Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a reduced calorie beverage or food product employing fermentation of a plant-derived juice or liquid and removing the ethanol therefrom. The process involves first converting at least some of the sugar in a plant-derived juice or liquid by fermenting it with yeast to produce a fermentation product containing ethanol and subsequently removing at least some of the ethanol from the fermentation product, while maintaining the fermentation product at a temperature of less than fifty-five degrees Celsius to produce the reduced calorie beverage or food product. The alcohol removal step is performed at temperatures of less than seventy-five degrees in order to reduce the impact upon flavor and nutritional properties, relative to conventional alcohol removal at or near boiling temperatures.