Switch to low and alcohol-free

Low and alcohol-free drinks are substitutes for standard alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, cider, or spirits like gin. They are marketed and promoted as a replacement for these standard drinks, so aim to recreate their taste, look and feel – they often have similar looking adverts, cans or bottles.

The main difference between alcoholic, low alcohol and alcohol-free beer is the amount of alcohol they contain:

• Most ‘alcohol-free’ beer contains 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV), or less
• Low alcohol beer contains 1.2% ABV, or less
• The average strength of conventional beers is 4.4% ABV

Choosing a low alcohol drink can improve your health and be an effective way to cut your overall alcohol consumption. 

In the UK, government guidance says drinks labelled as ‘low alcohol’ can contain up to 1.2% alcohol by volume (ABV). So, one 500ml can of 1.2% ABV low alcohol beer contains 0.6 units of alcohol (that's just over half a unit).

Substituting low alcohol products for standard alcoholic drinks only works if you don’t add low alcohol products to any alcohol you usually drink, otherwise you’ll be drinking more alcohol in total - not less. It’s also important to remember that low alcohol drinks are often still high in sugar – so they aren’t automatically a ‘healthy’ or low-calorie choice.

These days, there are more alcohol-free drinks to choose from than ever before. And we’re not talking about soft drinks like lemonade, fruit juice or water.

Government guidance in England says that alcohol-free drinks may contain up to 0.05% ABV (alcohol by volume).³ So, a 500ml can of a 0.05% ABV drink would contain 0.025ml of alcohol - one fortieth (1/40) of a unit of alcohol.

Because they have less alcohol in them, switching from full-strength to alcohol-free can be a good way to cut your units - but only if you aren’t adding them on top of any alcohol you usually drink.

Alcohol makes you sweat more, because it interferes with your body’s ability to control its own temperature. Combined with the fact that alcohol makes you pee more, you can lose more fluid than you take in and become dehydrated unless you replace that lost fluid by drinking extra water. 

Having an alcohol-free or low alcohol drink is a good alternative to alcoholic drinks without feeling like you’re missing out - and you’ll be less likely to get dehydrated during hot weather. Why not try alcohol-free versions of your favourite drinks?

While going for a swim may seem like a good idea to cool off on a hot day, don’t try to swim if you’ve been drinking any alcohol. Drinking alcohol impairs your judgement, balance and coordination - seriously affecting your ability to get yourself out of trouble and making swimming very difficult.

A good alternative, if you fancy a mixed drink, is to go for a non-alcoholic mocktail instead. Many bars and restaurants now sell a range of ‘virgin’ or alcohol-free options. We have some summery mocktail recipes that can get you started.