Alcohol units: How many units are in your favourite drink?
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It’s the season when we enjoy having a drink and enjoying festive treats like eggnog and mulled wine.
But few of us know how many units are in our favorite alcoholic beverages.
MailOnline has now created a quiz that lets you guess how many units are in 16 different drinks, from wine to beer and espresso martinis to margaritas.
MailOnline has now created a quiz that lets you guess how many units are in 16 different drinks, from wine to beer and espresso martinis to margaritas.
Official data has shown that the UK actually ranks in the middle of the group for alcohol consumption, behind France and Germany.
It comes after a survey revealed that almost three-quarters of adults underestimate the amount of wine in a 250ml glass.
When shown the large glass, which contained a third of a bottle, 70 percent of those surveyed believed it was a medium or small glass.
The survey, conducted by Direct Line Motor Insurance, also showed that only 22 percent correctly identified a double shot when shown a serving of gin in a glass.
Some 59 per cent believed the double shot was just one shot of the drink, dubbed ‘mother’s ruin’.
Although the British frequently underestimate how much they may be drinking, separate data showed that they actually drink less than their European counterparts.
A report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that Britons drank 9.7 liters of pure alcohol per adult in 2020, 0.1 less than the EU average.
It was the equivalent of about nine pints of low-proof beer or six large glasses of wine a week.
Latvia had the highest rate at 12.1 liters per adult for the year, while France had 10.4 and the Germans drank 10.6.
Brits are urged not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, the equivalent of six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine. The data showed that most people drank above this average.
Americans are advised to drink no more than 14 small cans of beer a week for men and seven small glasses of wine for women.
Drinking too much in the long term increases the risk of a catalog of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and cancer.
How many units are in these two cups? Only 15 percent were correct with the wine, while 23 percent knew the answer with the gin. ANSWER: Wine: 3.2 units, Gin: 1.8 units
Responding to Direct Line Motor Insurance’s survey of 2,000 people, Andrew Misell, from Alcohol Change UK, said: “We’ve seen a big change in drinking habits in recent years, with more and more of us drinking in House”.
“But, as this study has shown, many people are unsure of the size of the drinks they are serving and often underestimate how much they are drinking.
This can lead them to drink more than they intended without realizing it.
“If you’re drinking at home, it’s smart to get in the habit of checking the units on your drinks, keeping a checking account, and staying under 14 units per week.”
DrinkAware, the national charity that works to prevent alcohol misuse, advises people to “take the guesswork out of serving” by getting a spirit measuring cup or using a regular kitchen scale.
The survey found that nearly 40 percent of drinkers never check how much alcohol they pour out at home.
Earlier this year, Professor Julia Sinclair, chair of the addictions faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warned that millions of Britons are doing “silent harm” to themselves by drinking too much.
People drink at home, without keeping track of how much they consume, and they don’t encourage each other to drink more, he said.
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT REVEAL YOUR RISK
A screening tool widely used by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Tests). Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the 10-question test is considered the gold standard to help determine if someone has a problem with alcohol abuse.
The test has been reproduced here with permission from WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and write down the corresponding score.
YOUR SCORE:
0-7: It is within the reasonable drinking range and has a low risk of alcohol-related problems.
More than 8: Indicate harmful or dangerous consumption.
8-15: Medium risk level. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk for problems with your health and life in general, such as work and relationships. Consider cutting back (see below for tips).
16-19: Increased risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting down on your own can be difficult at this level as you may be dependent so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counselor.
20 and over: Possible dependency. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you may well be dependent. You should definitely consider gradually quitting or at least reducing your alcohol intake. You should seek professional help to determine the level of your dependence and the safest way to withdraw from alcohol.
Severe dependency may require medically assisted withdrawal, or detoxification, in a hospital or specialized clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the first 48 hours that require specialized treatment.