Beer Vs Wine is an age of debate, and it has become rather a dull topic for discussion since the answer is rather obvious. The fact that wine has more of a divine taste than beer really goes without saying, however, this doesn’t count towards its health factor.
Despite the flavor, if you are thinking about switching from beer to wine, but are also thinking about your health, then there are a few things that you will want to take into consideration before you decide on your beverage of choice.
Let’s spend some time today looking over the health factors of beer and wine, to see which one comes out on top.
Is Beer more fattening?
To start off, we want to think about the fattening properties of these alcohols.
Before even this, though, let’s look at the alcohol content. One pint of beer will typically have the same amount of alcohol in it as a medium sized glass of wine.
If you are drinking the alcohol to feel that party-ready buzz, then the speed at which you will become inebriated will depend on the speed that the alcohol enters your bloodstream.
Basically, this means that the longer it takes to enter the bloodstream, the more you will drink. Spirits will enter your bloodstream the fastest, things like vodka, gin, rum, and so on will give you a buzz the fastest.
Next it is wine, then beer. This means that if you have a glass of wine, you will feel the buzz faster than if you have a pint of beer. Drinking beer, you will need to drink twice as many pints than the person drinking a glass of wine. So, you are more likely to drink more.
This is where calories come into it. If you are drinking twice as much beer to get the buzz you would with wine, then you need to think about how many calories are in this beer.
When we are thinking about calories, beer does really outdo most of its competitor alcohols, and not in the good way. One pint of beer contains 50% more calories than a glass of wine does.
So when you are drinking two pints of beer to get the same buzz that your friend with their one glass of wine is getting, you are consuming 100% more calories overall.
Thinking Calories!
Now, thinning about those calories, we already know that beer has a lot more, but what about wine?
In a glass of wine, there are around 120 calories per 5fl oz serving. Let’s see the differences in wines.
- Sauvignon Blanc- 120 calories per fl/oz.
- Chardonnay- 123 calories per fl/oz.
- Champagne- 114 calories per fl/oz.
- Prosecco- 99 calories per fl/oz.
This is for white wines, but what about other wines? Well, in a red wine you can expect around 125 calories per fl/oz, if you are one of the few people who enjoy a rose then you can expect 105 calories per fl/oz.
So, if you are feeling a little conscious about your body image, remember that a pint of beer will have at least 50% more calories than a glass of wine.
So, if you are drinking a full bottle of wine, this would mean your intake is closer to 1,000 calories, depending on the wine. You can usually get around 5 glasses of wine out of a bottle. This means that a pint of beer can often have around 200 to 300 calories in it.
Adding onto this, a dry white wine also has the lowest amount of sugar you can find in a wine, so this is another good wine to drink if you are trying to be weight conscious when you drink.
The healthiest alcohols.
If you are trying to think health consciously, then you will be interested to find out what the 5 healthiest alcohols are to drink. Topping the list is red wine, followed closely by champagne and tequila.
Often we assume that alcohol is unhealthy, however, realistically it is only unhealthy when consumed in excess and binged. If it is moderated and consumed with caution and regulation, then you can actually reap some health benefits for it.
This doesn’t mean that you should go out binge-drinking, it means that if you decide to have a nice glass of red wine on a Saturday night, then you may see some health benefits. Binging on alcohol is never healthy.
The resveratrol in wine can actually protect against the onset of type-2 diabetes, and it can boost cardiovascular health, slowing the aging process, and also has the ability to tackle acne. Since red wine is also low in sugar, it is also the best beverage for those who suffer from diabetes.
The pros and cons of beer
To finish off this assessment of beer vs wine, let’s take a look at what beer has going for it, and against it.
Pros
- The German Commission E has approved that hops can treat restlessness, anxiety, and disturbed sleep.
- Beer has a higher nutritional value than wine does. It has more protein, fiber, B vitamins, folate, and niacin, which actually make it more like food.
- It is possible that hops may inhibit obesity.
- Beer with excess hops may increase bone mineral density, improving strength.
Cons
- Can contain excess calories per bottle in comparison to wine.
- Excess amounts can lead to liver damage, dependency, and hangovers.
- Heartburn.
- Dehydration.
- Carbs.
The pros and cons of wine
Let’s check out what wine has going for it, and against it.
Pros
- Low calories in comparison to beer.
- One glass of red wine has 187 mg of potassium, as well as a significant amount of fiber.
- Resveratrol found in red wine can blunt aging effects.
- Flavonoids in wine may be able to protect your skin from UV rays.
Cons
- Contains acid, which can demineralize your teeth’s enamel.
- Can trigger migraines.
- Dehydration.
- Can trigger heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and kidney disease.
- Can lead to liver damage, dependency, and hangovers.
