Does wine make you fat?

Does wine make you fat or lose weight? This is one of the most frequently asked questions among wine lovers, and in this article we will talk about the benefits of wine, which wine is better or which wine is less fattening.

In general, the least fattening wine is the one with the least amount of sugar, so dry wines top the list. However, how does this translate? Read on and find out if wine is very fattening.

Is wine fattening or not?

The Mediterranean diet is very famous due to its excellent effects on the body, as it provides individuals with a healthier, longer life and a slimmer figure. A typical Mediterranean diet contains plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, carbohydrate-rich products (whole-grain bread, pasta, and brown rice), moderate amounts of fish, white meat, some dairy products, olive oil, and… wine!

Wine gives this type of diet 25% of its effectiveness, which is why it is very important in this style of eating. The success of this drink also lies in its moderate use and always taking into account any medical recommendation, for example in the case of diabetics or people with liver ailments. If you want to know Mediterranean recipes, you can find good examples in Spanish, Italian and Greek food. It may seem incredible to you, but wine can be described as the least fattening alcohol, you’ll see why.

Specialized studies affirm that a constant diet, Mediterranean style, reduces the risk of debilitating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. In addition, it reduces abdominal obesity and controls glucose. Wine definitely stands out among alcoholic beverages for diet.

What kind of wine is better?

Both white wine and red wine have fairly similar benefits, however, red wine contains more polyphenols (in fact, they cause their reddish color) which enhances their qualities.  What are polyphenols? They can be described as bioactive compounds that plants synthesize to protect themselves from environmental aggressions (plagues, drought or heatstroke). How do these compounds work in humans? For humans, polyphenols are natural antioxidants that are beneficial for the body. These particles cannot be completely absorbed by our body, but 50% during the first digestive phase. However, the unabsorbed particles become food for the friendly bacteria that live in the digestive tract and thus help their proliferation. Thanks to these, people acquire a certain immunity against a wide variety of chronic diseases (for example cardiovascular diseases or cognitive impairment).

However, wine despite providing so many benefits to the body, also consumed excessively can cause serious problems to the body (like any alcoholic beverage), so its moderate consumption is recommended. What would moderate consumption be like? A maximum of three drinks is recommended for men and one and a half drinks for women, daily.  Because the difference? Because wine acts differently in both metabolisms, although there are certainly exceptional cases, this singularity is mainly due to two factors:

• Women have a lower concentration than men of the alcohol enzyme called dehydrogenase, which implies that there is a greater absorption of ethanol.
• The female sex distributes a lower volume of alcohol in the body, and the liver processes it more slowly.

What are the benefits of red wine?

Next, we expose the benefits and properties of red wine:

• Reduces the risk of diabetes because it lowers glucose.
• Contributes to the control of blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome.
• Reduces markers of oxidative stress.
• Decreases biomarkers of inflammation.
• Prevents cerebrovascular accidents.
• It has antibacterial and antihistamine action.
• Prevents atherosclerosis.
• Reduces cholesterol and body fat. This result is due to the polyphenols that are not absorbed by the body, which become food for good bacteria, which improve metabolism. Conclusion: you burn fatter in less time.
• Prevents premature aging due to the antioxidants it contains and gives you more longevity.
• Reduces the possibility of suffering from a wide variety of cancers, thanks to its antioxidants.
• It favors the teeth by hardening the enamel and counteracting cavities.
• It provides the body with certain nutrients and beneficial particles. Few alcoholic beverages have nutrients; wine belongs to that select group. This drink retains certain vitamins from the whole fruit, in small amounts. It is important to remember that wines containing large amounts of added sulfite neutralize the effect of certain vitamins.  Vitamin C is found in large amounts in must, but not in wine. Other vitamins contained in very small quantities in the already fermented drink are: nicotinamide (B3), mesa-inositol (B7), biotin (B8), coalmine (B12), folic acid (B9) and cyanocobalamin (B12).
• It inhibits the formation of new fat cells and eliminates existing ones. Red wine, unlike white wine, has a very special property: it activates a gene that slows down the formation of new fat cells and at the same time encourages the existing ones to purify them little by little, discarding them from our body.

Of course, to take advantage of all the benefits of red wine, it is necessary to follow a healthy lifestyle in general, which consists of a balanced diet and exercise, as well as other habits.

Wines and carbohydrates

Although wine is an excellent alternative for those who want a slim figure, it may be unsuitable in diets where carbohydrate consumption is reduced. These drinks have a greater or lesser amount of simple carbohydrates (sugars) depending on the type of fermentation to which they are subjected:

• Dry wines: contain 5 grams/liter of sugar.
• Semi-dry wines: they contain 5-15 g/l of sugars.
• Avocado wines: they contain 15-30 g/l of sugars.
• Semi-sweet wines: they contain 30-50 g/l of sugars.
• Sweet wines: contain 50 g/l of sugar.

Tip: Remember that higher sugar alcoholic beverages equal more calories.