Lower Calories: Why Non-alcoholic Wine Is A Healthier Alternative

Jul 01, 2021

It's no secret that non-alcoholic wine and other alcohol-free drinks are an ideal alternative to regular alcoholic drinks. Are you curious as to just how many calories the average alc-free glass of wine contains compared to other drinks like alcoholic wine and soft drinks?

A woman enjoying a glass of non-alcoholic wine on a bath tub

There are lots of different reasons that people avoid drinking alcohol. One of the most popular reasons is the lower calorie count of alc-free drinks. But it's not just lower calories, non-alcoholic wine is a better alternative, here's why. 

Non-Alcoholic Wine in glass

Why should we limit our calorie intake through alcohol?

You've  probably heard the term 'empty calories', but what does it actually mean? 'Empty calories' refers to foods and drinks that have little to no nutritional value. 

'Empty calories' do nothing to help our bodies function well - in fact, they do the opposite. Our bodies tend to use them up first, leaving the excess calorie count from nutritional food like protein to be stored as fat rather than burned off and used for good.

Alcoholic drinks are a good example of 'empty calories'. Your body isn’t designed to store alcohol in the same way it stores energy from food. So when you consume alcohol, your body has one goal - get the booze out. 

This means that kilojoules from the food you eat alongside the alcohol you drink will be stored as fat to be dealt with later. One US study showed that consuming just 24 grams of alcohol—the equivalent of two standard drinks—slowed fat metabolism by a staggering 73 per cent.

So, how do non-alcoholic drinks, specifically non-alcoholic wine, vary from your average glass of wine, bottle of beer or pre-mixed cocktail

How many calories in non-alcoholic wine?

A woman enjoying a glass of non-alcoholic white wine

Generally speaking, the calorie per serving volume of alc-free drinks is much lower than the alcoholic version.  

For example, The Certified Organic Thomson & Scott Noughty alc-free sparkling wine is only 14 calories per 100mls, compared to 69 calories in the same amount of alcoholic Moët & Chandon. And that difference becomes a lot greater over several glasses of sparkling over an evening.

Noughty Non-Alcoholic Wine bottle in hand

Giesen 0% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is another good example. At 13 calories per 100ml serve it as 80 per cent fewer calories than a typical alcoholic Sauv Blanc. 

Giesen 0% Alcohol Wine Bottle on table

Amount of calories in non-alcoholic wine compared to other drinks

Alcohol-free drinks still taste just as amazing as their alcoholic counterparts. But they're lower in calories and in some cases also lower in sugar. Many alcohol-free  spirits are sugar free from artificial flavours and preservatives. In fact, a lot of alc-free brands have consciously created drinks that tick all the wellness boxes. 

Let's find out just how much of a calorie count is in regular drinks, keeping in mind the Thomson & Scott Noughty alcohol-free Sparkling Wine has only 14 per 100mls. 

Alcoholic wine and other alcoholic drinks

A regular glass of alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon contains around 115 calories in total, and Champagne comes in at around 78 calories per flute. A serving of Riesling will usually contain around 120 calories and Pinot Noir is around the same. Moscato, one of the sweeter wines, contains around 127 calories per serve.  

Fruit juices

You may think that orange juice contain fewer calories than other drinks, but, a typical glass of orange juice contains around 39 calories. That's more than you'll find in our Noughty Sparkling and many other alcohol-free options.

Soft drinks

A can of Coke will set you back around 140 calories, a can of Fanta will add a whopping 160 to your daily intake and if we take energy drinks into account, some are full of up to 280 calories in total in each can. 

Woman Pouring non-alcoholic Wine into a glass

Why do alcohol-free drinks have less calories?

The main reason alc-free drinks contain fewer calories compared their boozy counterparts is the alcohol. Essentially, it's the alcohol that adds the calories, so, when the alcohol is removed or left out of the process completely, you end up with a low calorie drink. 

Woman holding a glass at a vineyard

How healthy is non-alcoholic wine?

Aside from the health benefits that come with consuming fewer empty calories, many alc-free drinks also boast an array of additional benefits. 

For example, The Wild Life Botanicals #bubbleswiithbenefits is a basically a non-alcoholic wine-based beauty elixir. It is a vegan, low calorie, vitamin-rich, non-alcoholic sparkling wine that has been made from botanicals and contains 8 vitamins and minerals. It's also available in both sparkling nude and sparkling blush. 

Two bottles of Wild Life Botanicals on a table

The Plus & Minus range of alc-free wine is another great example - it includes high quality grapes and additional grape seed extract, that is naturally rich in antioxidants. 

If you're looking to improve your diet, reduce your sugar intake, or support your general wellbeing journey, then swapping your usual wine to an alcohol-free alternative is an easy place to start.

Here are 5 great low calorie wines to try:

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