Health Watch: Your Beverage May Have More Alcohol Than You Think

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Here's a little tip if you're planning on drinking at your 4th of July party - your drink, may be stronger than you think.

And depending on how it's made, you could be consuming more than you intended.

The National Institutes of Health says most people don't realize how much alcohol is actually in a drink.

So they've created a new online alcohol calculator to help.

A "standard drink" is the amount of alcohol in a 12-ounce beer, five ounces of wine or one and a half ounces of distilled spirits.

So, for example, a margarita isn't just a single drink, it's actually closer to 1.7 drinks.

A mojito or Pina Colada is 1.3 drinks.

And remember heat increases thirst but alcohol is a diuretic.

Doctors recommend drinking no more than one standard drink an hour.

To stay hydrated, alternate water or club soda with the alcoholic beverage.

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• Wine