Is the Fruit in Sangria Healthy?
When you make sangria, does the alcohol in the wine destroy the nutrients in the fresh fruit? Nutrition Diva explains.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Q. “I recently made some sangria by combining white wine and fresh fruit and putting the mixture in the fridge for a couple of days to steep. Does the alcohol harm any of the vitamins in the fresh fruit? Do I get any additional nutritional value from eating the fruit with the wine?”
Answer. Soaking fruit in alcohol won’t destroy the nutrients. In fact, the alcohol may actually act as a preservative! After a couple of days in the fridge, some of the nutrients in the fruit may leech into the wine, but plenty will still be left in the chunks of fruit. So if I were you, I’d go ahead and eat the fruit at the bottom of the glass!
You can count 1/2 cup of sangria fruit as a serving…but that doesn’t justify having a second or third glass of sangria!
Although alcohol doesn’t destroy nutrients in foods, it does affect how your body absorbs and uses nutrients. Over time, heavy alcohol use can actually create nutritional deficiencies, among other damage.
See also: How Much Alcohol Is Healthy?
Sangria image courtesy of Shutterstock.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.