Drinking alcohol

Having ‘one standard drink’ of alcohol isn’t as simple as you might think. Different alcoholic drinks have different strengths. The amount of alcohol in any beverage depends on the way they were made, so they can vary significantly. For example, some beer can be as strong as wine, so it’s important to check product labels for more information.

We recommend that healthy men and women drink no more than two standard alcoholic drinks a day. If you have high blood pressure, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, liver disease or diabetes, or if you are obese, you may need to drink less than the above-recommended limits.

Alcohol causes high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol. Talk to your doctor to find out what is right for you.

Tips to lower your alcohol intake

• Alternate your alcoholic drinks with low kilojoule drinks, such as tap water or plain mineral water.
• Dilute your alcoholic drinks with tap water or plain mineral water when you can.
• Use only half-measures of spirits.
• Choose a low alcohol or light beer.
• Choose a low alcohol wine.
• When you are thirsty, drink cold water instead of alcohol. Keep a jug of water on the table with your meals.

What’s a standard drink?

A standard drink is a unit of measurement. In Australia, a standard drink is any drink containing 10 grams of alcohol. One standard drink always contains the same amount of alcohol, regardless of container size or alcohol type (beer, wine, or spirit). 

1 375ml Mid Strength 3.5% Alc. Vol	1 100ml Standard Serve of Red Wine 13.5% Alc. Vol

(Above) Examples of a standard drink. Note: options in the table vary depending on the amount (mL) and alcoholic strength. 

Standard drink measures

Reproduced with permission: National Health and Medical Research Council.

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