Sweet Dessert Wine Nutrition Facts

Wine is one of the most popular of the beverages among the many. It is the most versatile and cosmopolitan in nature. Its taste suits the social gatherings as well as the rocking parties where one can drown one’s sorrow. In ancient times, Hippocrates prescribed wine as a medicinal aid, diuretic, disinfectant and nutritional supplement as early as 400 B.C.

Dessert wine is one such type of wine that is used with the dessert menu or sweet dishes like biscuits, petit-fours and tarts and with fruits as well. For large desserts with a chocolate or toffee base, the choice of wine has to be precise and fitting, as these desserts are sweet enough on their own.

Dessert wine must be served in small glasses, to be sipped and enjoyed while eating, instead of drinking it or tossing down the throat. There are different types and brands of dessert wine, such as port, sherry, Madeira, Sauternes and late harvest wines. On average, there are four to five servings or glasses of wine in each bottle.

Constituents

Dessert wine has the following nutritional elements in it that are helpful in providing positive health benefits to the wine users. Alcohol, when drunk moderately, raises the amount of HDL (or “good” cholesterol) and thins the blood making you less susceptible to the coronary heart diseases and clogging in the arteries.

Calories

Wines are loaded with calories, especially the flavored ones. Champagne contains less, at approximately 80 calories per serving. Any flavored champagne or wine will contain more calories, and so will dessert wine. Wine blends with sweet-sounding names for example “Strawberry White Zinfandel” or “Sunny Peach Wine” can increase to 200 calories per serving.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates account for 98 to 100 percent of wine’s calories. Wine contains almost no protein or fat.

Tannins

These are chemical ingredients that bring about the unique taste, smell and color of wines. Tannins cause that dry feel and tingly bitterness in your mouth, after a sip of wine. But they also have a healthy effect on your circulatory system and heart.

Since the skin is left on the grape for considerably longer during the production of red wine, red wine particularly is high in antioxidants. The risk of contracting diseases like cancer, certain heart conditions and diabetes is greatly reduced due to the presence of high quantities of antioxidants in the wine.

Resveratrol

This compound has an anti-aging effect and also helps in increasing the speed of recovery in the body. It also prevents blood clots and harmful formations within the arteries.

Phytochemicals

These are naturally occurring compounds which have been proven to reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and cancer.

Pre-Caution

Dessert wine is sweeter and higher in sugar levels as compared to other table wines. It is loaded with lot of calories as compared to the normal wine to the tune of 125 calories in a 3 oz to 5 oz glass. If someone is having chocolate dessert along with the dessert wine then he or she is obviously piling up lot of calories. In summation, make smart food combinations. Combine dessert wine with plain or low-fat biscuits and pastries. If your dessert is something rich and heavy like cake or tiramisu, skip the wine altogether. Drinking wine every day is recommended for a healthy life but do not overdo it. Limit yourself to a glass a day.