Grand cru, ice-cold rosé, fresh lager, stout or triple abbey beer… The hardest part is undoubtedly choosing. Beer or wine, is there a drink to favor when you worry about your line?
These are well-established traditions: those of the “little mousse” or a good glass of wine, to accompany a good meal or simply to enjoy the last hours of the day.
But beware: alcohol is a real calorie bomb. A gram of ethanol contains about 7 kcal, almost as many calories as a gram of fat, even more than a gram of sugar.
Should beer be avoided?
Malt, hops, yeasts… One might spontaneously think that beer has a lot more calories. However, the truth is not so obvious.
Technically, wine is indeed higher in calories than beer. But it is consumed in smaller quantities (a glass of wine making, in general, 12.5 cl against 25 to 50 cl for beer).
No absolute rule, therefore, because there are also as many recipes and manufacturing techniques as there are beers. In other words, the energy value may vary depending on which one you choose.
A 25cl glass of non-alcoholic beer, for example, is equivalent to around 50 calories, where the same amount of light lager will contain 80/90. The stronger the beers, the more calories they have… And this can quickly rise.
Each wine is unique
In the absence of a strong and caloric beer, would it be better, thus, to opt for wine, rich in antioxidants? Not necessarily, because the case of the vine is rather similar: grape varieties, vinification, late or earlier harvests… The result will differ from one wine to another. Energy and nutritional intake as well.
A glass of rosé is about 100 kcal. Same for a dry white. The red will be slightly more caloric. Cooked or sweeter wines (Banyuls, Muscat, Sauternes, etc.) may even exceed 200 kcal.
As you will have understood, in terms of calories, it is not the choice of drink but the quantity that will make the difference.
The key to having fun while staying healthy, therefore, is to consume in moderation. And for this, Public Health France reminds us: alcohol is a maximum of two glasses per day, and not every day.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.