Units of alcohol are a measure of the volume of pure alcohol in an acloholic beverage. They are used as a guideline for alcohol cinsumption.

One unit of alcohol is defined as 10 millilitres (7.9 grams) in the UK. It is often stated that a unit of alcohol is supplied by a small glass of wine, half a pint of beer, or a single measure of spirits. Such statements may be misleading because they do not reflect differences in strength of the various kinds of wines, beers, and spirits.

What are the recommended limits?

There is no safe levelof alcohol consumption. Unit guidelines for 'low risk drinking' are the same for men and women. Both are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units per week.

Keep the short-term health risks low by:

• Limiting the total amount of alcohol in one session
• Drinking slowly, alternating with food and/or water

Alcohol limits and unit guidelines

Published by the UK's Chief Medical Officers, the low risk drinking guidelines are for men and women aged over 18 years who drink alcohol. The medical guidelines explain low risk drinking but don't mean drinking alcohol is safe.

The Chief Medical Officers’ guideline for both men and women is that:

• To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
• If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread your drinking evenly over 3 or more days. If you have one or two heavy drinking episodes a week, you increase your risks of death from long term illness and from accidents and injuries.
• The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis.
•  If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink-free days each week. 
• If you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.
• Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink the greater the risk.

Test your units with this Interactive Bar