The Downsides Of Wine On Keto
Even though wine can bring health benefits, you wont lose weight or flatter your health if you consume it excessively.
Therefore, according to studies, the best health benefit is obtained with a glass of red wine a day .
In contrast, too much alcohol increases the risk of heart failure, cancer, liver disease, and mortality in general.
In addition, there are other disadvantages of alcohol consumption in ketogenic diets:
- Although there are no studies about it, you tend to get drunk faster on the keto diet, which you should not underestimate.
- Since the liver preferentially takes care of breaking down alcohol, this can inhibit ketone production and weight loss .
- Its no secret that a large appetite usually follows increased alcohol consumption. The more you drink, the more likely you are to overeat afterward.
Finally, science gives us the ideal amount of alcohol per day, about 90 ml of wine for women and about 180 ml for men .
Indeed, you do not have to drink wine every day. However, now and then, 1-2 glasses of the right wine are allowed even on the keto diet.
Dry Farm Wines: Go For Low Carb Wine Brands
Dry Farm Wines is the solution to help you avoid all the above problems in regular wine. This is a natural wine club resource known for sourcing delicious, pure, healthy, low calorie, and high-quality wines. The flavours and colours of grapes used in these curated wines are naturally intense, so they do not contain preservatives or colours as those found in regular wines.
Moreover, the wines this club represents are made from sustainable and eco-friendly dry farming techniques. While this technique produces smaller grapes than watered vines, it results in greater tannin-rich grape skins which enhance the colour and result in naturally deeper, richer wine.
Located in Napa California, Dry Farm Wines is the only wine club that not only selects the best and healthiest wines but also tests them rigorously.
How Many Carbs Are In Keto
Although we now know that we should drink dry wine if were on keto, we dont see how that designation translates into carbs.
You can divide wines into four general categories based on their residual sugar :
- Dry: Wine is dry if it does not exceed a residual sugar content of 4g/L, although the legislation allows the designation up to a residual sugar of 9g/L if acidity is high.
- Semi-dry: Wine is considered semi-dry up to a residual sugar of 12g/L or 18g/L in the case of high acidity.
- Medium-sweet: All wines that exceed the residual sugar content of 12-18g/L and fall below 45g/L are considered medium-sweet.
- Sweet: Above a residual sugar content of 45g/L, wine is considered sweet.
Since this categorization is based on German legislation, the designations in other countries may differ.
As a rule of thumb, natural dry wine with up to 4g/L residual sugar is keto-friendly, as long as you consume it in moderation.
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What Makes A Wine Keto
Theres more to wine than color and flavor. Have you ever asked a bartender for a wine recommendation, and been asked if youd prefer something dry or sweet?
This is an indicator of how much sugar the wine contains. Sweet wines have the most wines, while dry wines contain the least. But surprisingly, this isnt added sugar, but a key part of making almost all forms of wine.
Villa Conchi Extra Brut Imperial Cava
This is a light-bodied, extra dry style sparkling wine made in Catalonia, Spain, from a blend of Xarel, Macabeo, Parellada, and Chardonnay grape varieties. This unique blend gives the wine an intense, complex flavour that offers a warm, pleasant sensation in the palate and a smooth aftertaste. Because it is Extra Brut, it is keto-friendly, with less than 1.5g per 150ml serving and an ABV of 11.5%.
Great with: Seafood, salads with fruits or nuts, traditional Spanish tapas, cheddar cheese, chicken or any white meat, oysters, ham, croquettes, tempura, canapes
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Which Wines Are Keto Which Are Not
Ok, so weve learned that the Keto wine kids like to keep carbs low, and that dry wines have low to no residual sugar.
The best keto wine will have no residual sugar and be lower in alcohol . Check out the Maker Sparkling Sauv Blanc and Maker Sparkling Rosé by Bodkin Wines – both Brut Zero with 0.0 g of sugar and 11% ABV for great examples of high quality, craft, keto-friendly wines.
Look for low alcohol wines, fermented dry, with low carbs like the Maker Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.
Avoid wines that are off-dry to sweet, they can actually have quite a bit of sugar! And as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. Value driven wines and two buck chuck may even have added sugar to make the flavor profiles more pleasing and bring down costs. Avoid wines with higher alcohol and sugar content, the uber cheap stuff from mega-wineries where sugar may have been added, and sweet or dessert wines like Port and Moscato that can have upwards of 30 g/l of residual sugar.
Keeping The Carbs Low For Ketosis
Whilst none of these are anywhere near the 18g of sugar some non-alcoholic wines contain, you still need to be aware of how much youre drinking. All the values given above are for a small glass of wine at 125ml. Drinking larger glasses of wine could easily have you creeping towards the 50g carb limit for ketosis without you realising it.
For example, two large glasses of the Rosé would actually be 23.6g of carbs/sugar, or nearly half your carbohydrate daily announce on the keto diet. So how do you make sure that you don’t inadvertently drink your way out of ketosis?
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Understanding Carbs In Wine
Since all alcohol is derived from sugar, there’s no such thing as sugar-free wine. That said, there are low-carb wines that don’t contain any added sugars it all depends on the winemaking process.
The sugar content in wine is affected by several factors, including when the grapes are harvested. Varietals that are left on the vine longer create a sweeter and more raisin-like grape with higher sugar levels. While the most famous late-harvest varietal is Riesling, winemakers can apply this approach to any wine grape, be it Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, or Chenin Blanc.
The fermentation process also directly impacts the sugar content in wine. During this phase of wine production, the sugars in the grape juice are converted into alcohol. If fermentation is stopped early before all the sugars are converted, you end up with more residual sugar and therefore a sweeter wine. If fermenting continues until completion, there will be less residual sugar, thus creating a drier wine.
Good to know: When looking for low-carb wine, always opt for dry wine. There are many dry red wines, white wines, rosé wines, and sparkling wines, including Usual Wines, which have zero grams of sugar .
It’s worth noting that many winemakers use additives, including added sugars, flavors, and preservatives likesulfites. Chaptalization involves adding sugar to wine to increase its alcohol content, which can also affect the carbs in wine.
Which Wines Contain The Most Antioxidants
Wine is considered one of the worlds healthiest alcoholic beverages. In particular, the antioxidants in wine are being investigated for their ability to promote longevity by lowering inflammation around the body. Resveratrol is one particular compound found in wines that have been found to contribute to human health and wellness in several measurably profound ways.
Researchers conclude that while all wines contain antioxidant content, dry red wines are the type most likely to be loaded with these free-radical-fighting powerhouses. If you are looking for the absolute healthiest and most likely to be low-carb wine, be sure to stick to dry reds. When compared to other types of wine, dry reds are the most likely to contain low carbohydrate content and be loaded with antioxidants such as resveratrol.
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Grapes used to make sweet dessert wines for example are harvested at the end of the season so the grapes are the sweetest and the highest in sugar. Alternatively, very dry wines are often the product of grapes grown in cooler climates. Where there is less sunshine the grapes will produce less sugar.
During the fermentation process, the sugar in the grape juice is transformed into alcohol. So you may notice that wines from hotter climates often have a higher alcohol percentage. As every gram of alcohol contains seven calories some of the best low-calorie wine options are also low in alcohol.
What Makes A Wine Dry
What is a dry wine and can both red and white wines be dry?
A wine is considered dry if it contains less than 10 grams of sugar per bottle. But without nutrition information printed on the bottle or the menu, how can you tell which wines are lower in sugar?
First, you have to understand that sugar in wine has a specific function. During the fermentation process, the yeasts feed on the natural sugar from the grapes to produce ethanol .
Because of this, the result doesnt contain as much sugar as it did in the beginning when it was a mash of grapes. But that doesnt mean wine is sugar-free.
Sweet wines, as opposed to dry ones, have a much shorter fermentation process. Since the yeast does not have a chance to consume all the sugar, more of it gets left behind. This leftover sugar contributes to the sweet, fruity flavor, and as a result, youll find more carbs in each glass or bottle.
Thats why youll always want to look for the phrase dry wine when choosing a wine.
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Why Dryness Matters For Keto Wine
A good keto wine should contain very little residual sugar. In the wine-making process, yeast consumes the grape sugar to produce alcohol. That process might be stopped early to create wines with a bit of residual sugar left over. A lot of wines have some residual sugar because it complements and blends into the taste well. A very dry wine is one where that process is allowed to continue, and so it has very little residual sugar.
Be aware that dry is also used to describe a taste quality not all wines that are described as dry cut this sugar down that much. They can still have as much as 30 grams of residual sugar per liter.
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Zilzie Liv Lighter Pinot Grigio
This wine is a pale straw-coloured wine made in Victoria, Australia, that offers the zestiness of citrus and the juiciness of apple and pear. Its crisp, fruity flavour is preserved in the wine by harvesting the fruit at night when the temperature is coolest. At 9% ABV and fewer calories, you can enjoy this lighter Pinot Grigio with your favourite food pairing.
Great with: Seafood, fish, salads, light pasta, risottos, cheeses , chips with mild salsa dips, sushi, ham
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Get Our Top Keto Wine Recommendations
Only the best
Low-carb alcoholic drinks like vodka and tequila are fine in small amounts on the ketogenic diet, but what about wine? For all you wine lovers out there, this article should clear up everything you need to know about keto wine.
Most wines have a high sugar content and will increase your insulin and blood sugar levels. But there are some keto-friendly wines you can drink and maintain ketosis.
Benefits Of Red Wine For Keto
Surprisingly, red wine, which tends to be sweeter, helps lower blood sugar and insulin levels .
Therefore, red wine is ideally drunk with a meal. This way, it helps keep blood sugar and insulin in the basement, which reduces the risk of a meal throwing you out of ketosis.
Youre probably familiar with the classic image of a French family having dinner. Rightfully so, a bottle of red wine is not to be missed.
For this reason, French people probably have half as much cardiovascular disease as Americans .
Red wine with a meal prevents blood pressure from rising. In addition, red wine protects the endothelium of blood vessels from cholesterol residues and glucose.
Since French people generally drink more alcohol, this fact is also known as the French Paradox .
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How Much Should We Drink On Keto
Most short-term, in-depth keto diets do not recommend drinking alcohol at all.
That said, if youre working on a longer-term nutrition lifestyle change, your best bet is likely the moderation model:
- No more than 2 drinks per day for men*
- No more than 1 drink per day for women*
The funny thing about alcohol is that we digest it very differently than other calories. Part of the effort happens with these handy little enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenase. Enzymes help chemically process alcohol calories through our liver, stomach, and kidneys. So, were still not sure if we burn alcohol calories as efficiently as other calories.
In case youre wondering: The reason why women cant drink as much is because women have than men. Its a shame, but also a fact.
*As we all well know, everyones physiology is different and more! Talk to a doctor or nutritionist about your unique situation.
Last Word: Drink Wine Even If Its Folly
If youre seriously committing to the keto thing, you might want to stop drinking altogether while your body adjusts. After this process, you might be able to start adding dry wines back into your diet.
Whats life without living a little?
After taking a deep dive into the keto diet and learning from others, we did notice a trend: the people who stick to a diet and exercise regime are the ones who get results. So, if we learned anything from this whole process, its that doing the work will get you the results you want.
You can do it. Salut!
Pure The Wineryzero Sugar Sparkling Wine
This wine is made in Piedmont, Italy. It is a combination of Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes that leaves a mildly sour aftertaste. It contains zero sugar and zero carbohydrates but has the same alcohol content as regular wine at 10.5% ABV. Even with its fruity, full-bodied taste, a 100ml serving only contains 55 calories. Not only is this wine keto-friendly, but it is also vegan!
Great with: Fried food, salty food, brie cheese, fish, seafood, egg dishes, vegetables, desserts
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How To Shop For Low Carb Wines
Although wine is typically much lower in carbs than beer and other sugary cocktails, there are still a few downsides to drinking on a Keto diet. Alcohol can hinder your weight loss efforts because your body tends to burn alcohol first before fat, slowing ketone production. Imbibing also can increase our appetites. But no need to stress about every sip! You can still enjoy an occasional tipple with these tips for finding the best low carb and keto-friendly wines.
And These Types Of Wine Have The Most Sugar
Clocking in at seven to nine percent residual sugar, it’s no surprise that dessert wines tend to have the highest sugar content of any wines, says Largeman-Roth.
For context, while a five-ounce glass of Chardonnay has just one gram of sugar, five ounces of Port contains around 12.
The following wines tend to have the most sugar:
- Whites like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Chenin Blanc
- Reds like Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Grenache
- Sweet sparking wines, which range from 17 to 50 grams per liter: Sec, Demi-Sec,and Doux
- Dessert wines, which pack around eight grams per five ounces: Port, Sauternes, and Tokaji
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The Best Low Calorie Wine
There’s nothing like a glass of wine with dinner or to wind down after a busy day.
And although wine is typically lower in calories than other alcoholic drinks, some wine brands are better than others.
So, if you want to enjoy some wine without unnecessary calories, this low calorie wine list has you covered. Almost everything on this list has well below 100 calories per 5 oz. serving.
And I also included the carb count, sugar content, and ABV of each option, so you don’t have to do any guesswork when picking which wine is for you!
So without further ado, let’s dive into this list of low calorie wine brands!
Wild Life Botanicals Blush 75cl
Wild Life Botanicals Blush 75cl
Calories: 34 per glass | ABV: 0.5% | Price: £15 per bottle
Not only is this delicious ultra-low alcohol sparkling rosé low in calories, but its also packed full of beneficial botanicals, vitamins and minerals. Wild Life Botanicals are renowned for their award-winning elixirs. This rosé is light and refreshing. Just as special as sparkling wine and happily not too sweet, perfect for sophisticated summer celebrations.
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Keto Wine: 10 Best Low Carb Wines
Drake is famous for a lot of things, including the quote, Seven days without wine makes one weak. Though thats not based on a clinical study, if you can relate to it, then we can say with scientific certainty, youre really into wine. If youre reading this article youre also probably into keto and wondering if theres such a thing as low-carb keto wine.
Luckily there are many low-carb wines you can enjoy on a keto diet.
Here are our tips for selecting the best keto wine, and a list of the 10 best keto wines to choose from.
