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Alcohol units calculator

  

One unit is 10 ml, or 8 g, of pure alcohol, the UK measure. Units = volume in ml × strength (%) ÷ 1,000. Indian health guidance has no single unit; this tool compares you with the UK low-risk guideline of 14 units a week. No amount of alcohol is risk-free.

Units a week

13.5

Within the 14-unit weekly guideline. Spread across 3 or more days and with some alcohol-free days.

Calories from alcohol
743 kcal
Pure alcohol
107 g
Within 14 unitsAbove 14 units

Counting units instead of drinks

A drink is not a unit. A pint of strong beer can be three units, a large peg two, and a 'glass' of wine may be a quarter of a bottle. Units give you a common measure, so that a week's drinking can be compared with guidance.

The formula is simple: millilitres times the strength percentage, divided by 1,000. A 330 ml bottle of 5% beer is 1.65 units. A 150 ml glass of 12.5% wine is 1.875. A 30 ml peg of 40% whisky is 1.2, and a 60 ml large peg is 2.4.

Three beers, two glasses of wine and four pegs in a week come to 13.5 units, just inside the 14-unit guideline from UK chief medical officers. That is about 107 g of pure alcohol and 740 calories, with no food value at all.

The guideline does not say 14 units is safe. It says the risk is low, and it advises spreading drinks over several days with some days off. Anyone who has health conditions, takes medicines or is pregnant should talk to a doctor, and if you are worried about your drinking, a doctor can help without judgement.

Sources

What this calculator does not account for

  • Home pours, which are often larger.
  • Differences in the units used in India.
  • Your health, medicines and pregnancy.

How this is calculated

Formula: Units of alcohol

units =volume (ml) × strength (% ABV) ÷ 1,000

What the symbols mean

  • volumeHow much the drink holds, in millilitres.
  • ABVAlcohol by volume, in percent.

Good to know

  • One unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol, about 8 g.
  • Calories from alcohol are about 7 per gram.

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Worked examples

Each example is worked out by the same code as the calculator above.

3 beers, 2 glasses of wine and 4 pegs a week

13.5 units, about 740 kcal from alcohol, just under the 14-unit guideline.

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Questions

How many units are in a drink?

A 330 ml bottle of 5% beer is 1.65 units, a 150 ml glass of wine at 12.5% is about 1.9, and a 30 ml peg of 40% spirit is 1.2.

What is the low-risk limit?

The UK guideline is no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days. There is no safe level for everyone.

Does India have its own unit?

There is no single Indian unit, and countries define a standard drink differently. This tool uses the UK unit, which is 8 g of pure alcohol.

Who should avoid alcohol?

People who are pregnant, on certain medicines, driving, or with liver disease, among others.