Does Red Wine Help You Lose Weight? Pros, Cons & How To Use It 2024
Updated on
- Written by Mitchelle Morgan, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Kimberly Langdon, MD
Did you know that more than half of adults in the US love drinking red wine? There’s no doubt that red wine is among the most popular alcoholic drinks. Apart from making you feel great, some health benefits come with the drink.
However, does red wine help with losing weight? Red wine is a fermented drink that has sugar and calories. It’s important to note if you have weight loss goals.
In this article, get to learn all about the nutritional content of red wine. Also, you can learn what research has to say about drinking red wine to lose weight.
Does Red Wine Promote Weight Loss?
One of the main ways to lose weight is by eating a balanced diet. Healthy foods can help you reduce and maintain reasonable body weight. But, as you embark on your weight loss journey, drinking red wine can help you with weight loss.
Drinking a glass of red wine has its health benefits. But, more research is necessary to prove it can help people lose weight.
Can Red Wine Help You Lose Weight?
According to research[1], moderate consumption of red wine comes in handy during the fat-burning process, at least in rats. Red wine contains polyphenols that are ideal for turning white fat into burnable brown fat. Another study showed that there is less chance of weight gain when drinking wine.
Another way to determine if red wine is ideal for weight loss is by noting the nutritional content. There are only 125 calories[2] in a glass of red wine. Most of these are alcoholic calories, and the rest are from carbs in red wines.
But, since there are different red wines, the nutritional content can vary. Some have more or less sugar and alcohol content than others. This, in turn, increases or decreases the number of calories in these red wines.
Still, in a 2012 study, researchers observed that resveratrol in red wine helped bees curb their appetite. The evidence showed that drinking wine before bed can be good for weight loss. You won’t feel the urge for a midnight snack or two that can cause you to gain weight.
The results aren’t all indicating that red wine can lead to weight loss. A 2017 study[3] consisted of participants with type 2 diabetes. The results showed no evidence that red wine for weight loss works. While the participants didn’t gain weight, they also didn’t experience any weight loss.
Red Wine And Weight Loss
When you want to maintain a healthy weight, consider a few things before drinking red wine. It’s an alcoholic beverage with pros and cons worth noting.
Pros
There are a whole host of health benefits that you can enjoy because of red wine. It contains crucial antioxidants like resveratrol that benefit the human body. Resveratrol[4] is good for fighting inflammation, blood sugar control, and boosting heart health.
Folks who enjoy the Mediterranean diet[5] know that staples include red wine, legumes, olives, fruits, and nuts. All these are flavonoid-rich foods[6] that are ideal when you want to maintain a healthy weight.
A study done in 2009[7] on rats showed that red wines play an instrumental role in weight loss. This happens through an increase in adipose tissue aromatase expression. The result was better weight management in the participants.
Other benefits
Apart from maintaining a healthy weight, red wine also boosts heart health. According to researchers[8], drinking red wines and other alcoholic drinks can help prevent heart disease. The polyphenols in red and purple grape skin have some heart-protecting properties.
Blood sugar control is another pro that can inspire you to drink red wine. Drinking red wine[9] can potentially raise blood sugar levels for 24 hours. But, checking your blood sugar levels before having that glass of wine is essential.
Cons
As good as drinking red wine can be, it might not be ideal for your weight loss journey. Evidence shows[10] that there’s a relationship between drinking wine and weight gain. If your goal is losing weight, red wine or alcohol may not be the best option.
There are empty calories in alcoholic drinks, including red wine, that interfere with your caloric intake. So, always consider how many calories there are in the red wine you want to take. In addition, red wines are notorious for having sugar[11] that interferes with good body weight.
Sometimes, one glass isn’t enough, which can cause you to take more calories. Other effects of excessive alcohol intake are insulin resistance and poor blood sugar control. Both affect having a healthy weight and increase the chances of getting type 2 diabetes[12].
How to Drink Red Wine for Weight Loss?
After weighing the pros and the cons, you can choose if you want to enjoy red wine or not. Red wine is good as long as you don’t overdo it. As you plan a weight loss routine, here are several ways to enjoy red wine without affecting your efforts to lose weight:
Keep an eye on your caloric intake. Red wine helps with weight loss when you monitor your caloric intake. This means you have to add the amount of red wine to the calories you take.
Steer clear of sweet wines. Red wine dieting only works if you pick wines with less sugar content. Dessert and other sweet wines aren’t ideal for weight loss since they have loads of calories and sugar.
One glass per day. One glass or serving of red wine is enough. Taking more isn’t ideal when you want to maintain a healthy weight. It’s better to have red wine at night before bed.
As you take red wine, ensure you also eat healthy foods and stick to healthy drinks. Red wine has many benefits, including good cardiovascular health. But, it’s important to stick to moderate drinking during your red wine weight loss journey.
Keep track of your body weight and see if there are any changes when taking wine. This will help you note if taking red wine has a positive or negative effect on body weight.
Alternatives to Red Wine For Losing Weight
Drinking red wine has several health benefits, but you don’t have to drink it if it’s not for you. There are alternatives to red wine for losing weight, such as:
Light Beer
Did you know that 1 serving of light beer contains only 100 calories? This is about 55 calories less than a regular beer. Light beers are good for alcohol metabolism and weight loss.
Straight Alcoholic Drinks
Having your favorite alcoholic drink straight or on the rocks is better. Or you can take it with sparkling water, which doesn’t increase the number of calories you take.
Champagne
There are only 85 calories per serving of champagne. This is about 35 calories less than your favorite red wine. The trick is to turn down that second glass of champagne.
The Takeaway
Red wine is an alcoholic drink that you can enjoy even when you want to lose weight. It contains rich antioxidants that benefit your body in many ways. Red wines contain sugars and carbs, but some are low-calorie.
Practicing moderate drinking is better since excessive alcohol can lead to issues like liver inflammation. Moderate drinking is the best way to enjoy red wine while losing weight. Stick to one serving of low-sugar red wines. Plus, it’s crucial to track your caloric intake.
+ 12 sources
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Written by:
Mitchelle Morgan, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
