glass Of White Zinfandel Wine
Popular semisweet wines such as white zinfandel, muscat and German Riesling have a distinctly sweet taste from greater residual sugar. For example, a 5-ounce serving of a California Barefoot white zinfandel rosé has nearly 5 grams of sugar and about 22 calories from sugar compared with about 109 calories from alcohol.
Chart Of Carbs In Dry Red Wine
Dry red wines all have similar amounts of carbohydrates – ranging from about 4 grams to 5.5 grams per 5 ounce serving. The lowest carbs in red wine is non-Burgundy Pinot Noir, while the highest is Pinot Noir from Burgundy. While there are sweet red wines and red dessert wines, it isn’t terribly common, but do make sure the red wine you are purchasing is dry.
Here is a list of popular dry red wines and their carbohydrate count according to the USDA.
Carbs in Dry Red Wine
| Wine | |
| 5 ounces | 5.46 grams |
As a general rule, the bigger bodied the wine, the higher the carb count. The lighter bodied the wine, the lower the carb count. Always check the label or call for nutritional information about any wine before consumption if you are concerned about the carb counts.
Read Also: What Wine Has The Lowest Calories
What Is The Lowest Carb Wine
The lowest carb wine is Sauvignon Blanc. Generally, dry wines have lower carbs than their sweeter cousins and Sauvignon Blanc is no different. White wine has an average of 3.8 grams of carbs in a 5 oz standard wine pour, but Sauvignon Blanc only has 2 grams of carbs. This makes it the ideal wine for someone on a keto diet.
Keto Wine #: Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet sauvignon is one of the most beloved red wines in the world. And the dry varieties are some of the keto-friendliest. Consider pairing cabernet with keto meals dripping with healthy keto fats, along with mildly flavored dishes. Its own own robust flavors means it doesnt mix well with spicy foods.
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How To Make The Best Red Wine Spritzer
You can easily make this recipe at home, but Ill be sharing a couple more ideas in case you want to add more flavor and punch. Also remember, spritzers are best served when the drink is really really cold.
To make your basic spritzer, mix together red wine and club soda. Serve in a glass with ice cubes. Again, spritzers are best consumed if it is super chilled.
How Wine Carbs Compare To Other Alcohols
In the case of other alcohols, it’s usually the mixers that get you. Most distilled spirits have 0 carbs while liqueurs are high in carbs. Infused spirits such as flavored vodka may contain added sugar, so it’s important if you are counting your carbs you do your research to see if the brand you are drinking adds sugar to their infused spirits. Many light beers are also quite low in carbs. If you are on a strict, carb-controlled diet, your best bets for lowest carb alcoholic beverages with no mixers include:
| Beverage |
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Does Alcohol Stop Ketosis
Alcohol in itself can cause ketosis to slow down. This is because alcohol can not be stored in the body like carbohydrates, protein and fat can. When alcohol enters your body, your regular metabolism essentially stops until the alcohol has broken down. This means that, if you follow a keto diet, your body will temporarily stop metabolising fat to focus on metabolising the alcohol in your body.
You can minimise the impact of this by opting for a low carb alcohol such as dry wine. By choosing one of the many keto wine options available at DrinkWell, you can reduce the effect that alcohol has on ketosis, whilst still enjoying great tasting wine.
Best Red Wines By Grams Of Carbs Per Serving
Good news for red wine lovers! Some of the most delicious red wines also happen to be low-carb.
Not to mention they pair amazingly with some of your favorite keto foods like steak and cheese.
Look for these low-carb red wines on the menu:
- Cabernet Sauvignon 3-4g net carbs
- Chianti 3-4g net carbs
- Dry Rosé 3g net carbs
- Grenache 4g net carbs
- Pinot Noir 3-4g net carbs
- Red Zinfandel 4-5g net carbs
- Sangiovese 4g net carbs
- Wine coolers
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Best Wines For A Keto Diet Available From Drinkwell
DrinkWell offers a variety of no and low carbohydrate alternatives, with a couple of sparkling wine options. Try our Vilarnau Sparkling Brut Rose, containing just 3.7g of carbohydrates, 28 calories and zero alcohol per 125ml.
We also stock the largest selection of keto-friendly wines in the UK. Choose from a wide range of red wines, white wines, rose wines and sparkling wines, all with low carbohydrates and ideal for a keto diet. If youre not sure what youre looking for, try our Discovery Case, containing 6 delicious low-carbohydrate, keto-friendly wines.
- A Bit of Everything
Low Carb White Wine Spritzer
This low carb white wine spritzer is such a refreshing drink! It’s perfect for enjoying on a hot day!
The following post contains affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you I can make a tiny bit of money to help support this blog. Thank you!
A few weeks ago I wrote about whether it is a good idea to drink alcohol on a low carb diet. I mentioned various kinds of alcoholic drinks and their carb content for a typical serving. White wine is definitely not one of the worst offenders, but you can reduce the carb content further by mixing it with zero carb soda. It makes a longer drink, and for half the carbs of a regular glass of wine!
If you have fresh lime, you could squeeze some lime juice and add a twist of peel or a slice of lime to the drink. Or, if speed is of the essence, using bottled lime juice is just fine!
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What’s The Best Way To Choose Keto Wine
As mentioned, dry wine is the best option on keto. Be it red, white, or rosé, you want wine that has the least amount of residual sugars.A good rule of thumb for choosing keto-friendly wine is to look for bottles that contain less than 10 grams of sugar. However, nutrition information isn’t typically included on wine bottles or restaurant menus, so you’ll have to do your own sleuthing.
One surefire way to reduce your risk of consuming hidden sugars is to avoid cheap, low-quality wine producers. Many commercial brands use added sugar to compensate for the lack of quality.
Instead of going mainstream, opt for wines that are made using Old World practices and dont rely on additives. Also, look for wines that have “no added sugar” on the label so you have a better chance of keeping your carb count down.
Usual Wines sources grapes from small, sustainably farmed winemakers who favor traditional winemaking techniques. Plus, none of these wines have any added sugars or additives.
It’s also worth checking out biodynamic wines, which sometimes have lower naturally occurring sugars and certainly no synthetic ingredients. In general, you’ll want to avoid non-keto wines such as sangria, dessert wines, wine coolers, and any other sugary wines that aren’t dry.
Can I Drink Wine On A Keto Diet
Youll be excited to learn that yes, you can drink wine on a keto diet. Wine is much lower in carbs than other types of alcohol such as beer, cider and pre-mixed drinks. However, the type of wine you choose is important for a keto diet. Dry wines, for example, contain far less carbs and sugar than sweet dessert wines As ever, moderation is key when drinking alcohol drinking large amounts of wine regularly is not only going to affect your keto diet, but will also damage your overall health.
With an average of only 2g of carbohydrates per glass of a dry wine, you can enjoy a tipple fairly regularly without adversely affecting your keto diet.
Read Also: Carbohydrates In Wine Chart
Can You Buy Low Carb Wine In Australia
Winemakers are not legally required to provide nutrition information in Australia, making it challenging for people on a keto diet to keep track of what and how much theyre consuming. Fortunately, there are now low carb wine brands in Australia that voluntarily provide such information to consumers, making it much easier for them to choose.
The most reliable option is to purchase dedicated keto wines online. With a more varied selection available, there is more chance youll be able to find something youll truly enjoy.
Warnings About Consuming Alcohol On A Ketogenic Diet
Alcohol shouldnt be consumed heavily or on a consistent basis. There are many negative health benefits, but in the short run dont forget the following when consuming your alcohol:
- Calories. Alcohol still counts as calories and will slow fat loss down. Alcohol is burned as a priority by the body.
- Tolerance. Most people on a ketogenic or low-carb diet experience a much lower tolerance to alcohol than usual. Be careful with consumption.
- Hunger. Many people experience heightened levels of hunger when drinking this can lead to bad decisions or just over-consuming in general.
- Dehydration. Since keto is a natural diuretic, you have to be watchful of how much water youre drinking alongside the alcohol. Try to drink 1 glass per 1 shot and extra water before bed.
- Added sugars. Mixers, liqueurs, and many alcohols will contain some type of flavoring or added sugar. While many companies are publishing nutrition information, you should try to be prepared and research nutrition beforehand.
Weve read a lot of articles that mention drinking light beers and very dry wine to avoid carbohydrates, but dont get out of hand with consumption. Some light beers can contain over 10g net carbs and some dry wine can average over 8g carbs per glass.
Its also important to note that alcohol does contain calories. There is no function in the human body to store the energy in alcohol, so your body will take a preference to metabolize alcohol over fat.
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Will Alcohol Knock You Out Of Ketosis
While Im in ketosis one drink will usually do me just fine. Im the type of girl who typically enjoys a few cocktails when Im out for a good time. A keto lifestyle is completely different. You will feel the effects of alcohol a lot sooner. This is due to a change in metabolism and depleted glycogen.
In general, while on a healthy lifestyle alcohol can inhibit results if you are trying to lose weight. When you drink alcohol your liver will use the products of the metabolized alcohol instead of fat. Which means instead of burning fat, your body is working to get the alcohol out of your body.
Occasional drinks should not harm results. If you drink often during the week or every weekend, you could be slowing your fat-burning process down. Read more about If Alcohol Will Knock You Out of Ketosis here.
Keto Wine: The Takeaway
A keto diet centers on the types of rich fatty foods that wine has always been enjoyed alongside.
Fortunately, when consumed in moderation, there are many keto wines that are low alcohol and low carbs.
Follow our list of keto-friendly varieties while focusing on wines labeled brut, extra brut and that are described as dry.
Well leave you with a sign off by one of historys most famous wine enthusiasts:
Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, and which incorporates itself with the grapes, to be changed into wine a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.
Wine enthusiast Benjamin Franklin
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Health & Wellnessmom Loses 82 Pounds By Tracking What She Eats While On Keto Diet
The most important factor in enjoying keto wines is perhaps the portion. RS and overall carbohydrate content are determined by a 5-ounce glass. Anyone who drinks the bottle will probably get knocked out of ketosis. The second factor is the type of wine. The kinds with the least RS are champagne, pinot grigio, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc. Higher carb wines tend to be sweeter and include Riesling, zinfandel, port wine and dessert wines.
But in order to be sure a wine is really keto, the process has to be monitored to ensure full fermentation, low sugar and ideally, lower alcohol and no additives. Third-party labs can also test for carb content.
Even though certain wines may be acceptable on a keto diet, its better not to indulge in them daily. Stick with the general guidelines for wine consumption, which includes no more than one 5-ounce glass a day for women and no more than two glasses for men. If necessary, use ketone testing strips to stay on track.
Then sit back, relax and enjoy that glass of wine.
Kristin Kirkpatrick is the lead dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a best-selling author and an award winning dietitian.
Why Does Wine Contain Sugar In The First Place
Heres the thing about wine: Though you need sugar to make it, that sugar doesn’t make up much of the final product.
When a grape is ripe enough for harvesting, its juice should come in at between 21 and 25 brix , explains Brian Azimov, wine expert and founder of Wine With Brian.
Through fermentation, which occurs when yeast is added to grape juice, that sugar starts to turn into alcohol, Azimov says.
Stop the fermentation process early and youll have a wine with higher amounts of sugar and less alcohol. Ferment for longer, and you’ll have a wine with lower sugar content and more alcohol.
In climates that don’t support proper grape maturity, some winemakersespecially in France, which tends to be cooler than, say, Californiarely on chaptalization. In this process, winemakers add cane or beet sugar to the unfermented grapes, Azimov explains.
Dont stress, though: This sugar merely initiates the fermenting process. Just like the sugar in the grapes themselves, it gets turned into alcohol during fermentation.
Though winemakers ultimately decide how sweet to make any variety of wine, different types of wine generally contain different amounts of sugar, says Azimov.
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Is Wine Keto Look For These Measurements
Your target should be a wine with a low alcohol content of 13.5% ABV or lower. It should feature a residual sugar measurement thats in the single-digits of grams per liter. A cabernet sauvignon is your best bet when looking for a very dry red wine, and wines like chardonnay and riesling will often fit the bill among white wines. This should offer you wines with less than 1 gram of carbs per serving, and that keeps the calories around 110 or less per glass .
Sparkling wines also tend to have low residual sugar. If youre having trouble finding this information, you can look for a tech sheet. These are easy to find at most wine sellers online. If youre in person, most shops should be able to supply them.
