When it comes to weight loss, balance is key. So we pack healthy lunches and workout regularly, but at the end of a long week, a girl wants to splurge a little. And two of our favorite treats are a glass of wine and a chocolate brownie, but which one is better for us?
“Team Brownie” has an advantage because chocolate does have health benefits. Registered dietitian Susan Bowerman says, “Cocoa flavanols are considered heart healthy because they help lower blood pressure and fats in the blood.” But sadly, because a brownie is so highly processed and has so much fat and sugar, it doesn’t have the nutritional benefits dark chocolate does.
And over on “Team Wine,” there are some health perks, too. Red wine contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols that can boost immune function and it has resveratrol - a compound that can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, boost memory, and more. Sorry white wine drinkers, it has to be red, and to get the health benefits, you have to stop at one glass – which isn’t easy to do.
As far as calories, fat, sugar, and carbs go, a glass of wine is the winner. A five-ounce glass of red wine has just 125-calories, less than two grams of sugar, four grams of carbs and no fat. But a two-inch brownie has about 130 calories, 14 grams of sugar, 22 grams of carbs, and five grams of fat.
But if a glass of wine won’t satisfy your chocolate craving, registered dietitian Rene Ficek says you’re better off going with the brownie if that’s what you really want. Or have the glass of red wine and a square of dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa and have the best of both worlds.
Source: Women's Health