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Now, more than ever, we're drinking socially, and not just on a Saturday night out; we're reaching for that Pinot or Pomtini to liven up book clubs and our kids' afternoon play dates. Meanwhile, study after study tells us drinking may protect against illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, making that nightly glass of wine feel like a good-for-you habit.

While experts agree that moderate drinking may have benefits, they also note that women have to be especially careful about how much they consume. Alcohol goes wherever there's water in your body-your tissues, your organs, your bloodstream. Generally, the more you weigh, the more water you contain, and the more quickly and/or easily alcohol is diluted in your system, meaning men (who tend to be bigger) will feel its effects less than women.

Women also have a higher fat-to-water ratio than men do. So a 150-pound man holds more water than a 150-pound woman; after one drink, the woman will have a higher concentration of booze in her blood.

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