How Many Carbs in Champagne?
Are you looking to mark a major accomplishment or a special occasion? A glass of champagne is the go-to for many people who are celebrating–or who are just looking to treat themselves to something special. If you follow the keto diet and are wondering whether you can still imbibe a glass of bubbly from time to time–and there may be good news!
Let’s find out how many carbs are in champagne and how to choose a keto-friendly wine that will keep you in ketosis.
How Many Carbs Are in Champagne?
Champagne is a type of sparkling white wine made in the Champagne region of France, but it comes in several different varieties. Some are drier white wines while others can be quite sweet. As you might imagine, those with a higher sugar content typically fall outside the purview of what is permitted in a keto diet.
However, a drier style of champagne may fit nicely into your diet.
Take a closer look at what you can expect from the carb counts in some of these popular styles of champagne: [1]
- Brut: 2 grams net carbs
- Extra brut: 0.9 grams net carbs
- Extra dry: 1.8-2.6 grams net carbs
- Sec: 2.5-4.8 grams net carbs
- Demi-sec: 4.8-7.5 grams net carbs
- Doux: 7.5 grams net carbs
The major problem with champagne is the added sugar used to sweeten it. A champagne doux has the most added sugar with more than 50 grams of cane sugar added to each liter. It is closely followed by the demi-sec (32 to 50 grams of sugar), and sec (17 to 32 grams of sugar). On the other end of the spectrum, you will find less than 12 grams for a brut and fewer than three grams in a brut nature. [2] “Brut nature” is also known as zero dosage wine, and means that the winemaker did not add any extra sugar at the end of the winemaking process. These tend to be low-carb wines, but keep in mind that this doesn’t mean the champagne has no carbs; all grapes have sugar in them, which is required for the fermentation process involved in making wine, and not all the sugar in the grape juice is necessarily converted into alcohol during fermentation.
Consider Champagne Serving Size
One thing to keep in mind when consuming alcohol is that a serving size is often less than you think it is. Champagne glasses are tall and narrow, so you likely already get the impression that a serving size is quite small. In fact, it is just 4 ounces per serving.
This means that you will likely need to measure out a serving to ensure that you do not exceed your macros for the day (especially if you choose a sweeter variety of champagne). Unless you have not had any other carbs during the day, a single glass of champagne is often the most you will be able to consume while remaining in ketosis.
You can still enjoy champagne on occasion and celebrate with your friends and family when it is called for, but do so with care. Your weight loss may stall if you drink too much champagne and it could take several days to get back into ketosis. [3]
Other beverages, like fruit juice, that are mixed with champagne (for instance, to create mimosas) may be too sugar-heavy to keep you in ketosis. However, you can still enjoy a great cocktail made with champagne if you are mindful of the other ingredients.
For a creative fall-flavored keto champagne cocktail, try out this Cinnamon Apple Champagne recipe!
Staying Within Your Carb Limit
While champagne is certainly a low-carb alcoholic beverage, you may not always want to drink this as your go-to alcohol. Planning ahead will let you know whether a glass of bubbly fits into your macros for the day.
Most people try to stay under 20 grams of carbs daily, which means that you may have to sacrifice other things to imbibe. [4]
You will also want to note that drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea. While you may want to save your carbs for a glass of champagne, you can still have a meal of carb-free foods like meats. Drinking on an empty stomach can raise blood alcohol levels faster.
It’s also true that champagne with its bubbles can increase absorption into the body. [5] Make sure you have enough food to keep yourself from getting tipsy off just a glass or two of champagne at a celebration.
Should You Drink Champagne on Keto?
If you’re looking to lose weight and stay in ketosis, champagne may not be something that you want to drink at the end of every day, but there is no need to deprive yourself. The important thing is to make sure you drink just a serving or two and stick to a drier variety like brut nature, brut, or extra brut. Plan out the day if you know that you will be drinking later to ensure you have enough carbs in your macros.
Enjoy life a little bit and have a few sips of champagne if the celebration calls for it. It doesn’t have to disrupt your keto diet if you plan ahead!
References
Lang, A. (2020, March 16). Is champagne keto-friendly?. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/champagne-keto#carb-content
Dosage. Le site officiel du Champagne. (n.d.). https://www.champagne.fr/en/about-champagne/how-champagne-is-made/dosage
Scott, J. M., & Deuster, P. A. (2017). Ketones and Human Performance. Journal of special operations medicine : a peer reviewed journal for SOF medical professionals, 17(2), 112–116. https://doi.org/10.55460/PGWG-H55J
Oh R, Gilani B, Uppaluri KR. Low-Carbohydrate Diet. [Updated 2023 Aug 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/
Paton A. (2005). Alcohol in the body. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 330(7482), 85–87. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7482.85
