The Calories in Wine



For a 3.5oz glass of wine, which is what many consider 'one glass', the alcohol provides around 80 calories. The calories in a glass of wine come solely from the alcohol in the wine. There are only trace amounts of protein in the wine, 0 grams of fat, and 0.0 grams of saturated fats.

There are about 3 grams of "carbohydrate equivalents", 9mg of calcium, .3mg of iron, and 5g of sodium. For more exact details about the vitamins, minerals and components of a glass of wine, read USDA Carb and Content Information on Wine.

For more about the carb-like activity of wine, read the Wine, Carbs and the Atkins Diet article as well as Wine, Alcohol, and Ethanol - the Chemistry of Wine.

Here are some caloric figures for 'full servings' of wine and wine-like products:
  • 5oz Wine: 100 calories
  • 5oz "Lite" wine: 80 calories
  • 12oz Wine Spritzer: 120 calories
  • 12oz Wine Cooler: 215 calories


How does this compare to other alcohols? A similar "single drink" would be:
  • 12oz can of beer: 146 calories
  • 2.5oz shot of rum/vodka/etc: ~100 - 120 calories


Mixed drinks are even higher in calories because many involve multiple shots, cream, or fruits.

Thinking about your health? Those few extra calories may bring far more healthful benefits per-calorie than just about anything else you could drink. Wine's healthy offerings including protecting against heart disease, cancer, and much more.

If you are dieting, be sure to read about Wine and Calories - How Wine is Metabolized. Wine is actually VERY unlikely to get turned into fat. However, if you drink a *high alcohol* wine, that alcohol will get used by the body as energy first, before it decides to start using your fat cells. It does that at a rate of 7 calories/gram.

These are all generalizations, though. The true amount of calories in a glass of wine varies from wine to wine. If you want more details, learn how do you determine the caloric content of wine.

Note:

A great deal of research and work went into my wine / health pages. If you use this information, please credit me properly. Thanks!

Wine and Health



All content on the WineIntro website is personally written by author and wine enthusiast Lisa Shea. WineIntro explores the delicious variety and beautiful history which makes up our world of wine! Lisa loves supporting local wineries and encouraging people to drink whatever they like. We all have different taste buds, and that makes our world wonderful. Always drink responsibly.