Wine and diet: is it possible?

Wine and diet: is it possible?

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Are you one of the 54% of women who enjoy a glass of wine from time to time? One thing must be clarified immediately: whether it is red or white, drink it because you like it and not because "it's good for you": wine contains small quantities of healthy substances, but the presence of alcohol certainly does not make it a food to recommend. However, it is undeniable that, during meals, help give more flavor to the menu and create a convivial atmosphere.




The problem, as always, is do not exceed to limit the toxic effects of alcohol which, among other things, is also the enemy of the line (1 gram provides 7 calories, almost double the sugar). Therefore moderation. The right dose to avoid risking health problems? This was established by the Istituto Superiore di Sanita: 1 alcohol unit (equal to 12 g of alcohol, so to speak a glass of 120-125 ml for women) and 2 units (24 g) for men. If you want to lose weight, however, the story changes. 


DOSES OK

«The Free Diet does not exclude wine from the menu»Reassures Dr. Carla Lertola. “You can indulge in a glass when you go out to dinner with friends or if you have invited for lunch. Not more than twice a week However". And if you have some leftover in the bottle, don't finish it and don't throw it away. «Use it for cooking: with the white you can give more flavor to the risotto, the full-bodied red is good for flavoring meat and the lighter one to give an aromatic note to the lentils», advises our dietician. "You can even freeze it. I do so. I heat it on the stove to reduce the alcohol a little. Then I let it cool, pour it into small containers of about 100 ml each and place it in the freezer. So I don't waste anything and I have it always available when I need it».




CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAIRING

Better to prefer "red" or "white"? For nutritional differences see below. As for the taste: a Barolo is different from a Merlot or a Pinot Nero. Just as a Falanghina cannot be compared to a Müller-Thurgau. Beyond the flavor, the alcohol content also changes: in general, the most delicate and light dishes go well with light wines, red if they are meat based, white if they are fish based. If you are looking for the right bottle, go to the website of the Federation of the country Sommelier Hoteliers and Restaurateurs (fisar.org): next to each recipe will appear the right wine to serve it with.


PAY ATTENTION TO THE BRAND

The denomination of controlled origin guarantees the respect of a minimum level of quality, but not the true value of a wine: quality costs and there is inevitably a difference between a Doc offered for € 3 and the same type of bottle sold for € 12. So choose the products with the highest price and preferably a controlled denomination of origin and guaranteed (Docg), which are subjected to stricter controls. Little but good, remember!


BET ON THE RIGHT TITLE


âž” THE RED contains more antioxidants: resveratrol (up to 12 mg / l against 2 mg / l at most for white) and anthocyanins, which both come from the skin of grapes and play a protective action against the walls of blood vessels.



âž” WHITE, devoid of substances that slow down cellular aging, has some active compounds, such as caffeic acid, which play a positive role in both heart both gods Reindeer. So, at least, according to what emerges from a recent study published in the journal
international Plos One by a team of local researchers coordinated by Alberto Bertelli of the University of Milan. 



Furthermore, it is usually less alcoholic than red and has a more acidic taste, which translates into a pleasant sense of freshness. But it is also the one with the most sulfites  preservatives that can trigger a headache attack in some people). The maximum quantity that can be added to wine is established by law: 150 mg / l for reds, 200 mg / l for whites, 250 mg / l for sweet ones and 400 mg / l for raisins (only organic products almost always give up their use).



âž” WITH BUBBLES If you prefer sparkling wines to still ones, you have no reason to give them up, on the contrary: carbon dioxide has an anesthetic effect on the mucous membranes, which helps quench thirst


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