We measure the alcohol content of a drink in units. For instance, a pint of typical-strength bitter contains just over two units, while a glass of wine can contain anything from around 1.5 to over three, depending on the size and strength.
For easy reference – 1 unit of alcohol is equal to:
- half pint of ordinary strength lager, beer or cider (3% – 4% ABV)
- a glass of wine (125ml)
- a single pub measure of spirits (25ml)
- a pub measure of sherry (50ml)
The NHS recommends that:
- Men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day
- Women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol per day
“Regularly” means drinking each day or most days of the week. Consistently drinking more than these amounts can risk damaging your health, with the danger increasing the longer you continue and the more you drink.
