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How Many Calories and How Much Sugar is in a glass of Prosecco?

How Many Calories and How Much Sugar is in a glass of Prosecco?

 

Have you ever thought about the amount of calories or the amount of sugar in a glass of Prosecco?

There are two types of Prosecco available for consumers: Drier Prosecco (Brut) and Extra Dry Prosecco (but don’t be fooled by the name). The latter contains up to 120 calories per glass and 12-17g of sugar per liter (confusing right?), while the former has only 60-80 calories per glass and less sugar. Consumers are often perplexed by the presence of 17-32g of sugar per liter in a Dry Prosecco, which is almost one teaspoon of sugar per glass! 

According to recent figures, alcohol consumption has dramatically increased since the pandemic, and a lot of it has been one of our favourite sparkling wines: Prosecco. And in many ways it’s understandable

Perhaps your attention has been drawn to the abundance of fruits and berries bursting in the glorious sunshine, as well as to the rich green grass and flowers in our parks and gardens? But perhaps there is something else besides the alcohol that we are not considering when we consume alcoholic drinks? Such as the missing information on the label that hides what’s really contained within the bottle.

It's especially hard to keep track of the calories in wine, which tends to have poor labelling and a lot of hidden sugar. Historically, people have polished off a bottle of wine if it tasted and smelled good. But since we are becoming increasingly aware of our health, we want to know more about what we're consuming. And rightly so.

How Much Sugar Is In A Glass Of Prosecco?

According to Statista, over 400 million bottles of Prosecco were sold worldwide last year. Prosecco has been extremely popular with consumers for some time now. However, the quantity of sugar and calories in a bottle is not indicated on the label, so many people are unfamiliar with how much they are consuming. 

Alcohol provides empty calories, so a lot of calories can be eliminated if you drink less alcohol.  A Friday evening tipple can be replaced with an alcohol-free alternative and paired with a low-calorie mixer to minimise calories. 

A recent study compared the calories found in 2 glasses of red wine to a cheeseburger and the 240 calories contained within a pint of beer to a large bar of chocolate. 

 

So, How Much Sugar Is In A Glass Of Prosecco?

Prosecco is in fact one of the less calorific beverages available. A glass typically containing about 1.5g of sugar (80 calories). 

The problem with Prosecco is that over time it may contribute to weight gain if you cease to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay fit. Many may not be aware that it is the alcohol and added sugar that’s contributing to the piling on of pounds. 

Instead of reaching for your normal sparkling, why not try a bottle of Thomson & Scott Noughty instead?  By avoiding the addition of unnecessary sugar during the production process the calorie count remains low. Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay contains 14 calories per 100m; while Noughty Sparkling Rose contains 18 calories per glass. Making Noughty Sparkling wines the perfect answer to a hangover free celebration. 

 

Ok, Now We Know How Much Sugar Is In A Glass Of Prosecco, But How Many Calories?

Concentrating solely on calories neglects the fact that sugar is unhealthy in a variety of ways. In addition to the hangover and craving for carbohydrates the next morning, you'll experience a sugar crash every time you have an alcohol hangover. 

Long-term intake of hidden sugar can lead to more serious problems and illnesses, therefore monitoring your overall sugar intake is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle as you age. Here are some basic numbers to consider when checking sugar amounts in alcohol where the ingredients are not specifically listed on the labels.

A standard gin and tonic is comprised of 18 grams of sugar (4 teaspoons). A vodka and cranberry drink, on the other hand, contains 30 grams of sugar (7.5 teaspoons). In comparison, a rum and coke or a glass of dry white wine contains 27.5 grams of sugar (7 teaspoons). Thomson and Scott Organic Sparkling Chardonnay contains just 2.9g of sugar per 100ml while the Organic Sparkling Rose contains just 4g per 100ml. This is almost half the sugar content of other non-alcoholic sparkling wines.

It's true that sugar has no nutritional value - 50% of it is glucose and 50% fructose. We get all the sugars we need from fruit and vegetables, which are sufficient to keep us healthy and fuelled. 

If we don't use up all of the insulin our pancreas produces in preparation for exercise, it gets stored as fat, resulting in increased body fat. 

A high level of insulin production can cause serious health problems. Many medical experts consider fructose to be the most harmful component of sugar. If fructose is present in high amounts, it can injure the liver. 

The good news is that VE Refinery is on hand with delicious, healthy and low sugar alcohol-free alternatives such as Thomson & Scott Noughty which are dry, crisp and with no added sugar. It has always been the goal of Thomson and Scott to promote transparency in wine production and wine labelling. Therefore you’ll be pleased to know that you can find the respective nutritional information included on every bottle. 

 

How To Calculate The Level Of Sugar In A Glass Of Prosecoo?

The amount of sugar and calories in Prosecco is determined by how the winemaker produces the sparkling wine. There are five different types of Prosecco: Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, and Demi-sec. 

The amount of residual sugar in each bottle determines how dry or sweet the wine will be. The yeasts consume the sugar in Prosecco and turn it into alcohol during fermentation. The fermentation process requires a longer time if you want a drier Prosecco. If you want a sweeter Prosecco, the fermentation process will need to be interrupted. 

  

Here’s A Rough Guide For You:

Prosecco Brut is the driest form of Prosecco. It has a higher acidity and lower levels of residual sugar than other varieties. Prosecco Extra Dry has more sugar than Brut, which is confusing to consumers and has been proposed to be changed by both British and European law in order to make it clearer how much sugar is present in Prosecco and other sparkling wines. It has a sweeter taste. Although the name suggests that this will be the driest option, it is even sweeter than Brut. This is often eaten with sweet foods such as cakes and pastries. 

Keeping track of the number of units you consume helps you monitor your alcohol and sugar intake, therefore your calorie intake. According to Drinkaware, we should "limit our drinking to no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis." The amount of calories in a bottle of Prosecco is 1,276 calories, which is the same as a burger and fries from McDonald's. A bottle of Prosecco contains 9 units of alcohol. Therefore, if you consume a bottle of Prosecco, you will consume 1,276 calories. A bottle of Prosecco has 9 units of alcohol. 

 

VE Refinery’s Hot Tips On how To Cut Down Calorie Intake When Drinking Prosecco At Celebrations

Prosecco and Champagne are undoubtedly the most well-known drinks for celebrating, partying, and other significant occasions.  However, it's important to remember that your host may refill your glass before it’s finished so we recommend covering your glass until its finished to avoid additional units that go uncounted.

Alternatively, you can have your first celebratory glass and then switch to a non-alcoholic or non-caloric alternative. Avoid fizzy drinks, such as cola or lemonade, as they usually contain high amounts of sugar. 

As people are increasingly mixing their alcohol consumption with non-alcoholic alternatives, non-alcoholic drinks will become more broadly available at events.

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