When it comes to alcoholic beverages some drinks have more calories than others. Let’s take a look at beer vs. wine and which is the healthier choice?
When comparing calories, light beer is the least amount of calories at 10 calories per ounce compared with wine which is 20 calories per ounce. The calorie level is impacted by the alcoholic content of the beverage. On the average most beers have a level between 4-5% alcohol per volume and wine has 12-17% alcohol per volume. The higher the alcoholic content means more calories. Microbrew beers tend to be higher in alcohol then the domestic beers.
Most people believe the calories are greatly impacted by the carbohydrates or sugar in the wine or beer. As you can see in the label, wine has 2 grams of carbohydrate equal to 4 calories and light beer has 5 grams of carbohydrate equal to 20 calories. A typical beer that is not light is going to average 140 calories per 12 ounces and 10 grams of carbohydrate. Once again, don’t be fooled by a darker beer assuming it has the most calories, it still depends on the percentage of alcohol per volume. Some light ales have more alcohol and calories than darker beers.
In terms of health benefits, we know that drinking alcohol in moderation can be beneficial to health especially when it comes to heart disease – this applies for both wine and beer. Remember the recommendation for moderation is one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Excess consumption can lead to obesity and other health problems.
So which should you choose – wine or beer? They are both low in carbohydrates and close in calories so it depends on the type of social drinking you will be doing. If you are planning to sip then pick a glass of wine. If you have a tendency to drink more or need it to last longer, choose a light beer.
Rebecca
