What Is The “Wine Diet” And Is It For You?

Donna Freeman Published on July 1, 2020

Dieting seems to be an inevitable part of nearly everyone’s life. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or you’re trying to get healthier, it seems like we’re always searching for the answer. We’re constantly bombarded with new diets from Paleo to Keto to Whole 30, and frankly — we’re starting to lose track of which one is which.

The Wine Diet

However, when we heard of the “Wine Diet,” we stopped in our tracks. Is this new diet too good to be true? We immediately set to find out just what it is — and whether it works.

In 1962, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine Helen Gurley suggested that we maintain a diet for 3 days consisting of strictly wine, eggs, steak, and black coffee. Vogue magazine reprinted this diet in its magazine in 1977. Gurley claimed that if people followed this diet, they could lost up to five pounds. Now, we think this sounds incredible, but does it work? And is it healthy?

Is The Wine Diet For You?

Unfortunately, it may just be too good to be true. Roger Corder, who is a nutrition expert says: “I can’t believe it’s serious. The lack of vegetables, [which translates to] no folate, and other important nutrients is not only unhealthy, but also going to predispose you to many harmful effects of alcohol, particularly when the amount of alcohol is not moderate.”

He adds: “You want to optimize your nutrition, not do a crash diet, to lose weight or to change your lifestyle.” While the “Wine Diet” may not actually be a good idea, Corder says that everything in moderation is okay. “There’s plenty of opportunities to have a healthy diet and actually enjoy healthy food — and wine.”

Too Good To Be True?