The word “calories” is quite possibly everybody’s least favorite “C” word! Many people spend countless hours calculating and analyzing their daily calorie intakes to ensure they remain within their recommended health levels. While you’re calculating calories, do you ever give any thought to how many calories are in a bottle of Prosecco?
A lot of people are under the misconception that drinking calories aren’t as bad as eating them. It’s important to note that calories in wines such as Prosecco should also be considered when you’re reviewing your calories.
We’ve compiled an article to give you all the info you need about calories in your favorite Prosecco drink. We’ll also be checking how the calorie content in other alcoholic drinks compares to Prosecco. Read on to find out!
Prosecco – The Healthier Wine Option
Prosecco is a firm favorite among people looking for a cheaper alternative to Champagne. A lot of Prosecco drinkers claim it’s even tastier than the average bubbly. Its light and fruity flavor make it easy to drink. But, how healthy is this simplistic drink? Let’s find out!
What is Prosecco?
On the off chance that you don’t know what Prosecco is, let me enlighten you. In short, Prosecco is a sparkling white wine originally from Italy. Made from the Glera grape, Prosecco is a popular lunch drink that’s not only cheaper than Champagne but fruitier and crispier as well.
How Many Calories Are in a 750ml Bottle of Prosecco?
Aside from its fruity flavor and affordable price tag, Prosecco’s lower alcohol content adds to its popularity. Different Prosecco brands might contain varying amounts of calories.
A standard glass (125ml) of regular Prosecco contains about 60 – 90 calories. Drier Prosecco – often referred to as Brut and meaning dry and unsweetened – has the lowest calorie content with as little as 60 per standard glass. Sweeter Proseccos can contain as much as 120 calories per standard glass.
Since there are about 60 – 90 calories per 125ml, a 750ml bottle has an average of 500 calories. This can be slightly less or a little more depending on the brand of Prosecco you’ve opted for.
Is Prosecco More Fattening Than Wine?
Typically, a glass of wine contains about 228 calories, depending on the choice of wine. Since Prosecco contains about 80 calories per glass, it clearly has fewer calories than a standard glass of wine.
With a lower calorie content, Prosecco is obviously less fattening than wine! It’s yet another reason to enjoy a glass or two with dinner!
Is There a lot of Sugar in Prosecco?
Since sugar is made up of 50% fructose and 50% glucose, there’s zero nutritional value meaning too much can actually be harmful. For this reason, it’s important to consider the sugar content in Prosecco.
The good news is that manufacturers of Prosecco usually avoid adding excessive amounts of sugar to their drinks. Whether you’ve opted for a Brut, Extra Dry, Dry or Demi-sec it’s worth noting that sugar is added to aid the fermentation process. However, the sugar is absorbed by the yeasts in the process.
To simplify, Prosecco has a much lower sugar content than wine. On average you’re looking at about 4 – 6 teaspoons of sugar per bottle depending on the choice of Prosecco.
Which Prosecco is Low-Cal?
If you want to make the best of your drinking experience without overstepping your calorie target, you might be wondering which Prosecco is low-cal. To take the stress out of reading labels in the supermarket aisle, we’ve compiled a list to make it simple!
Read on to see which Prosecco you should be drinking.
- Prosecco Brut: This is quite possibly the most popular Prosecco option. It’s low in residual sugar which ultimately means fewer calories and carbs. On average a Prosecco Brut will have about 60 – 80 calories per 125ml glass.
- Prosecco Extra-dry: Don’t be fooled by the words “extra-dry” on this label. You might think it’s drier, and therefore contains fewer calories, but you’d be wrong! Extra-dry Prosecco actually has a higher sugar content and as a result a higher calorie content.
- Prosecco Dry: Once again, the “dry” on this label is misleading. Dry Prosecco actually has a much sweeter taste than either the Brut or the Extra-dry options.
- Prosecco Demi-sec: On average, Demi-sec can contain as much 120 calories per 125ml glass, making it the sweetest of the Prosecco options. With an average of 8 teaspoons of sugar, this Prosecco is not an ideal drink for anyone counting calories!
How Many Units of Alcohol in Prosecco?
If you’re keeping an eye on your calorie intake, it’s important to consider your alcohol intake as well. Healthcare experts recommend that on average you shouldn’t drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week if you want to keep your alcohol consumption in check.
They also suggest that you should spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you’re going to regularly drink as much or more than 14 units in a week. The good news is a 4oz glass of Prosecco typically only contains about 1.5 units of alcohol. This means you’ll be able to enjoy quite a few glasses during the week without upsetting your calorie program too much!
How Does Prosecco’s Calorie Content Compare to Other Popular Drinks?
If you enjoy other alcoholic drinks as well from time to time, you might be wondering how Prosecco’s low-calorie content stacks up to these drinks. Bearing in mind that the average standard glass of Prosecco has about 80 – 90 calories, consider the following:
- A pint of beer contains anywhere between 180 – 120 calories
- Your favorite cider can contain as much as 220 calories
- A shot of vodka contains between 90 -100 calories
- Depending on the brand of rum, gin, whiskey and tequila you’re looking at roughly 110 calories
- A glass of your favorite, full-bodied red wine can contain as much as 160 calories
- A Port or other type of dessert wine can contain as much as 165 calories per glass, depending on the brand and glass size
- A crisp white wine contains fewer calories than red options, but still contains about 120 calories for a typical Sauvignon Blanc
8 Surprising Health Benefits You Can Expect When You Drink Prosecco
If you’re a wine drinker, you’ve no doubt heard about the health benefits of your favorite red vino. If red wine with its considerable calorie content is healthy for you, does that mean that Prosecco is even healthier? Indeed it does! Keep reading to find out about some of the more common health benefits.
1. Good for Your Heart
Prosecco contains polyphenols (plant chemicals with antioxidant properties) that help lower blood pressure and increase blood circulation.
2. Improves the Condition of Your Skin
Everyone loves a good skin-nourishing hack! The good news is the antioxidants found in Prosecco not only detoxify but also even out skin tone. This might be just the reason you were looking for to enjoy an extra glass of your new favorite drink!
3. Reduce the Risk of Contracting Diabetes
A Canadian study done a few years ago has shown that wine, Champagne, Sparkling wines and even Prosecco can reduce your risk of contracting diabetes by a staggering 13%. Part of the reason for this is largely due to the little sugar content, especially in Brut Prosecco.
4. Prevents Respiratory Problems
Prosecco is believed to keep lung tissue healthy which in turn is among the dynamic steps to prevent respiratory problems such as asthma. It’s common knowledge that sulfites in wine can aggravate asthma. So, if you’re an asthma sufferer, you might want to swap some of your weekly wine drinks for Prosecco instead!
5. Aids Memory
Research has recently shown that drinking one or even two glasses of Prosecco might counteract the effects of memory loss often associated with aging. While this doesn’t mean you should over-indulge, it does mean you can enjoy a few glasses without feeling too guilty!
6. Delays the Onset of Dementia
Further research has also shown that a few glasses of Prosecco could delay the onset of several different degenerative brain disorders. Among these disorder, dementia was listed as one of the top illnesses that could be slowed down by the natural proteins in Prosecco.
7. Strong Cold Fighter
While it’s never advisable to drink any alcoholic beverages while you’re sick, a regular glass or two of Prosecco can help ward off the cold and flu germs in the first place! Similar to the heart and skin benefits, it stems from the antioxidants in Prosecco.
Studies have estimated that enjoying a regular glass of Prosecco can reduce your chances of getting bogged down by flu or colds by an incredible 60%. Although, as we mentioned before, please only enjoy your Prosecco in moderation!
8. Improves Mood
While you might smile and say that most alcoholic beverages improve your general mood, we aren’t joking! Prosecco contains natural trace elements of magnesium, zinc and even potassium. All three of these elements are natural mood boosters. This is probably why you never see a sad Prosecco drinker!
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Final Thought
Now that you know just how few calories there are in your favorite bottle of Prosecco, you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying an extra glass or two! And, with the many health benefits associated with a low-cal Prosecco option, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy a glass more often!