If you love beer, you may be in store for some good news regarding the apparent health benefits of one of the world’s most beloved beverages.
While red wine has long been popular as an alcoholic beverage with health benefits, it seems that beer may be equally beneficial.
Several encouraging health studies suggest that beer has just as many health benefits as wine. And it seems that the type of beer makes little difference be it an ale, lager, or wheat beer.
How Much Beer?
As with wine, women who drink one glass and men who drink up to two glasses can benefit from drinking beer.
Studies show that light to moderate drinkers (people who drink a beer a week or a beer a day) have an equal chance to experience beer’s health benefits.
Health Benefits Of Drinking Beer
In the U.S., strokes are the 3rd leading cause of death. An important health benefit of beer is that it can reduce the risk for this fatal occurrence. Similarly it may even help prevent heart and vascular disease. The polyphenols contained in wine are also present in beer and polyphenols can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, it was reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that light to moderate beer drinkers decreased their chances of stroke by 20%.
Beer contains the ability to decrease the formation of blood clots which can lead to stroke or heart attack not to mention other serious health issues. The alcohol in beer is also said to increase the amount of good cholesterol in the blood. So, this fat-free beverage is also cholesterol-free.
Of course, there are other more well-known benefits of beer. For instance, it can help people to sleep and even reduce stress. Coming home from a rough day at work to have a cold one has been a long-time stress-reducer among all types of workers. Among the elderly, beer is often recommended to promote good urination and to help combat insomnia.
Furthermore, whether your beer of choice is fermented with barley or wheat, you will find that these components offer additional health benefits in the added vitamin content. So, while it might seem surprising to view beer as a health drink, it appears to be quite true. Even the ancients, like the Egyptians, knew that beer offered people benefits; and finally now, there is scientific proof!
Of course, the studies all insist that moderation is the key factor as too much consumption of beer can actually lead to health risks. Drinking excessive amounts of beer can lead to high blood pressure and liver disease, just to name a few of the problems. As long as beer is enjoyed according to the guidelines already mentioned, the health benefits apply. So, whether you enjoy a frothy mug or prefer to use it in your cooking, you can rest easy knowing you are doing something good for both body and mind.
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