Fans of dry white wine have reason to celebrate. Nutritionists consider dry white wine to be the least harmful alcoholic choice (if we can really call alcohol safe).
Some experts have called dry white wine the ‘healthiest’ choice for overall wellness and weight management. The reason? It contains the least amount of sugar and alcohol.
Debbie Petitpain, a registered dietitian and a representative of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the U.S., explained that dry white wines, such as German Riesling, have the lowest residual sugar. This refers to the natural sugars left after grape fermentation.
In dry white wines, these sugars are minimal because fermentation continues until almost all the sugar is converted to alcohol. That’s why dry whites taste crisp and tart. Petitpain noted that a glass of dry white wine contains about 120 calories — the lowest calorie count among common alcoholic beverages — and only about one gram of sugar. Typical alcohol by volume (ABV) for dry white wines ranges from 9 to 11 percent.
The Place of Origin Matters
White wines from warmer regions tend to have higher sugar and higher alcohol content. It’s no coincidence that many of the best dry whites come from cooler-climate regions, the Daily Mail reports.
Among these cooler regions are Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, Austria, Macedonia, Hungary, Germany, as well as northern France, Italy, and Greece.
Nutritionists recommend a simple trick for wine lovers who want to make their drink a bit healthier: dilute it with sparkling water. Petitpain says the pour looks larger visually, but it contains less alcohol and fewer calories.
Red Wine Enthusiasts Disagree with This Theory
Red wine fans often reject this claim. They point to their own arguments, some backed by research.
Some believe moderate red wine consumption supports heart health, thanks to the antioxidant resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in grape skins, which stay in contact with the juice during red-wine production but are typically left out of white-wine production.
Resveratrol may help prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol, and inhibit blood-clot formation.
Kerry-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, says red wine is slightly healthier than white because it contains more vitamins and minerals. But Jennings agrees white’s advantage is its lower calorie content.
Alex Oldeborg, a leading American dietitian, noted, ‘To achieve such health benefits, you would have to drink a lot of red wine, so just one recommended glass a day won’t be enough.’
Dietary guidelines in many countries suggest acceptable daily amounts of wine: no more than one glass for women and two glasses for men.
