Alcohol
How much is too much? 
The Australian Alcohol Guidelines have been designed to give people an indication of the limits of alcohol consumption that are associated with an increasing risk to health and social well-being. The Guidelines are based on the Australian Standard Drink measure.
A standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol. However the size of a ‘standard’ drink can vary according to the type of alcohol. The size of a drink served in some hotels, restaurants or even at home may be much bigger than a ‘standard’ drink.
One standard drink equals:
- 285ml or approximately one middy of regular beer (4.9% alcohol content)
- 425ml or one schooner of light beer (2.7% alcohol content)
- 100 ml or one small glass of table wine (12% alcohol content)
- 30ml or one nip of spirits plus mixer (40% alcohol content).
Cocktails can contain as much alcohol as five or six standard drinks, depending on the recipe.
These guidelines are based on a ‘standard drink’. To learn more about what is a ‘standard drink’, go to:
To minimise risks to your health, and to gain any longer-term benefits, try to follow these guidelines:
- Men should drink no more than 4 standard drinks a day, on average and never more than 6 standard drinks in one day.
- Women who are not pregnant should drink no more than 2 standard drinks a day, on average and never more than 4 standard drinks in one day.
- Everyone should have 1 or 2 alcohol-free days every week.
For a comprehensive fact sheet on the effect of alcohol and guidelines for low risk drinking, go to:
Remember too that alcohol is a high source of energy, providing 7 calories per gram of alcohol. Therefore, if you're aiming for healthy weight it might be an idea to cut down the amount you drink or alter the type of drink you choose.