Two glasses of wine can hit your daily sugar limit, research says

An analysis of more than 30 bottles of wine showed that two glasses may be enough to reach the recommended daily sugar limit for adults.

The research, commissioned by the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, found that some bottles contained as much as 59g of sugar – more than a donut covered in frosting.

An independent lab analyzed bottles of red, white, rosé, fruity and sparkling wine from popular UK brands.

None of the bottles contained nutritional information on the labels, as it is currently not required by law in the country.

The caloric content was indicated in only one fifth of the bottles analyzed by the laboratory.

Activists are calling for change to better inform wine drinkers about how many calories and how much sugar they are eating.

The UK Public Health System (NHS) recommends that adults consume no more than 30g of “free sugar” per day, which includes the sugar in fruit juices or the sugar added to foods or drinks. .

Analysis shows that it is possible to reach an adult’s daily sugar limit by drinking two medium glasses of some wines.

The study also found that the weakest wines were among those containing the most sugar, meaning they were not necessarily a healthy choice despite the lower alcohol content.

In the UK, alcoholic beverages are required to display their volume and strength in units of alcohol by volume (ABV).

The label also needs to identify any common allergens, but there are no requirements regarding ingredients, health warnings or nutritional value, as found in many other foods and beverages.

A YouGov poll last year of more than 12,000 people showed that 61% wanted information about calories on wine labels – and more than 50% of respondents would like to see the amount of sugar listed.

In 2020, the UK government held a consultation on whether calories should be stated in alcoholic beverages – but there has been no consultation on whether the sugar content should be shown.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, president of Alcohol Health Alliance UK, called the current rules “absurd”.

“Consumers who buy milk or orange juice have the sugar content and nutritional information in the palm of their hand,” he says. “But this information is not required when it comes to alcohol — a product that not only fuels obesity but widespread health damage, and is linked to seven types of cancer.”

Miles Beale, who leads the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, says group members want people to have access to nutritional information for all alcoholic beverages, but suggests making it available online.

“We’ve been pushing for more information to be provided online,” says Beale. “The alcohol industry can provide consumers with a much wider range of information that is more relevant to consumers that would not fit on a label,” she adds.

“There is significant variation in the number of calories in different alcoholic beverages and in different doses of beverages. Online is the best way to provide the volume and variety of information consumers need to make informed decisions quickly and easily.”

“It would also cost less to provide that.”