Which component defines a standard drink in Australia?

• A. A standard drink is defined by the taste of the beverage.
• B. A standard drink contains a fixed volume for all beverages.
• C. A standard drink contains 10 grams of ethanol; about 285 mL of mid-strength beer, 100 mL of wine, or 30 mL of spirits.
• D. A standard drink is based on calories per serving.

Answer: (C)

Standard drinks are defined by the amount of ethanol they contain, not by taste, fixed volumes for all beverages, or calories. In Australia, a standard drink contains 10 grams of ethanol, which roughly equals 285 mL of mid-strength beer, 100 mL of wine, or 30 mL of spirits. This standard helps people compare different beverages and monitor their alcohol intake. The other ideas—defining a standard drink by taste, by a single fixed volume for all drinks, or by calories per serving—don’t fit because the actual alcohol content varies between drinks, so volume would not reliably indicate how much ethanol is present, and calories don’t reflect alcohol amount.