What does drinking in moderation mean?

Everyone metabolizes alcohol differently. U.S. health officials define moderate drinking as one drink per day for women and two drinks for men.

The type of alcohol also matters. One drink could be one of the following:

• one 12-ounce (oz) bottle of beer that contains 4.5 percent alcohol
• one 12-oz wine cooler (4 percent to 6 percent alcohol)
• one 5-oz glass of wine (with 12.9 percent alcohol)
• 1.5 oz of 80-proof distilled liquor, such as whiskey, vodka or gin

However, depending on the alcohol content of the drink, the amount could be more or less.

This content originally appeared on HealthyWomen.org.