What’s In That Drink?
by Lisa Frederiksen
When I read that someone dies in America every 31 minutes in an alcohol-related vehicle crash (1), I was stunned. But then, when I thought about it, most of us don’t really know that different amounts of wine, beer and “distilled spirits” (gin, vodka, whiskey) all have the same level of alcohol. This means that they are all considered “a” drink. Here’s how the U.S. Department of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services define “a” drink:
- 12 ounces of beer, or
- 5 ounces of wine, or
- 1.5 ounces (1 shot) of 80-proof distilled spirits (gin, vodka, whiskey).
The reason for the differing amounts is alcohol content. The alcohol content in a 5 oz. glass of wine, for example, is the same as that in a 12-ounce beer. So how does this tie into the opening remarks?
The common drinks that adults serve and/or consume at bars, social events and restaurants often contain more than one drink:
- a margarita = 3-4 drinks
- a martini = 2-3 drinks
- a scotch on the rocks can be as much as 3 drinks (depending on the pour)
- a standard bottle of wine = 5 drinks.
(Additionally, the “proof” of the distilled spirit makes a difference. For example a shot of rum that is 151 proof is the equivalent of two drinks. Other variations occur with who’s pouring and the size of the glass – one restaurant’s “glass” of wine can vary considerably from another’s.)
So what does all of this mean? It means we often don’t know that when we have “a” drink and share a bottle of wine at dinner, we’ve actually had 4-5 drinks before we climb in the car and head on home — simply because we didn’t understand what’s in that drink. One way to get a sense of what a drink looks like is to actually measure similar amounts of water and pour in various glasses at home.
Your comments are welcomed. A question that I’d love your feedback on is whether you think drinks should be labeled the way foods are now labeled? But, instead of grams of fat, protein, fiber, carbohydrates, trans fats, etc., drinks would be labeled with the drink equivalent [for example, 1 Long Island Ice Tea = approximately 3 drinks]. At least when we’re ordering we’d understand what’s in that drink, which might help with our decision to drive or call a cab, instead.
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(1) Source: NHTSA 2006 / National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
