Drinking alcohol increases the risk of some cancers - of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and liver and breast cancer.

To reduce the risk of cancer, we recommend that alcohol consumption should be limited or avoided.

    For men, no more than two standard drinks a day

    For women, no more than one standard drink per day

What's a standard drink?

    285 ml of normal strength beer

    450 ml of low alcohol (light) beer

    100 ml of wine (one bottle has around 7 standard drinks)

    30 ml of spirits

How can I drink less?

    switch to light beer 
    alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks

    order half nips of spirits

    use water to quench thirst and sip alcoholic drinks slowly

    wait until your wine glass is empty before topping it up, so you can keep count of your drinks

    enjoy wine spritzers (wine and soda or mineral water)

    have a few alcohol free days during the week especially if you are a regular drinker

    eat while drinking - it can slow your drinking and fill you up

    avoid salty snacks which make you thirsty so you drink more

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to drink with meals or between meals?
Some research shows that drinking in between meals is more risky than drinking at meal times. We don't know if this is because people drink less overall when they eat, or whether food dilutes the harmful effects of alcohol.

Try to avoid these harmful drinking patterns:

    heavy drinking with little food intake   
    heavy/excessive drinking on the weekend and at parties.

What about smoking and drinking?
The combined effect of smoking and drinking significantly increases cancer risk, especially cancers of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus and digestive tract. The combined harmful effects of smoking and alcohol are much greater than either of these alone.

But isn't alcohol good for my heart?
The risks and benefits of alcohol vary for different diseases. A small regular amount of alcohol, such as a glass of red wine, may protect against heart disease. But stay within the recommended limits if you choose to drink. Other things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease - not smoking, healthy eating and regular physical activity - also reduce cancer risk.

Is alcohol fattening?
Alcohol contains a lot of kilojoules (or calories) so it can easily help you gain weight. Being overweight is also a risk factor for some cancers.

Can I drink more on social occasions?
Drinking large amounts of alcohol at once is not recommended. It is better to drink small amounts regularly.

Non-alcoholic drink recipes

Raspberry Frappe
300 g frozen raspberries
500 ml soda water or diet lemonade
1 cup ice

Pulse all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Serve in wine or cocktail glasses. Serves 4

Punch
1.25 L mineral water
1.25 L diet ginger ale
500 ml fruit juice
375 g crushed pineapple
1 punnet of strawberries, cut into quarters
pulp of 1 passionfruit
1 handful of mint leaves

Mix all ingredients together in punch bowl. Add ice to chill. Serves 20