Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Maria Gonzalez

How to Calculate Standard Drinks

Formula

One US standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces (14g) of pure alcohol. This equals a 12-oz beer at 5%, a 5-oz wine at 12%, or a 1.5-oz spirit at 40%.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, making it nearly as calorie-dense as fat. A typical beer has 150 calories while a glass of wine has about 125.

Common use cases:

  • Tracking alcohol consumption
  • Calorie counting with drinks
  • Understanding drink equivalencies

Frequently Asked Questions

MG

Maria Gonzalez

Registered Dietitian, RD, MPH

Maria is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's in Public Health. She focuses on evidence-based nutrition assessment tools including BMI, calorie calculations, and body composition analysis.

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