Beer Benefits
If you are fond of beer and drink it moderately, it’s time to rejoice, because there are many more benefits to beer than you could have imagined. It’s indeed the kind of news that will make you want to rub your eyes in disbelief because it’s hard to consider beer as being something that is good for your health.
However, this is true, because researchers are constantly coming across various connections between beer and good health. Here’s a look at some of the benefits that will have you reaching for your glass of chilled lager or ale and not regretting doing so at all. Do note that this does not mean you can guzzle beer all the time in the hopes of attaining good health, because, after all, too much of anything is never good for you.
- Prevents vascular and coronary problems – Researchers have discovered that drinking a beer or two a day can drastically reduce your chances of strokes, vascular disease, and heart disease. The decreased risk of coronary disease is evident in moderate to light drinkers as compared to heavy drinkers or those who don’t drink at all. Homocysteine in the blood is a possible heart disease risk factor that arises because of alcohol, but with beer, this problem is sorted out because of the vitamin B6 that is present in it.
- Increases amount of HDL – HDL or good cholesterol is really important for the body, and it has been found that beer increases the levels of HDL in the bloodstream. There is ample evidence that suggests beer can help set the ratio of HDL to LDL in the correct proportion. Beer is also known to reduce the occurrence of internal blood clots.
- Vitamin B6 – Beer is a good source of vitamin B6 and as mentioned before, this prevents the accumulation of homocysteine, an amino acid that can cause heart and vascular disease. It has been noted that people who drank wine and other forms of alcohol had a high build up of homocysteine in their bodies as compared to those who drank beer. Beer drinkers were found to have an increased amount of vitamin B6 in their blood plasma, which only goes to show that drinking moderate amounts of beer is better than drinking other types of alcohol.
- Increases antioxidants – We all know how important antioxidants are for us to fight the free radicals that cause aging. Research has shown that beer can increase the levels of antioxidants in the body and thus improve the oxygen flow through the cells. When this is accomplished, it’s naturally something really good for the body.
- Dark vs light – You may have your preferences when it comes to beer, but dark beer is better than light beer because the former contains more flavonoids or natural antioxidants that keep diseases at bay.
- Minerals – It might surprise you to know that apart from Vitamin B6, beer also contains vitamins B and B2 and other essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, which are important for a healthy body.
- Fat free – Beer is fat free, which means that it will not add unnecessary calories. However, you have to remember that all this counts only if beer is consumed in moderation because once you go overboard, you can be sure that you will have an unsightly beer belly too. Beer is also known to help in promoting sleep and inducing relaxation in the body.
- Helping post-menopausal women – Adding beer to your diet is a good idea if you have just reached the menopausal stage. This is because some beers contain flavonoids that actually contain estrogen. With the help of this, HRT can be achieved naturally as opposed to taking pills to achieve the same.
- Positive side effects on elderly – Research has shown that consuming moderate amounts of beer has a positive effect on older people. They are able to sleep better, pass urine with ease, and have better blood vessel dilation.
- Kidney stones – Researchers have found that drinking beer regularly can prevent the formation of kidney stones. The reason for this is still hard to ascertain, but nevertheless, it seems to work for some reason.
- Radiation protection – Radiation exposure can cause a lot of harm to the body, but in recent times, Japanese researchers have found that drinking beer can reduce the damage to the chromosomes that occurs during radiation.
If you want to enjoy the benefits of beer, you can also use it in cooking your food as it will impart its own unique flavor while providing you with all the goodness. Substitute it for water in soups and broths, use it in batter for frying fish, marinade meats in it, or simply use it as a cooking base.
Despite all these benefits, beer is still alcohol, and it comes with all the alcohol related problems as well, so there can be impairment of driving skills, the characteristic beer belly which can cause numerous health problems, and other problems such as heartburn and increased blood pressure.
References
http://www.essortment.com/health-benefits-beer-48427.html
http://healthmad.com/health/10-health-benefits-of-drinking-beer/
