Alcoholic drinks are ‘occasional foods’ according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Alcohol is high in energy (kilojoules). If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it in moderation.

It is recommended that healthy men and women drink no more than two standard drinks on any day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury. And no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion to reduce the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion.

One standard drink is 375 ml mid-strength beer, 100 ml wine or 30 ml spirits. If you drink more than this, consider reducing this amount. You might go about this by increasing the number of days in the week where you don’t drink alcohol, or alternating your alcoholic drinks with water.

Alcohol should not be given to children and is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.