It\u2019s the blush-pink drink that signals the arrival of longer, lighter days. And as late spring ushers in the so-called ros\u00e9 season, bottles of this ever-popular wine will doubtless be uncorked in pub gardens and al fresco gatherings across the country.<\/p>\n
What may make ros\u00e9 even more appealing is the perception that it\u2019s a healthier choice than other alcoholic drinks\u00a0\u2013 its light colour and fruity flavour giving the impression that it\u2019s lower in strength and calories.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s certainly true that like red wine, ros\u00e9 contains beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols\u00a0\u2013 in particular resveratrol, found in grape skins.<\/p>\n
\u2018These substances have properties that can help combat cell damage and inflammation, potentially supporting heart health,\u2019 explains Helen Bond, a dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.<\/p>\n
\u2018Studies suggest resveratrol in particular may also support gut and eye health, helping to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration [damage to the back of the eye that affects central vision].<\/p>\n
\u2018However, these compounds are present in relatively small amounts in ros\u00e9 as, unlike red wine, it is only briefly fermented with grape skins, the primary source of resveratrol.\u2018<\/p>\n
And even so, research suggests the benefits of any wine could be overstated.<\/p>\n
![\"There](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/20\/13\/108017835-15748281-There_is_a_perception_that_ros_is_a_healthier_choice_than_other_-a-36_1776689082289.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThere is a perception that ros\u00e9 is a healthier choice than other alcoholic drinks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
An analysis last year of more than 40 studies by Brown University in the US looked at the relationship between wine consumption and cancer. The study, in the journal Nutrients, found that red wine\u00a0\u2013 even in moderation\u00a0\u2013 was no better than white wine (which has less resveratrol than ros\u00e9) in warding off cancer.<\/p>\n
This may be because alcohol itself is carcinogenic (cancer-causing), so offsetting any potential benefit from resveratrol.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the amount of red wine you would have to drink to get enough therapeutic resveratrol would be massive, adds Helen Bond. \u2018And excessive drinking negates these benefits and increases health risk, too.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ros\u00e9 can also have a high sugar content, particularly varieties that are sweet or what\u2019s known as semi or \u2018off dry\u2019\u00a0\u2013 and so contain residual sugar left over from the wine-making process.<\/p>\n
A 2022 survey by the Alcohol Health Alliance UK\u00a0\u2013 a coalition of more than 60 organisations working to reduce the harm caused by alcohol\u00a0\u2013 found the sparkling Californian ros\u00e9 Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato topped all charts for sugar content at nearly 14g per 175ml glass.<\/p>\n
This is the equivalent to three teaspoons of sugar and a few grams of sugar shy of the equivalent amount of original Coca-Cola, which contains about 18.5g of sugar per 175ml. (The NHS warns us to limit daily intake of added sugar to just 30g per day.)<\/p>\n
\u2018A large 250ml glass of ros\u00e9 also contains approximately 200 calories, making two large glasses the equivalent to a double cheeseburger or a couple of doughnuts,\u2019 points out Sarah Schenker, a dietitian based in London.<\/p>\n
![\"Ros\u00e9](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/20\/11\/108017813-15748281-image-m-11_1776681604797.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRos\u00e9 has certainly grown in popularity as a summer drink among groups of women<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Barefoot](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/20\/11\/108017825-15748281-image-m-8_1776681475240.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBarefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato contains 14g of sugar per 175ml<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Another problem is that sometimes those who know about ros\u00e9\u2019s calories will still drink it\u00a0\u2013 and avoid eating instead to \u2018cheat\u2019 their calorie intake.<\/p>\n
But this puts their health at risk in other ways\u00a0\u2013 as alcohol provides \u2018empty calories\u2019 so they will be missing out on vital nutrients from food.<\/p>\n
\u2018This pattern of behaviour over time can lead to poor nutrient intake and even deficiencies, particularly of something like iron if you\u2019re skipping evening meals where iron-rich foods are often consumed,\u2019 says Dr Schenker.<\/p>\n
\u2018Poor iron intakes can affect the immune system, disrupt hormones, cause fatigue and hair loss.\u2019<\/p>\n
Plus, drinking acidic wine on an empty stomach means the alcohol gets into the bloodstream very quickly\u00a0\u2013 which induces that ‘drunk’ feeling faster\u00a0\u2013 but also it comes into direct contact with the gut lining and the gut bacteria there, she adds.<\/p>\n
\u2018This can irritate and damage the cells of the gut lining, which can cause IBS-type symptoms,’ she says.<\/p>\n
\u2018Alcohol can also disrupt the balance of the healthy gut bacteria, leaving more opportunity for \u201cbad\u201d bacteria to thrive, and reduces the effects of \u201cgood\u201d bacteria\u00a0\u2013 such as the production of the compound butyrate that maintains the gut lining and protects it from inflammation.\u2019<\/p>\n
Being sugary, ros\u00e9 also has an impact on oral health, adds Nora Albaldawi, a dentist at Skintique Beautiful Smiles in Leicester.<\/p>\n
\u2018More residual sugar means more fermentable carbohydrate [a type of starch broken down into sugar] for oral bacteria, which increases risk of cavities.<\/p>\n
\u2018And if ros\u00e9 is sipped slowly, the mouth stays acidic for longer\u00a0\u2013 and the risk of enamel erosion rises,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n
\u2018Even a dry ros\u00e9 is still acidic, so it can contribute to enamel wear,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n
The idea that ros\u00e9 is less alcoholic than other wines, and therefore healthier, is also not strictly true.<\/p>\n
![\"Clive](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/20\/13\/108017931-15748281-Clive_Vickers_cautions_that_ros_is_not_inherently_lower_in_alcoh-m-38_1776689556254.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nClive Vickers cautions that ros\u00e9 is ‘not inherently lower in alcohol’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018Ros\u00e9 is not inherently lower in alcohol, despite sometimes being perceived as a lighter option,\u2019 Clive Vickers, owner of Halfpenny Green Wine Estate in Staffordshire, says.<\/p>\n
\u2018Alcohol content is broadly similar across ros\u00e9, white and red wines\u00a0\u2013 generally falling between 11 per cent and 13.5 per cent ABV [alcohol by volume, the measure of a drink\u2019s alcoholic strength], although this can vary depending on the grape variety and region.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ros\u00e9, like white wine, can also have a higher dose of preservatives known as sulphites\u00a0\u2013 up to 200mg per litre in the case of ros\u00e9, compared with 150mg per litre in red wines.<\/p>\n
Though harmless for the vast majority of drinkers, an estimated 2 per cent of people\u00a0\u2013 rising to 5 per cent for those with asthma\u00a0\u2013 are sensitive to sulphites and develop wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n
The fact is, there is simply no such thing as a healthy alcoholic drink, says Rajiv Jalan, a professor of hepatology at University College London.<\/p>\n
\u2018Liver damage can occur with any amount of alcohol consumed in any form. There\u2019s no reason why ros\u00e9 would be less harmful than any other form of alcohol. In fact, because ros\u00e9 wine seems to be light, fragrant and tasty, people may drink more of it without realising.<\/p>\n
\u2018All alcohol, including ros\u00e9, is toxic and can cause liver damage through production of substances, such as acetaldehyde and reactive oxygen molecules that can cause cell damage and inflammation,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n
\u2018So please be careful and don\u2019t assume ros\u00e9 is less harmful.\u2019<\/p>\n
Dr Schenker agrees that while ros\u00e9 may seem light and sweet, we should not be fooled into thinking it\u2019s a better choice.<\/p>\n
She says: \u2018As we enter ros\u00e9 season, enjoy a drink within recommended limits, but don\u2019t kid yourself into believing it\u2019s the healthier option\u00a0\u2013 when the very opposite is true.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s the blush-pink drink that signals the arrival of longer, lighter days. And as late spring ushers in the so-called ros\u00e9 season, bottles of this ever-popular wine will doubtless be uncorked in pub gardens and al fresco gatherings across the country. What may make ros\u00e9 even more appealing is the perception that it\u2019s a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[2647,2642,2646,2641,2643,2639,2640,2252,2644,2645],"class_list":{"0":"post-8106","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy","8":"tag-2026-longevity","9":"tag-biohacking-security","10":"tag-diagnostic-breakthroughs","11":"tag-early-detection-matrix","12":"tag-gut-brain-axis","13":"tag-health-optimization-2026","14":"tag-metabolic-synergy","15":"tag-precision-medicine","16":"tag-preventative-protocol","17":"tag-systemic-recovery"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8106"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8118,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8106\/revisions\/8118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}