Carbs in Red Wine?

[Skyrider]

I frequently read conflicting information regarding carbs in red wine:

Many articles state that there are zero carbs in red wine, yet there are many sites which list various amounts of carbs in red wine which varies with the grape variety.

What does this jury think?

 

[Antje77]

Depends on the wine.
There are some very sweet dessert wines which definitely have a lot of carbs.

But most red wines are low carb enough to not show a blip on my glucose sensor, and I don't need to take insulin for a couple of glasses.

 

[Skyrider]

Depends on the wine.
There are some very sweet dessert wines which definitely have a lot of carbs.

But most red wines are low carb enough to not show a blip on my glucose sensor, and I don't need to take insulin for a couple of glasses.

Thanks Antje, I'll drink to that

 

[Antje77]

Thanks Antje, I'll drink to that

Cheers!

 

[KennyA]

I frequently read conflicting information regarding carbs in red wine:

Many articles state that there are zero carbs in red wine, yet there are many sites which list various amounts of carbs in red wine which varies with the grape variety.

What does this jury think?

I don't know anyone who claims zero carbs in red wine - there clearly are, in normal reds anyway. I usually work to an estimate of about 5 carbs per 150ml glass of chianti, for example. Five of these in a bottle, so about 20-25g carb per bottle. A little more than the equivalent amount of beer. But I don't drink wine like I drink beer. And dry white wines are usually well below 5g a glass.

This website is good for carb info: https://getdrunknotfat.com/

The other factor - which I get - is that the alcohol may well tie up your liver for a while, so it doesn't add as much glucose to your blood as it usually does. This can lead to a BG fall after alcohol. I've had one bad very low BG experience when I didn't eat enough and I never want to repeat that. If you're running with low BGs anyway it's as well to be sure to eat along with the drink.

 

[Skyrider]

I don't know anyone who claims zero carbs in red wine - there clearly are, in normal reds anyway. I usually work to an estimate of about 5 carbs per 150ml glass of chianti, for example. Five of these in a bottle, so about 20-25g carb per bottle. A little more than the equivalent amount of beer. But I don't drink wine like I drink beer. And dry white wines are usually well below 5g a glass.

This website is good for carb info: https://getdrunknotfat.com/

The other factor - which I get - is that the alcohol may well tie up your liver for a while, so it doesn't add as much glucose to your blood as it usually does. This can lead to a BG fall after alcohol. I've had one bad very low BG experience when I didn't eat enough and I never want to repeat that. If you're running with low BGs anyway it's as well to be sure to eat along with the drink.

Thanks Kenny, that's helpful. The site you mentioned shows similar figures to those I have seen elsewhere.

Our friends at The Low Carb Program seem to think differently, showing 0.4g for red wine, please see attached file.

 

[KennyA]

Thanks Kenny, that's helpful. The site you mentioned shows similar figures to those I have seen elsewhere.

Our friends at The Low Carb Program seem to think differently, showing 0.4g for red wine, please see attached file.

That's a surprise, and I wish it was true. Thanks for the info.

Most of the figures given seem absolutely in line with everyone else but the red wine and the port and sherry figures seem more than a bit on the low side. I suppose it might be possible to find a red wine that is that low, but I don't think it would be in any way typical. You might as well say beer has 1g carb per 440ml, because there are beers that low, but definitely not typical.

And you might (maybe) find a very very dry Fino sherry at 1.8g per 25ml but if I remember correctly a Pedro Ximinez will have 17-18g carb.

I've also no idea what's meant by cider (plain) and cider (fruit) - aren't all ciders made from fruit by definition?

 

[searley]

Also depending on the situation you need to be careful calculating carbs with alcohol too as it slows the glucose release from the liver..

So it can effect everyone differently

 

[Skyrider]

That's a surprise, and I wish it was true. Thanks for the info.

Most of the figures given seem absolutely in line with everyone else but the red wine and the port and sherry figures seem more than a bit on the low side. I suppose it might be possible to find a red wine that is that low, but I don't think it would be in any way typical. You might as well say beer has 1g carb per 440ml, because there are beers that low, but definitely not typical.

And you might (maybe) find a very very dry Fino sherry at 1.8g per 25ml but if I remember correctly a Pedro Ximinez will have 17-18g carb.

I've also no idea what's meant by cider (plain) and cider (fruit) - aren't all ciders made from fruit by definition?

I guess it's back to being teetotal for me

 

[Antje77]

I guess it's back to being teetotal for me

Do you use a glucose meter?
What about testing before and after wine to see how it affects you? You might be pleasantly surprised.

Also depending on the situation you need to be careful calculating carbs with alcohol too as it slows the glucose release from the liver..

With @Skyrider not being on medication, lows after alcohol shouldn't be a problem. Counting carbs in alcoholic drinks to decide on the right dose of insulin is a completely different ballgame of course!

 

[Chris24Main]

Just another thing to bear in mind.. for type 1 diabetes the story can seem to start and finish with dosing insulin for glucose, whereas for classic type 2 it's more a question of the development of insulin resistance.

Most of the "sugar" in wine has come from the grape, which will be mainly fructose. Fructose will have little direct impact on blood glucose simply because it isn't glucose.. but since the liver has to deal with it once its done with the alcohol, it can directly drive insulin resistance (by turning that fructose into fat and storing it around the liver, causing fat storage cells to expand and become resistant to insulin).

 

[KennyA]

I guess it's back to being teetotal for me

I find even on 20g a day I can usually budget the 10g for a couple of glasses of red with a steak, and sometimes a normal beer. If beer's an option, there is some good almost-zero carb beer around - thread here

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/zero-carb-beer.192130/

And spirits are zero carb, although many of the mixers won't be.

 

[becca59]

As a type I absolutely do not see a rise with red wine. Dry white I can just about get away with. Prosecco and beer all require insulin. Beer requires a lot as I like high alcohol beer. I don’t drink more than a couple of glasses of wine.

 

[Chris24Main]

Both Prosecco and beer use sugar (and yeast) in the processing - wine is all about converting the fructose to alcohol. Spirits are about converting grain starches to alcohol in a distilling process that extracts the alcohol, leaving no sugar.

Cider is probably the worst culprit from our perspective - full of sugar and fructose.

 

[AloeSvea]

My understanding is a dry prosecco is about 1-2 grams of carbs per bubbles-glass. And that you can taste if it's got less residual sugar in it, as with all wines.

Red wine? Between 2-4 grams of carbs per wine glass, and ditto - you can taste the level of residual sugar likewise, and choose your brands accordingly.

 

[Outlier]

My single glass of red wine for 10 evenings a month (a bottle lasts me 5 days and the wine doesn't seem to deteriorate if re-corked immediately after serving) doesn't appear to impact my BG at all, and I'm pretty strict keto.

Thank goodness for that, say I!

 

[Skyrider]

Thanks for all your recent contributions.

I have actually been alcohol-free for some time due to the horror stories surrounding the effects of alcohol on the body.

My renewed interest came about after recently reading a book entitled "The Very Good News About Wine". I was also surprised to learn that Tim Spector (Zoe) drinks a couple of glasses of red wine each night. Some of his research is quoted in the aforementioned book.

I'm still undecided on the health aspects but am curious about the carb content as it would effect my carb count for the day. As mentioned above, I'm not on any medication, I don't need to calculate dosages at all, it's simply about keeping my carb intake under control.

Just another thing to bear in mind.. for type 1 diabetes the story can seem to start and finish with dosing insulin for glucose, whereas for classic type 2 it's more a question of the development of insulin resistance.

Most of the "sugar" in wine has come from the grape, which will be mainly fructose. Fructose will have little direct impact on blood glucose simply because it isn't glucose.. but since the liver has to deal with it once its done with the alcohol, it can directly drive insulin resistance (by turning that fructose into fat and storing it around the liver, causing fat storage cells to expand and become resistant to insulin).

Good point.