Fruit Wine vs. Fresh Fruit: Which Is Healthier?
In recent years, fruit wines such as goji berry wine and plum wine have become increasingly popular in domestic markets. When it comes to affection for fruit wine, no country rivals Japan. In Japan, almost every fruit can be turned into wine. Nutritionists note that compared to baijiu (white spirit) and beer, fruit wine has higher nutritional value and greater health benefits.
All Fruits Can Be Made into Fruit Wine
In Japanese perception, wine and fruit wine are distinct. Except for grape wine, all other fruit-based wines are called fruit wine. Fruits used range from plums to strawberries, mangoes—even bananas.
In Japan, fruit wine is often homemade. Every early summer, supermarkets display large glass jars, rock sugar, shochu (distilled alcohol), vinegar, and other tools and ingredients for making fruit wine. Housewives buy these, combine them with fruit, and mix according to specific ratios to create their own fruit wine. After fermentation, the wine is stored in glass bottles. By late summer or early autumn, opening the bottle to taste homemade fruit wine becomes a family tradition.
Even if you don’t know how to make fruit wine, no problem—every liquor store carries dedicated fruit wine sections. Bottles and jars filled with flavors like goji berries, lychee, peaches, watermelon, lemon, pomegranate, etc., await selection.
Low Alcohol Content, Beneficial to Health
Although fruit wine contains alcohol, its concentration is much lower than that of baijiu, beer, or wine—typically 5 to 10 degrees, with a maximum of only 14 degrees. Thus, many Japanese adults drink it as a soft drink after meals or before bedtime.
Professor Nagata from Hirosaki University’s Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences explains that fruit wine essentially extracts all nutrients from fruit to make wine. It contains abundant vitamins and essential amino acids required by the human body. Some nutrients that cannot be absorbed through eating raw fruit can be absorbed via fruit wine because the nutrients are fully dissolved in the liquid. Professor Nagata notes that fruit wine contains large amounts of polyphenols, which inhibit fat accumulation in the body, helping prevent fat and flab buildup. Moreover, compared to other alcoholic beverages, fruit wine offers stronger benefits for heart health and female mood regulation.
Best Consumed with Salad or Biscuits
In Japan, annual fruit wine sales reach 100,000 tons. People love drinking fruit wine, and their consumption habits are quite refined. Generally, it is chilled in summer and warmed in winter. However, doctors from Maeda Internal Medicine Hospital advise that although fruit wine is healthy, it still contains alcohol. Therefore, consumption should not exceed 1 liter at a time, especially avoiding drinking on an empty stomach. Pairing with vegetables, salad, or biscuits is recommended—not only for better taste but also for balanced intake.
Moreover, fruit wine is mostly sweet and sour, making it popular among women. Doctors caution that women should avoid excessive consumption during menstruation, as it may lead to heavier bleeding.