Many people love a glass or two of wine, especially with a meal. A chilled glass of white wine goes well with fish, while a nice red complements steak perfectly. Wine also has some health benefits, with researchers believing it can prevent heart disease and stroke.
However, many people follow a diet aimed at increasing or decreasing their intake of specific nutrients, like the low-potassium diet followed by those with kidney disease. Such diets can be challenging, as followers must know the potassium content of common foods and stay within the daily intake recommended by their doctor.
Table of Contents
- Is Wine High or Low in Potassium?
- How Much Potassium Is in Wine?
- Is Wine Good for You?
- Can You Get Too Much Potassium from Wine?
- Is Red Wine High in Potassium?
- Is White Wine High in Potassium?
- Which Has More Potassium, Beer or Wine?
- Can Drinking Wine Raise Your Potassium Level Too High?
- Can You Drink Wine on a Low-potassium Diet?
- Which Alcoholic Drinks Are Low in Potassium?
Is Wine High or Low in Potassium?
Depending on the type, wine can be quite high in potassium. On average, a glass of wine (5 oz/150 ml) contains around 150 mg, around 3% of the recommended daily intake.
Can You Check Your Potassium Level at Home?
How Much Potassium Is in Wine?
White wine contains less potassium than red, with a glass of chardonnay containing 104 mg and a glass of merlot 187 mg. These are below the 200 mg per serving threshold for foods and drinks to be considered low-potassium.
Is Wine Good for You?
Wine has proven health benefits, and I've listed some below.
It reduces the risk of coronary heart disease
Wine and other alcoholic beverages decrease the risk of developing heart disease and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) by 30%–50%.
It can prevent type 2 diabetes
Moderate wine consumption lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
It supports cognitive function
Although this might seem counterintuitive, men who drank one alcoholic drink per day throughout their lives had better cognitive abilities in their late 70s and 80s compared to non-drinkers.
However, having more than four per day in middle age adversely affected memory and cognition.
Can You Get Too Much Potassium from Wine?
It would be almost impossible to get too much potassium from drinking wine. You would need to drink about 31 glasses of wine to reach the daily allowed potassium intake (4,700 mg).
However, it contains some, so those on a low-potassium diet should ensure they stay within the limit their doctor recommends.
Is Red Wine High in Potassium?
Red wine is quite high in potassium, with a serving (5 oz/150 ml) containing up to 187 mg, around 4% of the recommended daily intake.
Is White Wine High in Potassium?
White wine contains less potassium than red, with a glass containing around 104 mg, 2% of the recommended daily intake.
White wine also contains fewer calories but is also less nutritious.
Which Has More Potassium, Beer or Wine?
Wine contains more potassium, with a can of beer containing only 96 mg. Red wine has almost double the potassium of beer.
Can Drinking Wine Raise Your Potassium Level Too High?
Too much alcohol can break down muscle fiber, which releases potassium and may lead to hyperkalemia. This happens when you binge-drink more than five servings of alcohol.
Can You Drink Wine on a Low-potassium Diet?
Most people on a low-potassium diet should be able to enjoy the occasional glass of wine. However, those with a severe potassium sensitivity may have to avoid wine altogether.
Which Alcoholic Drinks Are Low in Potassium?
Spirits like vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey contain almost no potassium and can be drunk in moderation on a low-potassium diet.
Don't know which foods are high in potassium? Read our article, 15 Best Food Sources of Potassium. We also have a guide to this important mineral: Potassium 101: All You Need To Know About Potassium.