According to The Royal College of physicians the recommended alcohol consumption for men per week should be no more than 21 units; for women this is just 14 units a week.
So how easy is it to measure a unit? The number of units will depend on the strength of the drink (as illustrated below) but typically there is one unit of alcohol in half a pint of beer, a single (25ml) measure of spirit or one (100ml) glass of wine. It is recommended that it is better to spread the alcohol units throughout the week, than to just drink the allowance over one day or weekend. This means women should aim to drink no more than 2 units a day; men 3 units a day.
The strength of alcoholic drinks
The strength of alcoholic drinks is measured by percentage of alcohol by volume (abv). This information is shown on the bottle or can. The following shows the percentage range most alcholic drink types fall into:
· Spirits have 38-45%
· Fortified wines (eg. sherry) 18-25%
· Liquers (eg. cointreau) 20-40%
· Red, white and rosé wines 9-13%
· Beer, cider and lager are normally 4-6% though extra strong brands can have up to 10%
Alcohol and dieting
Alcohol is high in calories and sugar and therefore does not fit well with a weight loss plan or diet. If you want to drink when dieting try and have a spirit with a low-calories mixer, a wine spritzer or alternate an alcoholic drink with a soft drink.
