As tradition dictates, a good meal goes hand in hand with wine. From aperitifs to dinners, consumption is very real! So we wondered what was the real impact of wine consumption on our weight and does it make us fat.
Why does drinking wine make you fat?
Well, we won’t keep the suspense going for too long because as you can imagine: the answer is rather yes, wine makes you fat. But then, why?
The calories contained in alcoholic beverages are “empty” calories, meaning that they have no nutritional value, i.e. they do not provide any minerals or vitamins.
In addition, the effects of alcohol on weight are significant because:
- It is very quickly stored by the body
- It slows down the destruction of fat
- Alcohol stimulates the formation of fat deposits, particularly in the abdomen (and liver).
- It affects the feeling of satiety
So much fun!
Wine makes you fat, so does the context!
There is also a “psychological” aspect to wine consumption that encourages people to eat: if you open a bottle of wine as an aperitif, you will tend to associate it with snacking. And it is rarely accompanied by a stalk of celery, but rather by a slice of cheese or charcuterie. There is also a “social” aspect to this, because depending on the context (friendly, family, etc.) it is difficult to say stop… Finally, as if that wasn’t enough, the day after an evening when the wine has flowed, we are more attracted by greasy and sweet foods that we continue to consume to reduce the “hangover” effect. Guaranteed calorie counter explosion.
How can we limit weight gain?
Thankfully, there are a few tricks if you want to keep drinking wine without having to change your wardrobe. So here are a few tips to continue to enjoy yourself while keeping the damage to a minimum:
- Drink in moderation (in any case you should drink in moderation!)
- Avoid adding calories (syrups or sweetened soft drinks).
- Eat before going out: protein or fiber
- Be careful of what you snack on to go with your drink…
- Drink… water! Whether you watch your weight or not, it also prevents dehydration due to alcohol consumption.
- Get information and choose a lower calorie alcohol…
Which wine to choose to moderate calorie intake?
The calories in wine come from the alcohol and the sugar it contains.
As you can see in the infographics below, if you want to enjoy a drink, wine is to be preferred. And some wines are better than others, so you will limit the impact on your weight!
**Warning the higher the alcohol level, the more calories it will contain.
Beware, these numbers are for information only. Because sweet white wines (Sauternes, Monbazillac) contain more calories. Also, natural sweet wines are more caloric because they contain added sugar (Muscat or Banyuls). Some wines can also contain more calories (Cabernet Sauvignon, Côtes du Rhône…) and others less (Gros-plant, Vinho Verde…). And the size of the glass is also important!
Here is a comparison of calories contained in other alcoholic beverages*:
Will I lose weight if I stop drinking?
You go on a diet and you think that by cutting out alcohol, it should do the trick. Again, there are several things to consider:
- It all depends on how much alcohol you used to drink.
- Beware of the frustration of the “forbidden drink” and its boomerang effect
- “Social” consumption must be limited.
- If you stop drinking but continue to have a disorganized food diet, it is likely that you will lose weight, but it will be minor and above all limited.
Conclusion
We chose to talk about the effect of wine consumption on the weight and not about the beneficial or negative effect of alcohol on our health. And regarding this subject, we have to be wary of certain preconceived ideas, on the fact that wine would not make us fat. Some of these ideas are corroborated by very serious studies that have unfortunately been misinterpreted (drinking two glasses of wine before going to sleep would make you lose weight, a glass of wine is better than an hour of sport…).
In fact, whether you watch you weight or don’t, the main idea is to find the right balance between pleasure and moderation.
Unfortunately, there is no proof that aeration would make the wine less caloric, but this does not prevent you from drinking your wine in the best conditions with Aveine!
