Now that 2021 has rolled in, we're guessing you're starting your New Year, New You routine. Not so coincidentally, so are we! Like you, we're not interested in cutting alcoholic drinks out of our diets entirely, so we've been researching as to what types of alcohol we should drink to get ourselves back into tip-top shape. So join us on this journey!
How Healthy Can Alcohol Be?
We're pretty sure if you ever took a health class in either high school or college, you were warned about the health effects of alcohol use. But here's the catch they didn't mention: researchers actually know very little about the risks or benefits of moderate alcohol use in adults. All of the fear tactics and issues they shared result from excessive drinking, not moderate consumption.
The reason researchers and scientists know surprisingly little is that all studies conducted on the matter rely on patient recall and truthful reporting over the years. From experience, we can say that we have once or twice in college not been honest about the amount of alcohol we were drinking with our doctor. So, if there are a few more of us around, you can see how conducting a study can be a little tricky on the matter.
Although red wine drinkers will tell you that there are tons of health benefits associated with a glass of red wine, the truth is, the potential wellness benefits of alcohol are minimal. Moderate alcohol consumption reduces your risk of dying of heart disease, possibly reduces your risk for ischemic stroke, and might reduce your risk for diabetes. While most of these are 'might' or 'possibly,' the truth is, if you're a light to a moderate drinker who is in good shape and healthy, even without any health benefits, you can likely continue to indulge in alcohol so long as you do so responsibly.
Wondering what moderate alcohol use in adults is? So were we. According to people smarter than us, moderate alcohol use for healthy adults means one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.
Counting Your Carbs
If you're trying to count your carbs and calories, here is a quick break down. Alcohol has seven calories per one gram. Here is a helpful chart you can return to if you want to keep counting your carbs!
Rum
1.5 ounces (44 ml)
0 grams
Vodka
1.5 ounces (44 ml)
0 grams
Gin
1.5 ounces (44 ml)
0 grams
Tequila
1.5 ounces (44 ml)
0 grams
Whiskey
1.5 ounces (44 ml)
0 grams
Red wine
5 ounces (148 ml)
3–4 grams
White wine
5 ounces (148 ml)
3–4 grams
Light beer
12 ounces (355 ml)
3 grams
Health Benefits of Beer
Ah, beer. Yes, occasionally, us Bev girls even drink it. The keyword is occasionally. Beer has been around for pretty much ever and is made by brewing and fermenting cereal grains with yeast, hops, and other flavors. In terms of alcohol content, beer sits around four to five percent alcohol.
So does beer have any health benefits? Well, it keeps a lot of the men in our life happy, so that should account for something. Some of you may have heard beer referred to as empty calories (hello, beer belly), and that's not true. It does contain some minerals and vitamins.
In most beers, especially craft beers, you can assume you're getting a few B vitamins and minerals because it is made from cereal grains and yeast. Although it contains small amounts of micronutrients, it can't be compared to whole foods like fruits and veggies—sorry, beer drinkers. Overall, moderate beer intake may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, improved blood sugar control, stronger bones, and reduced dementia risk.
Health Benefits of Wine
A well-known myth common amongst wine drinkers claims that red wine is healthier and less caloric than white wine. The truth is that red wine has slightly more health benefits but has the same amount of calories.
So, why does red wine have slightly more health benefits? Well, the primary differentiation between red and white wine has to do with the color of the grapes used and whether the grape juice was fermented with or without the grape skin. When white wine is created, grapes are pressed, and seeds, skins, and stems are removed before fermentation. With red wine, the red grapes are transferred to vats directly, and they ferment with their seeds, skins, and stems. The grape skin gives the wine its color and is why red wine has a few more healthy compounds than white wine.
Grape skin contains beneficial antioxidants that are known to promote good health. In particular, polyphenol resveratrol is the main reason red wine gets its name with health benefits. Research suggests that resveratrol may be the key ingredient in red wine that can reduce harmful cholesterol levels, prevent damage to blood vessels, and lower blood clots' risk.
Although red wine does have the upper hand when it comes to health benefits, white wine does have health benefits. White wine contains antioxidant properties that help prevent cancer, and some research indicates that it can also protect the heart from aging.
Okay, so now that we've discussed that red wine has slightly more health benefits than white wine, here's what you need to know about sugar, wine, and carb intake. What is a wine made out of? Grapes! What are grapes made out of? Sugar! And what does sugar have? Carbohydrates! Therefore, any wine you drink will have sugar UNLESS you drink Bev, which has zero sugar. (more on that later.
The type of wine you drink does vary in sugar amounts and, therefore, differs in carbohydrates. The amount of sugar in wine is dependent on what occurred during its fermentation process. Essentially, fermentation is the process where wine juice is turned into an alcoholic beverage because yeast eats the juice's sugars. In sugary wines, the winemaker prevents the fermentation process from completing, therefore, leaving more sugar. On the other hand, dry wines allow the process to complete, meaning there is very little sugar left in the final product. Therefore, dry wines have fewer carbohydrates.
For approximation on how many carbs are in a glass of wine, here is what you need to know. Both dry red and dry white wines contain 2 grams of net carbs. There are just under 4 grams of carbohydrates per 5-ounce serving in red and white wines as for' traditional' wines.
How Bev Is Different
Oh, hey there, that's us! At Bev, we like to think of ourselves as a better-for-you wine brand that aims to transform the screwed up alcohol culture altogether. Oh, and one of the main selling points: we're totally sugar-free.
So, what makes us different? Unlike other wines that happen to be canned, we're specifically made to be canned, so we have a signature fizz. Just crack one open, and you'll hear the bubbly goodness that keeps our girls crisp and delicious.
Yup, all of our varieties, which is five at the moment, are slightly fizzy. They all come in around 11.9% ABV per can, have only THREE carbs and one hundred twenty calories per can. Basically, you can sip on us all night and not get that hangover you get with sugary wines!
If you want to get your hands on one of your girls, good news, we also come to you! If you're in Southern California, we offer two-day shipping, and it's always on us. So let's get to cheersing!
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