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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2008 > July > 07 > Entry
Cutting carbs? Forget the reds, reach for a chardonnay
The ever-so-helpful folks at the Consumer Federation of America have come up with an Alcohol Facts Poster that compares all kinds of alcoholic beverages based on alcohol content, calories and carbs. The poster analyzes the 26 top-selling domestic and imported alcohol brands, from good ol’ Bud Light to Beringer Chardonnay.
And why, pray tell, would the consumer group do this? Well, it’s lobbying in Washington D.C. for a government-mandated “standardized and complete alcohol label” to be slapped on every bottle of alcoholic beverages, according to the federation’s press release.
The alcohol info is also “designed to help consumers follow the Dietary Guidelines’ advice that men limit their consumption to two drinks a day and that women restrict their consumption to one drink per day,” the news release says. And I don’t know about you, but I live my life according to the federal government’s dietary guidelines. Don’t you? Doesn’t everyone?
Anyway, here’s a quote from the release:
“Right now, consumers really have no way of knowing the most basic information about alcoholic beverages,” said Chris Waldrop, Director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America. “It’s time to end the confusion so consumers can make informed and responsible purchasing and consumption decisions. We’re making information available today on some of the top selling brands, but the federal government needs to require standardized and complete alcohol labeling on all alcoholic beverages.”
While I’ve never really monitored my carbohydrates intake beyond watching them go into my mouth, it was a bit surprising to see the difference in carbs between one serving of chardonnay (0.8 grams) and cabernet (5.0 grams). Perhaps I’ll put that on my list of things to worry about someday.
What do you think of this report, and the factors behind it?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment |
Comments
By ckemah zkftsyuq
April 6, 2009 4:23 AM | Link to this
rofv smazlj pief nwiylugt nsbfdu fylr ufvkcypdBy chiefwino
July 8, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
Wine and beer look pretty healthy compared to something like Bailey’s Irish Cream. Alcohol-17%; Serving size- 1.5 oz; Alcohol/serving -0.22 oz; Calories - 108; Carb (sugar) 8.5g; Fat -6.7g; Cholesterol - 156 mg. Don’t even want to think about the “froo-froo” martinis in oversized glasses. If the wine industry wants to differentiate themselves from the hard liquor and beer industry; they would voluntarily add the nutrition info. This would be consistent with their message that wine is a healthy part of a normal diet; like other foods.By beersuredorock!
July 7, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this
burpBy Ed
July 7, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Where ‘o where was I before I had the government to oversee every aspect of my life? Oh yeah, I remember. I could buy wine when I wanted without having to get official permission from the Governor. Why won’t these people just go away? By the way the data is bogus. Just measuring carbs is mis-leading.By Morton Leslie
July 7, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
The Almaden Merlot is lower alcohol and sweet and the Beringer Chardonnay is higher alcohol and dry therefore more carbs (sugar) in red, but slightly more calories in white. For the most part in table wine, the only significance is where the calories reside…sugar or alcohol. Most are similar in calories which is the concern of the dieter. The results would have been flip flopped if the Merlot were Beringer’s (dry) and the Chardonnay Kendall Jackson (sweet).While I don’t want to mess up dry wine labels any more, I would like to see wines with residual sugar labeled as to percent next to the alcohol content.By Jeff Bruce
July 7, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this
Chard has more calories but fewer carbs, even compared with a red with similar alcohol content? Mark, I’d challenge them on this if I were you. Makes no sense to me.By Bob
July 7, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this
These “advocacy” busybodies are amazing. What possible justification is there that ‘the federal government needs to require’ anything like they are proposing. The federal government has no business in doing anything like that. The information that they are trying to require is easily available to anyone who would care to look it up. To be honest… who would really want to? Their poster facts are also nearly useless. Few consumers drink their distilled spirits strait. I haven’t looked at chemistry in more years than I care to discuss but even their own chart shows there aren’t any carbs in the alcohol. In the case of mixed drinks its all in the additives. Mark, carb wise you are probably pretty safe in the cabs you chose to drink. The carbs in the Gallo reds (assuming that their numbers are right) are because the have residual sugar (yuck). Any dry wine should have somewhere between .5 and 1 g per serving. I think you just post these things to irritate me.:-)By Bruce
July 7, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
I favor a requirment that this information be made available, but I do not favor a labeling requirement. I doubt that alcohol consumers would pay much attention to such labels, nor would it signifcantly influence the type or amount of alcohol consumed. If we want to lose weight, we can cut down on the booze. We all know (and pretty much ignore) that. Right? Besides, I don’t want to see this stuff on my nice wine labels.