Contrary to what you might expect, moderate beer consumption is actually good for you. Science has shown that beer can bring many surprising health benefits alongside the better-known perks of bringing out your best dance moves and your worst chat up lines.
Of course, we're talking moderate consumption (one drink per day for women, and up to two for men), not the type of all-night drinking sprees.
1.Anti-Cancer Properties
A flavonoid compound called Xanthohumol is found in the hops commonly used in brewing beer. It has been seen to play a major role in the chemoprevention of cancer, including prostate cancer. According to Bio-medicine, it is also a good source of polyphenols, due to the grains used for fermentation. Beer has been proven effective in fighting cancer, just like red wine.
2.Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
Beer contains vitamin B6, which protects against heart diseases by preventing the build-up of a compound called homocysteine. It has a thinning effect on the blood and prevents the formation of clots, which cause blocks in the coronary arteries. Moderate beer consumption also reduces the risk of inflammation, the root cause of atherosclerosis, which is cholesterol and plaque building up on the blood vessels and artery walls.
3. Moderate beer consumption is good for bone density
Beer could keep bones strong. Researchers at Tufts University found a positive link between beer or wine consumption and hip-bone density. Heavy drinking, however, led to bone loss, according to the same study, so be conservative.
4. Beer lowers the risk of kidney stones
Last year, a study suggested that the risk of developing kidney stones decreases with increasing beer consumption.
Finnish researchers, led by Dr. Tero Hirvonen of the National Public Health Institute of Helsinki, used their detailed study of 27,000 middle-aged men to conclude that "each bottle of beer consumed per day was estimated to reduce risk by 40 per cent".
The study authors noted that both the water and alcohol found in beer are shown to increase urine flow and dilute urine, thereby reducing the risk of stones forming. Alcohol may also "increase the excretion of calcium," the prime constituent of kidney stones, said Hirvonen.
5. Clears skin and helps hair growth
All the vitamins in beer are really good for acne reduction and increasing natural skin shine. Further, beer acts as a great hair growth stimulator. The contents of hops and malt in beer make hair more healthy and act as an exceptional ingredient for hair growth.
6. Acts as a Multivitamin
It gets hard to believe that an alcoholic drink can be a source of vitamins! Still, it doesn't get better than this. Apart from being rich in vitamin B (particularly homebrew), it is richest in Niacin which is also known as vitamin B3. Other than these, beer contains vitamins such as Choline, Flavonoids, Pantothenic Acid, other B vitamins and vitamin B6.
7. Protect Your Pancreas
Worried about developing type 2 diabetes? In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, beer can be one of the keys to avoiding insulin injections later in life. Researchers have found that moderate beer consumption can lower the risk of diabetes by about 30 percent.
8 . Beer for better digestion
Beer, and especially dark beer, contains up to one gram of soluble fibre* in each 30 cl glass - unlike wine, which doesn't contain any fibre at all. Fibre plays an important role in intestinal transit (a fibre deficiency can cause gastric and intestinal disorders such as constipation or diarrhoea).
9. Beer as a cure for insomnia
Lactoflavin and nicotinic acid, which are both present in beer, can promote sleep!
10. Improved Cognition
"In high amounts alcohol can cause brain damage, but in moderation it can actually sharpen the mind and even prevent dementia," says Caradas.
Results from the Nurses Health Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, which looked at the health of 11,000 older women showed that moderate drinkers (those who consumed about one drink a day) lowered their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent, compared to non-drinkers. In addition, older women who drank moderately were found to benefit the most from moderate drinking.
Convinced? Then let's go! Two beers for memory, two for better digestion, another for better bone density, one for your kidneys and the rest as a cold remedy. Normally this should guarantee good health, right? Of course, Doctor is joking. The idea is not to get drunk every night, but instead to enjoy a nice refreshing beer now and then, without any excess!
