How many units?

We all know that alcohol when you drink too much is bad for you and many of us know that alcohol in moderation can be good for you. Finding the balance between these two can be difficult especially when given conflicting messages about units. Is a glass of wine every day a unit? Well, that depends on the size of the glass.

There are two different things to consider when you consume alcohol. The first is how much liquid there is, and the second is what the percentage alcohol content is. Both the size and strength of your drink has an affect on the unit size.

Here’s how you can calculate the units you drink and avoid stepping over the moderation mark:

Find out the percentage of alcohol in the drink (%ABV)

Find out how much you are drinking in a glass (175ml, 250ml, 1 pint…)

Multiply both of these values together and then divide by 1,000.

For example: 175ml of red wine with an alcohol content of 13%
175ml x 13% = 2275
2275 / 1000 = 2.275 units