Feel guilty about drinking a beer or two? Don’t feel guilty. 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 even though it’s usually perceived as unhealthy.
REDUCES RISK OF HEART DISEASES
They contain a high level of antioxidants; compounds which mop up harmful chemicals thought to cause heart attacks.
Scientists have already proved that wine can reduce the risk of heart disease by thinning the blood and preventing dangerous clots.
Some Professors in Honolulu, carried out their experiments on hamsters.They gave the hamsters the equivalent of two beers a day and monitored the build-up of cholesterol in their arteries. The rate in some of the hamsters was cut by half.
LOWERS RISK OF DIABETES
A study presented suggests beer can cut the risk of cataracts, especially in diabetics.The study found that a moderate intake of beer or ale, combined with exercise and a Mediterranean diet containing fish, fruit and vegetables and olive oil can help combat diabetes, as it contains vitamins, folic acid, iron and calcium and provides similar benefits that drinking wine offers.
PREVENTS ALZHEIMER
Those who believe everything that tastes good is bad for you, take heart: elements in beer, it turns out, may protect against the harmful effects of aluminum on the brain, according to a new study.Researchers from the University of Alcala in Madrid, Spain, in a report published in the January, 2008 issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology, pointed out that aluminum is neurotoxic, and has been implicated as a causal factor in Alzheimer’s disease. But beer contains silicon, a substance that affects the bio availability of aluminum.
PREVENTS KIDNEY STONES
Moderate beer drinking can help foster a healthier kidney because of the diuretic effects of alcohol. Ever notice how you always end up running to the bathroom every time you have a few beers? Alcohol stimulates the kidneys to work harder to excrete the by-products of alcohol metabolism and this allows you to urinate more frequently. In fact, urinating is actually a natural way for the kidneys and bladder to cleanse themselves; thus, urinating because of drinking a couple of beers stirs up the bladder, prevents the coalescence of mineral crystals, and actually excrete those minerals while they are still at their smallest. The result: reduced risk towards beer and kidney stones.
MINIMIZES RISK OF CANCER
Beer contains an important antioxidant called xanthohumol, which is believed to have powerful anti-cancer properties. Naturally, it is also true that only moderate beer consumption helps prevent a certain chemical reaction that can lead to prostate cancer in men, and breast cancer in women.
REDUCES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
A study currently being conducted at the University of Western Ontario has concluded that a couple of beers may produce the same effects as wine in lowering cholesterol levels. Thirty minutes upon drinking the beer, researchers noted a decrease in the level of oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL), a type of cholesterol that has been linked to causing atherosclerosis. The researchers suspect that the barley that is used to make the beer may have something to do with lowering of the LDL levels. . Barley contains polyphenols, which have been linked to lowering cholesterol levels in other foods.
MANAGES BLOOD PRESSURE
You may also be interested to know that beer can help manage blood pressure. That’s according to a Harvard study that found that women aged 25 to 40 who drank beer moderately were significantly less likely to develop high blood pressure compared to women who drank wine or other alcoholic beverages.
STRENGTHENS BONES
Folate, found in beer, is a nutrient that can help protect against cancer and is known to prevent birth defects. Beer is also rich in B-vitamins. Perhaps the most promising health benefit associated with beer consumption is its positive effect on your bones. Some types of beer contain a generous amount of a nutrient called silicon, which helps strengthen your bones and can increase bone-mineral density and therefore reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis.
TREATS DANDRUFF
Beer is high in Vitamin B and yeast and is one of the best natural dandruff treatments. If you rinse your hair nightly with a bottle of beer (or use some and drink the rest), not only will the dandruff be gone but your hair will have amazing shine. Just be sure to use this at night as the scent of beer may linger for a while.