How Much Alcohol Is Too Much Alcohol?

Posted on by Mischelle Sandowich

 

We are continuing our examination of alcohol in the Bible. So far we have proved that God not only approves of alcohol, but that He created it to be enjoyed and to bring health benefits to the body. We’ve also demonstrated that when we cross the safe limits and drink too much alcohol, all the benefits turn into dangers.

The Bible does instruct us to not be drunk with wine (which would mean drinking too much alcohol). But how do we know how much alcohol is too much alcohol?

First we will define our terms; then we will examine the question from the world’s standpoint; and then in a future post, we will consider the topic from the standpoint of Christian liberty.

How Much Is A Drink?

This may seem like a dull question; but it is relevant. What do we mean by “one drink”? A person may drink only one glass of wine a day, but if their glass holds 15 ounces of liquid, it is actually equivalent to 3 glasses of wine by industry standards. So for the purposes of clarity, we will share what we mean by one serving (glass or drink) of alcohol.

  • One glass of  wine contains five ounces of liquid (12% alcohol)
  • A single serving of beer consists of 12 ounces of liquid (5% alcohol)
  • And one glass of strong drink (not mixed) contains 1.5 ounces of liquid (40% alcohol)

And though it is hard to tell at first glance, one glass of wine, a single serving of beer, and one strong drink generally contain the same amount of alcohol. I say generally because there will be variances. For example some wine contains as little as 9% alcohol (or less), while other wines contain as much as 14% alcohol (or more), but 12% is the standard. And some mild beers contain as little as 3% alcohol and some stronger beers can contain as much alcohol as wine, but 5% is standard. Liquor also varies in alcohol content, but 40% is standard.

So generally a five ounce glass of wine, a 12 ounce glass of beer, and a mixed drink with one shot of hard liquor contains the same amount of alcohol — specifically 14 grams. So how many 14 gram servings of alcohol is considered safe?

Too Much Alcohol According to Sources

Organizations and countries differ in their opinion on “moderate” alcohol consumption.

Mayo Clinic suggests 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men is a moderate and healthy alcohol consumption.

WebMD claims that “you are at risk of drinking too much” alcohol  if you are “a woman who has more than 3 drinks at one time or more than 7 drinks a week” or “a man who has more than 4 drinks at one time or more than 14 drinks a week.”

Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports: “Moderation is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. This limit is based on differences between the sexes in both weight and metabolism.”

Drinks per Week (Varies by Country)

Drinks per day is not the only consideration when seeking to determine a safe amount of alcohol consumption. Number of drinks per week must also be taken into consideration according to the Center for Disease Control. For men, 15 drinks per week is outside of moderation and considered “heavy drinking.” For women, 8 or more drinks per week is considered “heavy drinking.”

Not all countries hold the same guidelines as the United States. The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking has posted drinking guidelines issued by various government agencies from around the world. Safe zones generally range from 1-2 drinks per day for females and 1-3 drinks per day for males. Some countries recommend abstinence from drinking up to three days per week to avoid risks associated with too much alcohol.

Are These Numbers Trustworthy?

There are some thoughts to consider when sorting through the above statistics: government agencies do make mistakes and they are not God (though some people treat them as such). For example, Dietary Guidelines for Americans also recommends that we should prefer oils low in saturated fat (like canola) over oils such as coconut which are high in saturated fat. This is bad health advice. They also recommend eating low-fat dairy and eliminating butter from the diet. Yet whole milk dairy is more natural than low-fat dairy. And this is all by God’s design. We will discuss these topics in greater detail in future articles.

It is just important to remember that we can not trust the civil government to make the guidelines for what is and is not healthy. We must look to God who knows all things. He is the creator of everything. What He has made is good — and not dependent upon the approval of civil magistrates. At the same time, we should not abandon their opinions altogether. God has ordained governments for the good of man. And when they are His ministers, they will seek to enact just and righteous laws that are in accordance with preserving life, upholding righteousness, and punishing evil.

And there is more evidence to consider.

Health Studies May Tell A Different Tale

It is interesting to note that a recent study shows that people designated “heavy drinkers” according to the CDC ‘s standard were found to have an increased life span over light drinkers and abstainers. Dr. Mercola (who advocates abstinence) reports: “surprisingly, the group with the lowest mortality rate was moderate drinkers, who had one to three alcoholic drinks per day, followed by heavy drinkers, and then light drinkers, while non-drinkers had the highest mortality rate of them all.”

The study was published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

There are many factors to consider when determining what is a safe amount of alcohol consumption. But the final authority is the Creator, who has instructed us to not be drunk with wine, nor to be addicted to much wine. Our next post will explore the definition of drunkenness and the role of Christian Liberty in alcohol consumption.

Next: Christian Liberty and Drunkenness

Return to: Biblical Health Study

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Reformed Health exists so you can take control of your own health and be all that God has designed you to be. The information shared on Reformed Health is the sole opinion of the author and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. None or our claims have been evaluated by the FDA or any other government organization. We are not medical doctors, nor do we have any medical doctors on staff. If you are having a health emergency, please call 911, contact your doctor, or visit a local emergency room. Always consult your doctor before engaging in any new exercise regime.

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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.


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© 2017 Mischelle Sandowich
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