If you’ve ever tried dieting, you’ve probably heard that there are certain foods and beverages you need to avoid if you want to lose weight: processed foods, sodas, and anything high in sugar. But what about wine? Is it possible to savor a glass of your favorite wine and still reach your health goals? According to science, it is. There is overwhelming evidence showing that you don’t need to give up wine to lose weight or stay healthy. You just need to be a bit more strategic about it!

Which Diets Allow Wine?

Several diets allow and, in some cases, encourage moderate wine consumption, including these popular eating plans:

• Mediterranean Diet
• Anti-Inflammatory Diet
• Ketogenic Diet
• WW Freestyle Diet
• Gluten-Free Diet

Of course, each diet has its own set of rules, but you can still enjoy your favorite wine in moderation.

Which Wine is Best for Diets?

While wine itself isn’t off-limits, you should be a little choosy to stay healthy and thin. Red wine is often touted as the beverage of choice for its many health benefits, especially resveratrol, which is more present in red wine than white. When choosing a wine while on a diet, we recommend avoiding dessert wines like port, sauternes, and fully sweet rieslings as they tend to be quite caloric. Instead, fill your glass with a lower calorie, lower carb wine. Think pinot grigio, champagne, sparkling white wine, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and merlot.

How You Can Enjoy Wine and Reach Your Goals

If you abide by some basic health guidelines, you can easily continue indulging in wine while maintaining or losing weight. Here are a few ways you can make that possible:

Drink it with a Meal

Sipping a glass of wine with dinner may help suppress your appetite, helping you eat smaller portions of food (which ultimately results in fewer calories). It will also give your body time to digest and absorb the calories before you turn in for the night. Additionally, alcohol behaves similarly to carbohydrates in the body, so try enjoying your wine at least 3 hours before you go to bed.

Don’t Forget the Calories

Anyone on a diet will tell you the main thing to keep in mind when losing weight: burning more calories than you consume. To savor wine to the fullest, consider creating a daily calorie budget so you can keep track of your intake and delight in a glass guilt-free.

Measure Your Pours

A standard serving of wine is a 5-ounce pour, which might be less than what you’re used to. When watching your weight, take the time to measure how much vino you pour in your glass. To help prevent going overboard, use smaller wine glasses or purchase smaller, pre-portioned bottles of wine.

Sip Water at the Same Time

Alcohol is a diuretic, and wine is no exception. To maintain the balance of water in your cells, remember to keep a glass of water on hand whenever you’re relaxing with your earned portion of wine.

Practice Moderation

Establishing and maintaining a healthy balance is key to just about anything in life. Stick to one to two glasses of your favorite wine at most per day. You can also reap even more benefits by eating an array of whole, nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.

No matter what diet or lifestyle you choose, there’s always room for a little bit of wine. Treat yourself to a decadent bottle of the finest wine Missouri has to offer, courtesy of Chaumette Vineyards & Winery! Order yours today or join our Wine Club to experience our award-winning wines year-round.