Units and calories in cider

Get the facts about cider and what you can do to cut back on the amount you drink.

What are the daily unit guidelines for cider?
Check the strength of your cider
How to reduce the amount of cider you are drinking
Common cider brands in the UK

What are the daily unit guidelines for cider?

The government advises that people should not regularly drink more than the daily unit guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol for men (a pint and half of Magners) and 2-3 units of alcohol for women (a pint of Strongbow). ‘Regularly’ means drinking every day or most days of the week.

One 500ml can of strong (7.5%) cider puts a man almost at the daily guidelines. Just one can of strong cider puts a woman well over the guidelines.

If you regularly drink over these guidelines, you could be increasing your chances of developing long-term health conditions. Find out more about the effects of alcohol.

Check the strength of your cider

Checking a cider's ABV (alcohol by volume) will give you a guide to how strong it us. The ABV tells you what percentage of the drink is made up of alcohol. For example, a cider with 7.5% ABV is 7.5% pure alcohol. The higher the percentage, the more alcohol is present.

Things you can do right now to reduce the amount of cider you are drinking

To stay on track, try these top tips:

1. Opt out of rounds Drinking in rounds means that you’re keeping up with the fastest drinker, so you could be consuming your units faster than you’d like. Regain control, and maybe even save some cash, by buying your own drinks instead.

2. Look at the ABV The ABV, which you'll usually find on the pump at the pub or on the side of the can or bottle, is your at-a-glance guide to a cider's strength. Brands with higher ABVs have more alcohol, and more units.

3. Ask for iceThe faster you drink, the quicker you reach your limits. Ordering ice with your bottled cider fills the glass so you don't have to pour as much into it to fill it to the top. This will encourage you to space out your drinks a bit more.

4. Keep a drink diary If you choose to drink, recording exactly what you've drunk during the week will give you a great idea of whether you're within the guidelines. MyDrinkaware, our web-based drink tracking tool, is perfect for this.

5. Tackle your triggers If you always have a drink to celebrate a good day at work, or commiserate a bad result at the football, try doing something else instead. An alcohol-free dinner out is a feel-good treat, while a gym session or five-a-side match is a great way to relieve stress.

Discover some more practical ways to cut back on cider with our tips on cutting down.