Alcohol

There's absolutely no reason why you can't have an occasional drink while following a healthy diet. Just remember that alcoholic drinks are low on nourishment and high in calories. And because alcohol is an appetite stimulant, it can lead to overindulging in the wrong sorts of foods (e.g. crisps, nut, cheese nibbles ot even kebab and chips)!

Alcohol and your health

If you choose to drink alcohol, try and keep within the recommended limits - the daily maximum is three units for women and four units for men. These guidelines apply whether you drink every day or just occasionally. Drinking more than the sensible limits can be harmful to your heart and can increase the risks of other diseases.

The following amounts count as 1 unit (or portion) of alcohol:

Beers

Assuming 5% alcohol by volume. Strong ale and premium lager are half as strong again)

• 1 small 300ml (1/2 pint) bitter, beer, lager, cider, or just 1/3 pint strong ale or premium lager.

Wine

• 1 very small glass of red or white wine, 100ml (4 fl oz)
• Note - that a large pub measure of wine, at 250ml, provides 2 ½ units of alcohol).

Spirits

• 1 pub measure of gin, vodka, whisky, rum or brandy etc 25ml (1 fl oz).

Fortified wine

• 1 small glass of sherry / port etc 50ml (2 fl oz).

Tips for cutting down

If you want to try to cut down on the amount of alcohol you are drinking, here are some tips:

• Always try to eat before you start drinking - eat before you go out for the evening or have a meal while you are out.
   
• Have some non-alcoholic or low-alcoholic drinks through the evening
   
• Think about the strength of your drink - choose beers or lagers that have a lower alcohol content
   
• Avoid salty snacks such as crisps and nuts because these make you thirstier (as well as being high in fat and salt)