1. Alcohol
Extension

2. Learning objectives To understand alcohol is a source of energy.
To understand measurements of alcohol.
To know the safe alcohol intake recommendations.
To understand that drinking too much alcohol may damage health.

3. What is alcohol?
Alcohol is not a nutrient because it is not essential for
the body.
Alcohol is a source of energy in the diet.
Each gram of pure alcohol provides 29kJ (7kcal) of
energy.

4. How is alcohol produced?
Alcohol is produced by a process called fermentation.
During fermentation microbes called yeasts grow by
feeding on the sugars (e.g. glucose).
As they grow, the yeasts produce alcohol and carbon
dioxide.
This equation shows what happens:
C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + ENERGY
Glucose Ethanol Carbon
dioxide

5. Alcoholic drinks The amount of alcohol in drinks varies from 0 - 50%.
Spirits such as whisky and vodka have a higher
alcohol content than wines or beers.
Fruits such as grapes and apples are used to make
alcohol drinks such as wine and cider.
Cereals such as barley and rye are used to make beer
and spirits. Spirits are made using a distillation process.

6. Alcohol content of drinks
Drink % alcohol
Spirits
Sherry
Wine
Strong larger, beer or cider 3-4
Low alcohol larger, beer or cider 1-1.5

7. One unit of alcohol A standard way of measuring the alcohol content in
drinks is in units of alcohol.
One unit contains 8 grams of pure alcohol (ethanol).
A single pub measure
of spirits.
25ml
~40% alcohol
A glass of sherry or fortified wine
50ml
~20% alcohol
A glass of table wine
100ml
~10% alcohol
¼ pint of strong larger, beer or cider 142ml
~9% alcohol
½ pint of regular larger, beer or cider 284 ml
~6% alcohol
2 pints of low alcohol beer or cider
568 ml
~2% alcohol

8. What happens to alcohol in the body?
Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and the small
intestine. This occurs more slowly if alcohol is drunk
with food. It is soluble in water and carried around the
body in the bloodstream.
Alcohol is removed from the blood by the liver over a
period of several hours. The rate at which this happens
depends on age, sex, body weight, liver size and how
much alcohol was consumed.

9. Sensible drinking The Department of Health has advised that those
people who drink should limit intake according to the
following guidelines.
Men – not more than 3 to 4 units per day.
Women – no more than 2 to 3 units per day.
After a large consumption of alcohol (binge drinking)
occurs in one session, it is recommended to leave 48
hours before consuming alcohol again. This allows the
body to break down all the alcohol consumed.

10. Possible damage to health
It is best, for pregnant women to avoid alcohol
completely as it can damage the unborn baby.
If they do drink, they should limit the amount to one
unit of alcohol a day, once or twice a week.
Heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal
alcohol syndrome.

11. How does alcohol affect the body?
As the level of alcohol in the bloodstream increases it
has an affect on a person’s behaviour.
Short term:
Reaction times are slower.
Increased risk taking.
Judgement becomes blurred.
Co-ordination is poor.
This is why it is dangerous to drink alcohol before
driving a car.
Long term:
Can lead to liver damage such as cirrhosis and liver
cancer and the vitamin B deficiency disease beri-beri.

12. Review of the learning objectives
To understand alcohol is a source of energy.
To understand measurements of alcohol.
To know the safe alcohol intake recommendations.
To understand that drinking too much alcohol may damage health.

13. For more information visit www.foodafactoflife.org.uk