Something I wonder about......

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2004
Something I wonder about......
10
Thu, 06-10-2004 - 2:44pm
Wine adds so much flavor in cooking, and of course flavor can help a dieter eat smaller quantities (big on flavor, smaller servings satisfy). When you cook with wine etc, the alcohol burns off (of course) but do you still need to count the calories of the quantity put in? What happens to the calories when you cook with wine?

Kinja

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Thu, 06-10-2004 - 2:59pm
does a few calories make a difference?

No...

It's in the big picture. Your attitude, your general healthy choices. 10 calories in wine isn't going to make it or break it for anyone.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
Fri, 06-11-2004 - 4:28pm
It's a fair question to ask where the calories go, though. A few calories here, and there, can add up to pounds...here and there...and THAT isn't healthy. Now, to answer Kinja's question.....Hi, Kinja...I've kinda wondered about the same thing myself. For instance, if you deglaze a pan with one cup of white wine that will probably have around 100 calories (I'm guessing, depending on type) and then if you cook that one cup down it becomes, say, 1-2T. Are we having an extra 100 calories, adding that to a simple dish which may have had a full 300 calories without it? That's a big increase, when you think of it! Anyway, I don't honestly know the answer. The "expert" on one of IV boards here once said, I believe I read, that there are no added calories.....but just because the alcohol goes up in smoke....well, it doesn't figure that the sugar in the grapes, and the calories in the grapes does likewise. That may be a good question to ask Chef Kathleen, instead. And I'd be interested in some real answer to it, myself! How goes it, Kinja? I read in one of the posts that you (was it you?) had oral surgery last week or something? I hope it's all fixed and you're feeling well now!

Hippolytes

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 2:34pm
Kinja,

This may answer the question. I asked Lynn on the healthy eating expert board (top of this page has the link) and she answered. Check the first section, and let me know if this helps. She said the amt of calories is dependent on the amt of alcohol left, but what about the grape juice? I dunno. Brat gave a link about cooking with alcohol, but I haven't gone there yet.

hippolytes

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 2:57pm
those "few extra calories" hasn't stopped me from maintaining 113 pounds.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 3:07pm
Well, that's good then (for you, certainly). I'm just saying that I like to know where my calories are coming from so I can gauge my day accordingly. And for instance, this afternoon we're having roast beef and I may like to add a burgandy wine sauce to that....but I'd like to have a rough idea of how many more calories I'd be putting on my plate (depending on how much sauce is used). I think an informed consumer is a good thing. And an informed eater is likewise a good thing, especially when we're on a board for individuals wanting to lose "100 lbs or more."

hippolytes

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2004
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 3:24pm
Kinja & hipolytes,

I confess, I'm a little perplexed by that one too. I read that Lynn said it depended on how much alcohol was cooked off, but then she forgot to give the link (Bratfille gave one, but whether it's what Lynn was talking about is anybody's guess). I should think, at least the calories in the grape juice (not to mention, the natural sugars) would still be there in condensed form if you cooked down the wine. And so, as was it hipolytes who said, if you started with one cup of wine and cooked it down to 2T then you'd have the calories in the entire cup (less any alcohol) left in just that itsy bitsy 2T. I know that some wineries start with their own grapes, and some (sometimes the same wineries but for other wines produced there) just start with commercial grapejuice.....something I learned from winery tours once-upon-a-time.....and it does seem ONLY logical that calories in the juice wouldn't go anywhere, but just be condensed down. Maybe I'll follow up on hipolytes with another question to lynn (maybe just post this) and ask her to explain. I like cooking with wine, but haven't in a while. And I actually enjoy making sauces with balsamic, which I know has no calories but bunches of flavor. Have you ever cooked down balsamic and served the syrup with strawberries, or a little good cheese? Either way, heavenly!!

Forte

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2004
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 3:35pm
I think this forum is a good solution too. And I'm sure, it's a very interesting question which, while it may not interest you (I gather that from your response), may interest others including lurkers possibly.

I don't think it was a big deal for hipolytes or kinja, but it surely is a very good question.....and interesting, especially for those of us who love to cook and learn new things. Do you enjoy cooking? You take care, and have a lovely afternoon.

forte

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 8:04pm
Hi,

Nothing should cook off except the water and the alcohol. There are 150 calories in an ounce of pure alcohol, so if you know the calories in your wine and the percentage of alcohol along with the amount originally used, you should be able to calculate how many calories are left assuming all of the alcohol burns off. Alcohol evaporates at a pretty low temperature, so unless it's added at the very end of cooking it's probably safe to assume that it has burned off. If you want to be conservative you can always "charge yourself" for 20% of the alcohol calories or something like that.

Erin
http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2003
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 8:36pm

I think I found some answers.....


http://www.dietitian.com/alcohol.html


furry

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2003
Mon, 06-14-2004 - 8:39pm
Kinja and Hippolytes. I can answer the question (put that nutrition degree of mine to use. LOL!) Yes you save the calories from the alcohol as it burns off (and that is the bulk of the calories anyway). But the calories from the carbohydrates (if you use beer or a sweet wine) remains. Your best bet would be to look at the calories on a bottle of "cooking wine" which has no alcohol to get an idea of calore count.

Hope that helps!