Ever heard of a wine belly?

 In CGT Blog

The beer belly is a commonly known phenomenon, but a wine belly?

Not so much. You’ve likely never heard of a wine belly because people don’t associate wine with bulging bellies – and for good reason! That’s because glass of wine typically has fewer carbohydrates and calories than your average pint of beer. Think of wine as the low-calorie snack of the alcohol world.

There. We said it. We live in a region with over 20 microbreweries, brewpubs, and taprooms – and we love their product and all of the great local growth that comes with it. Sometimes, though, a heavy stout or potent IPA is just too heavy for our taste – and maybe even our waist! Consider the following…

According to the USDA:

  • 5 oz. Glass of Rose = 105 Calories & 2.0 g Carbohydrates
  • 12 oz. Can of Bud Light = 110 Calories & 7.0 g Carbohydrates
  • 5 oz. Glass of Dry White Wine (Pinot Grigio) = 120 Calories & 3.8 g Carbohydrates
  • 12 oz. Can of Pabst Blue Ribbon = 144 Calories & 13.0 g Carbohydrates
  • 5 oz. Glass of Dry Red Wine (Merlot) = 122 Calories & 3.7 g Carbohydrates
  • 12 oz. Bottle of Stella Artois = 154 Calories & 12.8 g Carbohydrates
  • 12 oz. Bottle of Sierra Nevada = 171 Calories & 14.1 g Carbohydrates

Of course it completely depends on what type of wine or brand of beer you have selected. But, overall, there are usually fewer calories in wine compared to beer. Check out this awesome infographic from Wine Folly:

Original Source: Calories in Beer vs. Wine (Infographic)

Adding up the calories for a quick comparison isn’t always an easy thing to do. We suggest using the ABV (Alcohol by Volume) to guesstimate how many calories you’re consuming. This goes for both wine and beer. Madeline Puckette, the sommelier behind Wine Folly suggests looking for a wine with an ABV between 9 to 12 percent, which would be roughly equal to “110 to 140 calories per six-ounce pour.” Not too shabby, eh?

For the most part, white wines are the least caloric of wine, but drinking a red wine won’t bust your calorie threshold either. At the end of the day, drink whatever quenches your thirst. We love an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day. More often than not, we opt for a satisfying glass of wine instead. It’s less filling and less caloric. And if you drink enough of it, you’ll feel sexy – even if you do have a beer belly or some wine handles.

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