Why You Shouldn't Drink Low-Calorie Wine

When it comes to delicious low-calorie snacks and drinks, it's time to have a field day. The best part about these items is that they typically give you a filling serving size, so you can enjoy your meal, snack, or drink guilt-free. Sometimes we are under the impression that low-calorie items are healthier, however, but that's not always the case. Chocolate chip cookies and potato chips come in 100-calorie packs, and having three packs is the same as eating the high-calorie portion. If you are trying to lose weight, low-calorie items are a great way to manage calories, but going overboard can hurt you even more than indulging in their regular equivalents.

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Skinny wine and skinny cocktails are a different story. Typically, when a wine is made "skinny," or less caloric, the alcohol percentage also decreases. However, SkinnyGirl wine is an exception: it contains 12 percent alcohol (most wines come in at about 13 percent). This is where the issue comes into play: the calorie measurement is emphasized on the label of SkinnyGirl, which makes it the first thing you notice before your purchase, whereas other wines do not provide calorie information. Consumers think that even if they drink more than one glass of SkinnyGirl wine, they are saving a lot of calories, but it turns out that this wine is no less caloric than other wines that have 12 percent alcohol — you're still getting the same calorie and alcohol content as you do by drinking non-skinny wine.

You may be inclined to drink more SkinnyGirl wine than you would other wine because you are under the impression that it's better for you, has fewer calories, and contains a bit less alcohol, but that is not the case. There is nothing wrong with skinny brands of wine, but just know what you're getting yourself into. Other wines with the same alcohol content have the same amount of calories, so if you are trying to not overdo it with alcohol and calories, it may be best to stick to one glass of the real thing.