THE BEST WINES TO DRINK IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BE HEALTHY

by Lisa Elbert, Tastemaker in Residence

There are plenty of low-calorie drinks on the market: light beer, pre-bottled drinks from everyone's favorite Real Housewife, and even spiked seltzer. But while these are light on calories, they're also often light on flavor. This is why you should turn to wine. While a 5oz glass of wine can top out at around 270 calories, there are plenty that fall around the 100-calorie mark. Best part is, they aren't "diet" versions of the good stuff. Plus, unlike those other drinks, wine is filled with healthy antioxidants, so drinking a glass of wine is practically like drinking a kale smoothie, right? 

Calories in wine come mostly from its alcohol content and the process by which it's made. That last part is also known as vinification, a fancy term that is good to drop at dinner parties if you want to sound like a person who gets to spend their time summering in the French Riviera. Basically, during fermentation, the sugar in grapes turns into alcohol, and the more alcohol the wine has, the higher the calorie count. So sticking with wines made from low-sugar grapes is the move if you want to have your vino and your waistline, too. We've included an average calorie range per 5oz glass below, but as with everything there are some other variables -- like the producer and the growing conditions -- that can change that number.