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What is a unit of alcohol?
What is a unit of alcohol?
David Henzell avatar
Written by David Henzell
Updated over 2 weeks ago

A unit of alcohol is simply a way to measure how much pure alcohol you're consuming, regardless of what type of drink it is. In the UK, one unit equals 8g (or 10ml) of pure alcohol.

Common Drink Measurements:

  • Single shot of spirits (40%): 1 unit

  • Small glass of wine (12%): 1.5 units

  • Pint of beer (4%): 2.3 units

  • Bottle of wine (12%): 10 units

  • Bottle of spirits (40%): 30 units

Why Units Matter:

  • Help track alcohol consumption

  • Make informed drinking choices

  • Understand drink strengths

  • Compare different types of drinks

Important Reality Check:

  • Many people pour larger measures at home

  • Pub measures can vary

  • Higher strength drinks contain more units

  • Units add up quickly over an evening

Understanding units can help you make more informed choices about your drinking.

However, it's worth noting that counting units alone doesn't tell the whole story about your relationship with alcohol - it's just one tool among many for understanding your drinking patterns.

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