Answer Is Yes
If you’re counting carbs, it might seem like you can’t drink alcohol. Does Wine Have Carbs, if you’re on a diet, you already know that you can only have about 30 grams per day, equal to 2 slices of white bread?
Even though it’s best to get your carbs from whole foods like fresh raspberries or strawberries that are okay on the keto diet, if you’ve planned your finances well, you might have enough space for a glass or two of your favorite Wine.
So, let’s start!
How Many Carbs Are There In Wine?
Carbohydrate Chart for Dry White Wine and rosés have a wider range of carbs per serving than reds. Dry Champagne is your best bet, with 1 gram of carbs per 5 ounces, followed by 3 grams per 5 ounces of rose.
From the USDA’s Nutrient Database, here is a short list of some white wines with the most carbs.
Let me give you a complete chart comparing the carbs count present in both white wine and red wine.
| Red Wine Name | Number Of Ounces | Number Of Carbs |
| Burgundy | 5 | 5.46 gms |
| Zinfandel | 5 | 4.20 gms |
| Malbec | 5 | 4.10 gms |
| Petite Sirah | 5 | 4 gms |
| Grenache | 5 | 4 gms |
| Sangiovese (Chianti) | 5 | 3.85 gms |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 5 | 3.82 gms |
| Shiraz/Syrah | 5 | 3.79 gms |
| Pinot Noir | 5 | 3.40 gms |
| White Wine Name | Number of Ounces | Number of Carbs |
| Champagne | 5 | 1 gm |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 5 | 3.01 gms |
| Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris | 5 | 3.03 gms |
| Chardonnay | 5 | 3.18 gms |
| Chenin Blanc | 5 | 4.9 gms |
| Dry Riesling | 5 | 5.54 gms |
Carbs In Dry Red Wine
All dry red wines have about the same carbs, between 4 and 5.5 grams per 5-ounce serving. Pinot Noir from outside of Burgundy has the fewest carbs of any red wine, while Pinot Noir from Burgundy has the most. Even though there are some sweet red wines and red dessert wines, they are rare. If you buy red wine, make sure it is dry.
According to the USDA (United States Department Of Agriculture), here are some of the most popular dry red wines and how many carbs they have.
In general, the bigger the body of the wine, the more carbs it has. The number of carbs in wine goes down as its body gets lighter. If you want to know how many carbs are in a bottle of wine, you should always look at the label or call the company to find out.
Carbs By Red Wine Grape Varietal
Different red wines are made from different types of grapes, thus the carbs count in different red wines varies because those wines are not made from the same grapes.
That is why you need to know which red wine is high on carbs count and which one is low, depending on the grape varietal.
Here I am giving you the red wine names as well as the carbs count of each red wine so that you can get a clear idea about the carbs count of different red wines.
| Red Wine Type | Carbs Count |
| Cabernet Franc | 3.6 gms |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 3.8 gms |
| Gamay | 3.5 gms |
| Malbec | 3.8 gms |
| Merlot | 3.7 gms |
| Pinot Noir | 3.4 gms |
| Petite Sirah | 0.8 gms |
| Syrah | 3.8 gms |
| Shiraz | 3.8 gms |
| Sangiovese | 3.9 gms |
Understanding The Carbs In Wine
When most people think of carbs, they think of carbohydrate foods or drinks with a lot of sugar. Dry wine has no carbohydrates and very little sugar left over. During fermentation, the sugar in the grapes is turned into alcohol. Technically, wine doesn’t have carbs. Instead, it has “carbohydrate equivalents,” nutritionists and other food scientists call it.
In fact, “Carbohydrate by Difference” is what the USDA calls the carbs in wine. This means that carbs are not found in the food; they are what is left after fat and protein are found, counted, and taken out of the equation. These “carbohydrate equivalents” affect how the body breaks down the drink.
- Wine has alcohol in it, which the liver breaks down.
- Your liver turns the alcohol into acetate, a fuel the body can use, like carbs, fat, or protein.
- Your body burns the acetate first before it burns any other fuels. It turns the acetate into energy before it can turn into fat.
So, you may want to count the carb in each wine you drink, but remember that these carbohydrate equivalents, especially in red wine, may lower your blood sugar instead of sending it up.
People with diabetes should keep counting the carb in wine the way they always have since too much of it could negatively affect their blood sugar levels.
How Wine Carbs Compare To Other Alcohols
Red And White Wine
A 5-ounce red wine has 125 calories and 4 grams of carbs, while a 5-ounce glass of white wine has 128 calories and 4 grams of carbs. Not a bad thing at all. The answer is that a glass of wine won’t stop you from losing weight, but a whole bottle will, and it will also give you a bad headache. Some people also say that wine is good for your health, so if you like the taste, it’s a good choice.
Standard Or Light Beer
Beer is usually served in a can or a bottle, so a 12 oz. serving is the standard size. A regular beer has about 150 calories and 13 g of carbs, while a light beer has 100 calories and 6 g of carbs. Still, a single regular beer won’t greatly impact your overall calorie and carb budget, so if you like beer, go for a regular one.
Cocktails Or Virgin Drinks
The simple solution is to choose the one without alcohol if they have the same amount of other ingredients. But even without the alcohol, a Pina colada can easily pack up to 300 calories, which is a heavy punch. One is not worth it.
If you like cocktails and can only have one, try a Cosmopolitan (230 calories, 13 grams of carbs) or a Martini (135 calories and 0.3 g carbs).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I drink wine on low carb?
Actually, wines and beers are such alcoholic beverages that contain lower carbs. Usually, wine contains only 3 to 4 grams of carbs in one serving. So, you can easily drink wine that contains lower carbs.
2. Does wine have sugar or carbs?
A normal serving of wine, which is 5 ounces, contains 3 to 4 grams of carbs. These carbs come from the residual sugar of the grapes which are used to make the wine.
3. Can You Drink Alcohol on a Low-Carb Diet?
Beer and wine both contain low carbs. So if you are drinking beer or wine, it will not affect your low-carb diet.
4. Does wine count as a carbohydrate?
Actually, wines contain very low carbs. A single serving of wine contains 3 to 4 grams of carbs, which is very low.
So actually you cannot count wine as a carbohydrate. Wine only contains carbohydrates, it is not a carbohydrate itself.
Also Read:
