Recommendations about how much a person should drink are made in terms of standard servings of alcohol. But did you know a standard drink (a drink containing 10 g of alcohol) is not the same as a glass of wine or a bottle of beer? Show
So how much do you drink, when it comes to standard drinks? Use the standard drinks calculator to convert your drinks into standard serving sizes. Book your health appointments onlineFind and instantly book your next health appointment with Healthengine Find health practitioners More information
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Home Tools Calculators Drink size calculator
Do you know how many “standard drinks” (also known as alcoholic drink equivalents) are in a:
Chances are, your cup or beverage label won't tell you the answer—but this calculator will. See this drop-down menu for common container sizes and alcohol content for different beverages. Examples: (The alcohol content of different types of beer, other malt beverages, and wine may vary.) Why is this information important?Knowing U.S. standard drink (or alcoholic drink equivalent) sizes and the number of drinks per container can help you make informed decisions about your drinking. Can't find your beverage on the menu?To check beverages or container sizes not listed in the drop-down menu, you can enter your own amounts into the calculator. Here’s how:
The calculator will show you how many standard drinks the container holds. You may also be interested in …
Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational purposes only, to show how the number of standard drinks and the alcohol content (% alc/vol) of a cocktail can vary depending on the type of spirits and the recipe. Any differences between the data you enter in the calculator and the actual amount in a drink could significantly affect the accuracy of the estimates. Because of this and individual variations in alcohol sensitivity and metabolism, the calculator should not be relied upon to predict blood alcohol level or any other measure. Do not drink if you are under the legal age (21 in the United States), and do not drive or engage in other potentially dangerous activities after drinking.
Print PreviewIs your "lite" beer light in alcohol?Not necessarily. Although they have fewer calories, many light beers have almost as much alcohol as regular beer—about 85% as much, or 4.2% versus 5.0% alcohol by volume, on average. Check the alcohol content of your beverage. Malt beverages are not required to list their alcohol content on the labels, so you may need to visit the bottler's Web site. See What's a standard drink? How many "drinks" are in a bottle of wine?A typical 25-ounce (750 ml) bottle of table wine holds about 5 "standard" drinks, each containing about 5 ounces. This serving size of wine contains about the same amount of alcohol as a 12-ounce regular beer or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Get to know what 5 ounces looks like by measuring it out at home. That way you can estimate how many standard drinks you're being served in a restaurant or bar that uses large glasses and generous serving sizes. See What's a standard drink? Mixing alcohol with certain medications can cause nausea, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, a loss of coordination, internal bleeding, heart problems, and difficulties in breathing. Alcohol can also make a medication less effective. For more information, see Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines. Examples of medical conditions for which it's safest to avoid drinking include liver disease (such as from hepatitis C), bipolar disorder, abnormal heart rhythm, and chronic pain. Among the dangers of underage drinking:
Even moderate amounts of alcohol can significantly impair driving performance and your ability to operate other machinery, whether or not you feel the effects of alcohol. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause brain damage and other serious problems in the baby. Because it is not yet known whether any amount of alcohol is safe for a developing baby, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not drink. Highest riskAbout 50% of people who drink in this group have alcohol use disorder. Increased riskThis "increased risk" category contains three different drinking pattern groups. Overall, nearly 20% of people who drink in this category have alcohol use disorder. Low-risk drinkingOnly about 2% of drinkers in this group has alcohol use disorder. A U.S. standard drink contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol (also known as an alcoholic drink-equivalent). That's the amount in 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Distilled spirits include vodka, whiskey, gin, rum, and tequila. Light to moderate drinking
Heavy or at-risk drinking
Low-risk drinkingMen: No more than 4 drinks on any day and no more than 14 per week Women: No more than 3 drinks on any day and no more than 7 per week People with a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism have a higher risk for becoming dependent on alcohol. For many, it may be difficult to maintain low-risk drinking habits. Pace yourself: It's best to have no more than one standard drink per hour, with nonalcoholic "drink spacers" between alcohol beverages. On any day, stay within low-risk levels of no more than 4 drinks for men or 3 for women. Note that it takes about 2 hours for the adult body to completely break down a single drink. Do not drive after drinking. For comparison, regular beer is 5% alcohol by volume (alc/vol), table wine is about 12% alc/vol, and straight 80-proof distilled spirits is 40% alc/vol. The percent alcohol by volume (alc/vol) for distilled spirits is listed on bottle labels and may be found online as well. It is half the "proof," such that 80-proof spirits is 40% alc/vol. Convert proof to alc/volEnter in the proof of the alcohol in the left field to automatically calculate the alc/vol. Convert to fluid ouncesEnter in the measurement in milliliters in the left field to automatically calculate the amount in fluid ounces. How do you figure out a serving of alcohol?Use the standard drink calculator! One standard drink is: a 341 mL bottle of 5% beer (or cider or a cooler), a 5-ounce glass (or 142 mL) of 12% wine or 43 mL of hard liquor.
How do you calculate the number of standard drinks?Formula for Standard Drinks
The formula is outlined below: Volume of beverage in Litres, multiplied by the percentage of alcohol volume, multiplied by 0.789, equals the number of standard drinks.
What are the 3 types of alcohol and the servings sizes for each?Serving measurements include:. 5 ounces of wine per glass, 24 proof or 12 percent ABV.. 12 ounces of beer per serving, 10 proof or 5 percent ABV.. 1.5 ounces of liquor or spirits per shot, 80 proof or 40 percent ABV.. What does alcohol by serving mean?A standard serving contains about ½ fluid ounce of “pure” alcohol, regardless of the type of alcohol.
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