It is true that there are 80 calories in a glass of the sweeter white wines and the calories are all in the alcohol. For most Chardonnays there are only about sixty calories. The higher the alcohol content of the wine the more calories the wine has. Typically, the drier the white wine tastes the less calories it has.
However, it is true that most white wine is only a mixture of alcohol, water and flavoring. The grape juice that begins the process is acted on by the yeast added by the winemaker. The sugar and oxygen found in the grape is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Water does not have calories and the amount of calories in the flavoring is small, therefore, it is only the alcohol that contains any calories. If it is calories in white wine that you are counting, then having one glass of wine occasionally is fine, but if you can’t stop with one glass of your favorite white wine then you might want to try cutting back your calories elsewhere. Of course if you prefer red, the flavorings of red wine include antioxidants that are helpful to you. Whether your preference is white wine or red wine both provide a degree of digestive comfort that is hard to duplicate or value.
Selecting Your White Wine
Now that you have made your choice that you prefer white wine and you are prepared to monitor your usage as part of your weight control program, you should select a wine that you can afford and is commonly available. There are tons of white wines available in the stores. From the cheapest Chablis and German varietals to the most expensive wines from France and California, there are thousands of bottles of white wine available at any time.
Your choice needs to be based in your palette. Do you prefer sweeter tastes or do you like tastes that are more robust and have perhaps an oak or other wooden taste. There are white wines with both these tastes. In fact, there are today wines available that are mixed with pears, apples and other fruits to provide a variety of tastes for all drinkers. There are even peppery wines that are developed in rather special soils that actually give the grapes a little bite to them.
Of course you should not mix exercise and white wine. This can be disastrous as wine is mostly alcohol and your capabilities are typically diminished after drinking. So if an exercise program is included as parts of your weight control program then you really need to consider only drinking when you do not exercise shortly thereafter.