Convert drinks to UK units, US standard drinks, and Australian standard drinks. Calculates alcohol grams, calories, estimated BAC, and weekly risk assessment.
The Alcohol Units Calculator converts your drinks into standardized measurements used worldwide — UK units (8g alcohol), US standard drinks (14g), and Australian standard drinks (10g) — helping you understand exactly how much alcohol you're consuming and how it relates to health guidelines.
Understanding alcohol consumption is challenging because serving sizes, strengths, and measurement systems vary enormously between countries and establishment types. A "glass of wine" in a restaurant may contain 250 ml at 14% ABV (3.5 UK units), while at home it might be 125 ml at 11% (1.4 units). This calculator removes the guesswork by computing precise alcohol content from the actual volume and ABV of each drink.
The calculator also provides calorie counts (alcohol contains 7 calories per gram — nearly as calorie-dense as fat), projects weekly consumption from your current pattern, estimates peak BAC using the Widmark formula, and compares your intake against international guidelines from the UK CMO, NIAAA, NHMRC, and WHO. Multiple drinks can be added to analyze an entire session, day, or week.
Most people significantly underestimate their alcohol consumption. By entering actual volumes and ABV, this calculator provides an honest assessment of intake, making it easier to compare against health guidelines and make informed decisions. Keep these notes focused on your operational context. Tie the context to the calculator’s intended domain. Use this clarification to avoid ambiguous interpretation.
UK Units = (Volume in ml × ABV%) / 1000 Pure Alcohol (grams) = Volume (ml) × (ABV / 100) × 0.789 g/ml US Standard Drinks = grams / 14 AU Standard Drinks = grams / 10 Calories = grams × 7 BAC (Widmark) = grams / (body weight kg × 1000 × r) × 100, where r = 0.68 (male) or 0.55 (female)
Result: 6.8 UK units, 4.9 US drinks, 6.7 AU drinks, 53.7g alcohol, 376 calories
Three pints of 5% lager contain 85.2 ml of pure alcohol (67.2 grams). This is 6.8 UK units — nearly half of the recommended weekly maximum of 14 units in a single session.
The world uses three main alcohol measurement systems: UK units (1 unit = 8g), US standard drinks (1 drink = 14g), and Australian/New Zealand standard drinks (1 drink = 10g). This creates confusion when reading international health guidelines. For example, the US low-risk limit of "2 drinks per day for men" equals 28g or 3.5 UK units — which already exceeds the UK recommended daily equivalent of 2 units.
Evidence shows that alcohol increases the risk of 7 types of cancer including breast, liver, colon, and esophageal cancer. Risk increases linearly with consumption — there is no "safe threshold." At 14 UK units per week, the lifetime risk of dying from an alcohol-related condition is approximately 1%, comparable to other widely accepted risks in daily life.
Evidence-based strategies include: keeping a drink diary (this calculator helps), alternating alcoholic drinks with water, using smaller glasses, choosing lower-ABV options, having at least 3 drink-free days per week, and avoiding "rounds" which pressure you to keep pace with others.
One UK unit equals 10 ml (8 grams) of pure alcohol. A standard pub measure of spirits (25 ml at 40% ABV) is exactly 1 unit. A pint of 5% beer is about 2.8 units.
A US standard drink contains 14 grams (0.6 oz) of pure alcohol, nearly twice a UK unit. Examples: 12 oz beer at 5%, 5 oz wine at 12%, or 1.5 oz spirits at 40%.
Pure alcohol provides 7 calories per gram — almost as much as fat (9 cal/g). A pint of 5% beer has about 180 alcohol calories, plus additional calories from carbohydrates.
No. The Widmark formula provides a rough approximation but doesn't account for food intake, hydration, metabolism rate, medications, or drinking speed. Never use any calculator to decide if you're safe to drive.
UK guidelines recommend no more than 14 units per week (spread over 3+ days). The US recommends ≤2 drinks/day for men and ≤1 for women. The WHO states there is no safe level of alcohol.
Women generally have lower body water content and less alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme in the stomach, resulting in higher blood alcohol concentrations from the same amount of alcohol. Use this as a practical reminder before finalizing the result.