Alcohol limits
What are the recommended limits of alcohol drinking?
According to the National Health Service sensible drinking
limits are defined as:
- No more than 21 units of alcohol per week (and no more
than four units in any one day) for adult males.
- No more than 14 units of alcohol per week (and no more
than three units in any one day) for adult females.
The more you drink above these limits, the greater the risk
of developing serious problems.
Binge drinking
What is the definition of binge drinking?
The NHS defines binge drinking as ‘drinking eight or
more units of alcohol in one session if you are a man and
more than six units in one session if you are a woman’.
(Source nhsdirect.nhs.uk)
What is a unit of alcohol?
Beers & lagers
| Beverage |
Example |
Measure |
Units |
Standard beer - 3.5% volume
|
Stones, Tetley
|
1 pint (568 ml)
|
2 |
Standard lager - 4% volume
|
Carling, John Smith's |
1 pint (568 ml)
|
2.3 |
Premium beer/lager - 5% volume
|
Stella Artois, Pedigree |
1 pint (568 ml)
|
2.8 |
Premium beer/lager - 5% volume
|
Heineken, Budweiser, Grolsch |
330ml bottle
|
1.7 |
Super strength lager - 9% volume
|
Tennant's Super
|
440ml can
|
4 |
Cider
| Beverage |
Example |
Measure |
Units |
Regular cider – 5% volume
|
Strongbow, Blackthorne
|
1 pint (568 ml)
|
2.9 |
Strong cider – 8.5% volume
|
White Lightning |
275ml bottle
|
2.3 |
Spirits
| Beverage |
Example |
Measure |
Units |
| Vodka - 37.5% volume |
Smirnoff |
25ml |
1 |
| Rum - 40% volume |
Captain Morgan |
25ml |
1 |
| Rum - 37.5% volume |
Bacardi |
25ml |
1 |
| Whisky - 40% volume |
Jack Daniel's, Jameson |
25ml |
1 |
| Bourbon - 40% volume |
Jim Beam |
25ml |
1 |
| Tequila - 38% volume |
Sierra Tequila |
25ml |
1 |
| Amaretto - 28% volume |
Disaronno Originale |
25ml |
0.7 |
| Gin - 37.5% volume |
Gordon’s Gin |
25ml |
1 |
| Scotch - 40% volume |
Famous Grouse, Bell's |
25ml |
1 |
| Brandy - 40% volume |
Napolean |
25ml |
1 |
| Liquor - 26.5% volume |
Tia Maria |
25ml |
0.8 |
| Liquor - 40% volume |
Aftershock |
25ml |
1 |
| Schnapps - 23% volume |
Archers |
25ml |
0.6 |
Wine, Champagne and fortified wine
| Beverage |
Example |
Measure |
Units |
Sparkling Perry - 7.5% volume
|
Lambrini
|
125ml glass
|
1 |
Wine - 9.5% volume
|
Hock |
125ml glass
|
1.2 |
Wine - 11% volume
|
Black Tower |
125ml glass
|
1.4 |
Champagne - 12% volume
|
Moet & Chandon |
125ml glass
|
1.5 |
Sherry - 17.5 % volume
|
Harvey’s Bristol Cream
|
50ml glass
|
0.9 |
| Port - 20% volume |
Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port |
50ml glass |
1 |
| Vermouth - 15% volume |
Martini |
50ml glass |
0.8 |
Alcopops (ready to drink)
| Beverage (5% Vol) |
Measure |
Units |
Smirnoff Ice
|
275ml bottle
|
1.5 |
| VK (all varieties) |
275ml bottle
|
1.5 |
| Hooch (all varieties) |
275ml bottle
|
1.5 |
| Bacardi Breezer (all varieties) |
275ml bottle
|
1.5 |
| Reef (all varieties)
|
275ml bottle
|
1.5 |
| Archers Aqua (all varieties) |
275ml bottle |
1.5 |
| WKD (all varieties) |
275ml bottle |
1.5 |
| Mike’s Hard Lemonade |
275ml bottle |
1.5 |
How to measure a unit of alcohol
To calculate the number of units of alcohol in a
given volume of drink:
For example:
A 25ml shot of 40% Aftershock
would equal:
A 125ml glass of 12% wine
would equal:
|
