Go easy

Take a look at the label of your drink. On it you will find standard drinks information.

The standard drink is a fantastic aid to help you keep track of your drinking. An Australian standard drink contains 10 grams or 12.5 millilitres of alcohol. This is equivalent to:

• A 285ml glass of full strength beer (4.9%) or a 375ml stubbie or can of mid strength beer (3.5%).
• A 100ml glass of wine.
• A 30ml nip of spirits.

Looking at it another way:

• A can or stubbie of light beer (2.7%) = 0.8 standard drinks
• A can or stubbie of mid strength beer (3.5%) = 1 standard drink
• A can or stubbie of full strength beer (4.9%) = 1.5 standard drinks
• A jug of full strength beer = 4 standard drinks
• A slab/case of full strength beer = 36 standard drinks
• A bottle of wine (750ml) = about 7 or 8 standard drinks
• A nip of spirits (30ml)= 1 standard drink

The Australian Government recommends that to minimise the health risks in the short and long term, and gain any longer-term benefits, adults should limit their alcohol intake as follows.

• For men:
• An average of no more than 4 standard drinks a day and no more than 28 standard drinks over a week.
• Do not drink more than 6 standard drinks in any one day and try to have 1 or 2 alcohol-free days a week.
• For women:
• An average of no more than 2 standard drinks a day and no more than 14 standard drinks over a week.
• Do not drink more than 4 standard drinks in any one day and try to have 1 or 2 alcohol-free days a week.

These intake recommendations are based on persons of average or larger size (i.e. above about 60Kg for men and 50Kg for women). They also assume the drinks are consumed at a moderate rate (i.e. no more than 2 drinks in the first hour and 1 thereafter for men, and for women, no more than 1 drink per hour).

Remember though, that alcohol affects everyone differently. How your body processes alcohol is dependent on a number of factors, including your gender, your size and weight, your age and your lifestyle.

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