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Alcohol
Alcohol is a drug and an intoxicant. It is also a source of energy. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which is more than protein and carbohydrate but less than fat.
High levels of intake of alcohol will cause:
- short term effects of intoxication
- risk of accident
- increased risk of some cancers
- liver and pancreas damage
- weigh gain
- nutritional deficiency
- heart damage
Moderate drinking of alcohols appears to be beneficial by reducing cause death by heart disease and cancer.
Alcohol Units - A Guide
| Alcohol Unit | Wine |
| 1 Unit | - 1 * 125ml glass (8% alcohol by volume wine) - 300 ml (1/2 pint) standard beer or larger or stout (3-4% alcohol by volume) - 300ml (1/2 pint) standard medium cider - 1 single measure (25 ml) any spirit - 1 single measure (25 ml) port or sherry (20% alcohol by volume) |
| 1.5 Unit | - 1 * 125 ml glass (12% alcohol by volume wine) - 1 * 125 ml glass (champagne) |
| 2 Units | - 300 ml (1/2 pint) special strong lager (7% alcohol
by volume) - 600 ml (1 pint) ordinary beer or lager or stout (3-4%) - typical home-pouted measure of spirit (50 ml) |
The number of units of alcohol in a drink can be determined
by multiplying the volume of the drink (in millilitres) by its
percentage Alcohol By Volume (ABV), and dividing by 1000.
Thus a pint (568ml) of beer at 4% ABV contains
(5680 * 4) / 1000 = 2.3 units
Regular but little consumption of alcohol would not pose
significant health risks. It is recommended by UK government
that safe limits for alcohol is between 3 and 4 units a day for
men and between 2 and 3 units a day for women. Consistently
drinking 4 or more units a day for men or 3 or more units a day
for is not advisable. The difference between genders is because
women generally have a smaller liver to process alcohol and
lesser alcohol-processing enzyme, Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH),
in their stomach. It is also due to the lower weight and
water-to-body-mass-ratio of women.