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How much alcohol adds up over a week?

A glass with dinner sounds harmless, but the week adds up. We turn beer, wine and spirits into units and calories and show where you sit against the low-risk anchor.

0.5 L glasses/week
150 ml glasses/week
40 ml shots/week
6.9 units/wk · 386 kcal

≈ 6.9 units a week — within the low-risk anchor (up to 14). That is ≈ 386 kcal a week of liquid calories. Keep 2–3 drink-free days in a row and do not save it all for one night — the pattern matters more than the total.

Source: UK Chief Medical Officers' guideline — up to 14 units a week, spread out, with drink-free days. 1 unit = 8 g ethanol ≈ 56 kcal. Units per serving are averaged over typical strength; lower is always better.

How to use the result

How it works

We convert typical servings of beer, wine and spirits into UK units, each containing 8 g of pure alcohol.

How to read the result

The 14-unit weekly anchor means lower, not zero, risk. Less is safer, and the whole amount should not be saved for one occasion.

Limitations

Actual strength and serving size vary widely. Avoid alcohol in pregnancy, driving, with certain medicines and conditions.

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How much alcohol adds up over a week? · Health Contour