Beer is
good for your health in 12 ways, according to several studies – from aiding digestion
to boosting memory. Yes, beer – in moderation – can boost your memory.
Georgian Today
(October 9-15, 2015) provides 12 reasons to drink beer. Beer keeps kidneys
healthy. A Finnish study found that beer, more than other alcoholic beverages,
reduced the risk of developing kidney stones by 40%. Beer aids digestion. Beer,
especially dark beer, contains fibre (about 1 gram per glass), and fibre is
good for the intestines as it reduces constipation and diarrhoea. Wine, for
example, contains no fibre. Beer lowers ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. The fibre in
beer helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
Beer can
increase vitamin B levels. Beer contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, and B12. A Dutch
study found that beer drinkers had 30% higher levels of vitamin B6 than
non-beer drinkers, and twice as much as wine drinkers. B12 has an anti-anaemic
factor, which increases blood iron levels. Beer reduces blood clots.
Beer
keeps bones healthy. A 2009 study found that the high levels of silicon in beer
contributes to higher bone density. Beer reduces the risk of heart attack. Beer
drinkers have 40-60% reduced risk of suffering a heart attack compared with
non-beer drinkers.
Beer
boosts memory. Beer drinkers are therefore less likely to suffer from
Alzheimer’s and dementia than non-beer drinkers. Beer combats stress.
Researchers at Montreal University in Canada found that two (small) glasses of
beer a day can reduce work-related stress. Beer aids insomnia. Lactoflavin and
nicotinic acid in beer promotes sleep.
Beer
aids recovery from colds. Drinking warm beer can help cure colds. When barley
is warmed it improves blood circulation and aids breathing when congested with
a cold. Beer helps to reduce pains in the joints. Beer improves the immune
system helping to keep minor ailments at bay, especially when warm and mixed
with four teaspoons of honey.
And
lastly, beer beautifies the skin. Vitamins in beer help to regenerate skin and
reduce pigmentation. Beer helps skin become smoother and suppler.
Over-consumption
of beer does not have extra benefits – it negates the benefits. For example,
excessive beer drinking can lead to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and
esophagus, stroke, heart failure, heart muscle damage, pancreatitis, liver
disease, brain damage, and high blood pressure, as well as depression,
lethargy, frequent urination, disorientation, broken sleep, sexual
difficulties, nausea, and inebriation.
The
evidence whether beer, in moderation, is healthy or not, is still contentious
because the term ‘in moderation’ is often confusing, and not everyone has the
same benefits even if they consume the same amount. Factors such as gender,
age, existing health conditions, amount of activity, and family history of
illnesses and diseases can all have an impact on the advantages or
disadvantages of consuming beer.
Countries
have different advice about the recommended intake of beer and other alcoholic
beverages. However, in most countries, one drink is defined as a 12-ounce
bottle of beer, which is 355 millilitres (compared with 5-ounce glass of wine,
which is 148 millilitres and 1.5 ounces of spirits, which is 44 millilitres). Recommended
intakes are not cumulative – for example, if a person doesn’t consume alcohol
for six days, the seventh day is still the daily recommended intake (not 7
times the recommended daily intake).
Hence
the recommended amount of beer for women of all ages is one drink per day. The
recommended amount of beer for men aged 20-65 years is up to 2 drinks per day,
and for men over 65 years of age it is one drink per day.
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