How bad is a glass of wine per night?

As you have family members with alcoholism you’re are great risk of becoming an alcoholic.

If you read my post above, you are reminding me even more strongly of the alcoholic in my life. Quibbling about what a “glass” is to minimise the amount you are drinking. You could define a glass as 500ml - it still wouldn’t make it any less alcohol than it is.

A 250ml glass is really too big. Standard size glass is now 175ml, even if 125ml is now considered a bit small. Even if you’re going a bit over 175ml, I’d expect a bottle to last four nights not two or three.

I used to regularly drink up to the amount you’re talking about, OP, and you know perfectly well really that on that amount you’re kidding yourself saying it’s just a glass a night. It’s slightly too much. Perimenopause kicked in for me and now I can barely tolerate more than a small glass these days. I think one actual glass of wine a night is not a problem (though you may also want to schedule in a couple of nights off entirely).

But 250ml+ every night is getting on for not good. That’s not within the recommended 14 units a week for women. In reality, at the wine percentages these days, a standard size 175ml glass these days is more like 2 units, so 175ml a night is already 14 units a week. 250ml+ is more like 3-4 units, which is getting on for double the recommended limit.

Let’s put it this way - your body doesn’t bother to use up energy from food when it’s processing alcohol so any fat or carb you eat while drinking the wine is sent straight to body fat storage.

There’s also the fact you’ve slipped into drinking everyday… what’s to stop it becoming two glasses a day?

And, of course, daily drinking increases damage to your very DNA. Alcohol damages the body's cells by creating a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde, which can damage DNA and prevent cells from repairing themselves. It can lead to chronic inflammation, disrupt cell communication, cause hormonal changes that increase the risk of cancer, and damage various cells like brain neurons and blood cells, contributing to organ damage and disease.

You’re asking on here which shows that you’re concerned but then you’re minimising how many unit you’re you are drink and how bad this is. This part is concerning.

A more accurate way to work it out is that a bottle of wine is 750 ml. If it's 12% (i.e. 12 units in 1 litre), 750 ml is 9 units. The size of a glass can vary enormously. Some guides say a glass of wine is one unit, but a standard large glass -250ml - would be 3 units.

Its not habitual, thats acoholism.

It’s absolutely fine because it’s middle class nice wine drinking by a woman and not a homeless man drinking cider in a park.

*that’s the prevailing view. I don’t agree with it. Alcohol is a toxin, implicated in cancer and other diseases. Give your liver a rest for some days a month I guess.

I’ve swapped wine for 0% alcohol Tanquery gin with tonic, ice and lemon slice. It’s a very good replacement and I honestly don’t miss the wine

You’re not just having a glass of wine a night though are you. Half a bottle is way more than one glass. Of you’ve got big glasses it doesn’t change the quantity of wined it’s still a large amount every day. I personally don’t see the harm in one glass most nights, as long as it is actually one glass amount, and you have a couple of nights off, but 2 glasses up to half a bottle is most nights is too much.

And yet…

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281

For the OP, one glass a night is clearly better than 2 or 3, but I’m not sure I’d enjoy that little and often approach…I’d rather have a couple of glasses with a meal a few times a week, and skip it the other 4 nights. A bit like intermittent fasting, but for alcohol ;)

OP it's a slippery slope as you know. Have a week or two off, put the money you save into a fund for something nice (new dress, app subscription).

It's not the glass of wine you are having per se, it's all the other wine you are already drinking without acknowledging it, and all that other wine again you will end up drinking as a matter first of habit then of need if you keep going and don't give yourself a break from it.

Lmao

One of the features of my father’s alcoholism is that he refers to any amount of wine as a “glass of wine” even if it ends up being 2-3 glasses. He also pours enormous glasses full to the brim. So 2 glasses is easily 2/3 of a bottle but he still says he has “a glass of wine”. It’s part of the self deception.

if you’re drinking 2.5 bottles a week that’s a rate of 268ml a night. Thats well over twice a standard pour. If the wine is 14% that’s 3.75 units in one of your “glasses”.

i don’t know you or anything about how you drink but the way you minimise the amount reminds me vividly of the alcoholic in my life. I think you need to at least be uneuphemistic about the amount and stop hiding behind “a glass”. “I drink (eg) 3-4 units a night, every night” is more accurate. I also think that if you’re asking yourself “is this too much/a problem?” then that in itself is a sign.

I’m surprised you’re even feeling satisfied with one glass if you’re drinking one every day

No level is safe.

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

I quit drinking wine (which I used to enjoy) because it always brings on menopausal hot flushes these days. I just can’t cope with it like I did plus I can’t afford the calories. I have started having a glass of water with ice and lemon or lime with dinner and whilst cooking when I used to have wine and have surprised myself that I don’t miss it. I don’t put it in a wine glass but I do use the nice posh cut glass tumblers. Recently I had a few glasses of red wine when a friend came over and I felt really crap the next day. I think I am only going to drink on special occasions now (and I never would have thought I would say that)

It’s not ideal. Try and break the habit a bit. Even a couple of nights off a week to begin with.

I got in to the habit of drinking every night. So I just stopped. It was habit and now I don’t miss it. I will drink at Christmas though! There’s really no amount that’s good, and you are drinking more than you should. Could start by the no drinking Monday to Thursday rule.
I also agree with putting a soft drink in a wine glass - I use a pomegranate cordial with soda water - really refreshing.

Yes, i occasionally buy a bottle of wine and it easily lasts me a week. Honestly, fill your wine glass with water and then put the water in a measuring jug and you might be surprised how much your wine glass holds. It must be a lot.

Watch “Binge Drinking and Me” on iPlayer. It is eye opening.

It’s quite a lot because a standard glass is 125ml and there are 6 glasses in a bottle. So 2.5 bottle is actually equivalent to 15 measured glasses- you are consuming a lot but no judgement because I did this!!

yes as standard measure of wine is tiny and no one would pour that at home but it’s how units are measures so careful not to delude yourself into thinking 1 glass is 1 unit when it may be 3 or 4

Aim for three consecutive alcohol free nights per week to give the liver a rest.