Nutritionist Keri Glassman, who regularly shares her expertise on Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live, is answering your nutrition, diet, and health questions.
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Keri will choose one great question a week to be answered Thursday in our Healthy Hollywood column.
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This week's question -- Madeline K. asks, "Rose wine is popping up on summer menus everywhere and I heard it has less calories than red or white...is it true?"
Keri says...
Ahh...wine. There is nothing better after a long, hard day than sipping back a nice, crisp glass of wine. It may be the perfect way to take the edge off, but with so many varieties how can we possibly choose just one? Rose seems like the chic choice, with its bright pink hue that would match your favorite summer dress. But, before you pop that cork, you may want to know exactly what it is and why it is so unique, other than its color.
What's in a Glass Most people judge rose by its skin, throwing it in the same category as a blush wine, or a white zinfandel, because of its pretty-in-pink color. Not so fast! Rose has its place in the prestigious world of wine. In fact, rose is made with the most serious of dark red grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, with the occasional white grape thrown in the stomper. This wine keeps its fancy shade of pink because the skins of these grapes are peeled off shortly after they are thrown in and just before the fermentation happens (i.e. the alcohol is made). This prevents them from taking the color to that dark red/purple shade and gives them that crisp, full-fruit flavor. Wine makers take the liberty of deciding how long the grape skins stay on, which is why some roses are a peachy color and others more of a salmon color.
A Light Hue, A Lighter You! Wine, of all kinds, can be great for our waistline for the simple fact that it doesn't need a sugary mixer to be enjoyed. You drink it as is! Your average drink -- beer, wine, martini, pick your poison -- is usually a combination of carbs, sugar, and ethanol (pure alcohol). The carbs and sugar go the traditional digestive route, while ethanol, a toxin, is diverted to the liver. This is when that innocent little drink starts messing with your internal fat incinerator. Ethanol has no nutritional value, so your body burns it off first. That means any remaining calories in your stomach -- even if they're from the fancy schmancy wine pairings such as cheese or bread -- will likely be stored as fat. Remember, wine is made from fruit, and all fruits contain sugar. If we run the numbers:
- 5 oz of rose =99 kcal - 5 oz of red=125 kcal - 5 oz of white=121kcal
Bottom line and ounce for ounce, rose saves you at least 20 calories per glass!
Wine and...burgers?! If you thought this "color me pink" shade of wine was for girls only, think again. In Europe, where they do wine big, rosé is enjoyed by everyone. Take a lesson from the French; they like to pair it with bread, cheese, and olives. But don't feel pressured to do what the Europeans do, as this wine can be paired with a wide range of foods from seafood, to fish, to chicken, to pork...and even a hamburger (remember, it's got those serious grapes in there)! So, man up and pick up a bottle of rose next time you are headed to a summer BBQ.
Rose: The Wine of Summer Nothing screams festive summer like a pitcher of Sangria, and because rose has that signature fruit flavor, it can be the go-to-choice for this fruity concoction. Simply add your favorite fruits all sliced up, dump them in a pitcher with about 5 ounces of rose, and let it chill for a few hours in the fridge. Right there you got yourself a refreshing glass of antioxidants.
So, whether we are a white, red, or somewhere in between, we can all pop a cork, and toast to summer and good health...just remember to drink responsibly!
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