Bacchus Rules

The God of the grape harvest and wine had it all right when it comes to healthy lifestyle. 

We are all confronted with the difficult decision-making process on a social evening, usually on a Friday after work, whether to have a glass of wine or a soft drink (to stay “healthy”). So here is the deal: a soft drink like a Cola drink, a Powerade, a regular boost smoothie or even a fruit juice… is not necessarily healthier than a glass of wine because of its sugar levels.  

• For example, a 250ml serving of Pomegranate, Blueberry and Acai Innocent Smoothie contains high levels of sugar: 38g of sugar (for 170 Cal), around the same amount as a 330ml can of Coke (for 139 Cal).  
• Whereas a 140ml/5 oz glass of red wine does not contain any sugar (for 109 Cal), a dry white wine contains about 0,8g of sugar (for 112 Cal) and a sweet white wine contains 16g of sugar (for 150 Cal).  

Of course, the cheaper the wine, the more residual sugar you will have! 

And contrary to popular belief, a fruit juice is NOT a health food. The fruit itself is a health food, but the juice has as much sugar as many classical sugar drinks. Especially when you press the fruit, you leave some of the most wholesome parts of the fruit behind, mainly fiber, antioxidants and nutrients that you find in the skin of the apple or in the orange pith (the bitter white part) that are usually peeled or removed.  

Belloti Bianco 2015, biodynamic

On the other side, a regular, light-moderate alcohol consumption is known to be associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Special shout out for red wine lovers: Red wine has minimal sugars, contains an antioxidant called resveratrol, which is a key ingredient that helps prevent damage to blood vessels and is protective for your cardiovascular system.

THAT BEING SAID, don’t get me wrong, we all know that too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body and can lead to unhealthy food choices (aka hangover syndrome), so like with all things, your best bet might just be moderation. If anyone has to go with the healthiest choice, go by the sacred rule number one: DRINK WATER!