The great thing about St. Patrick’s day is the whole slew of beer-related articles that come out. Forbes has come in on the act with this article written by Allison Van Dusen about the 8 Healthy Reasons to Drink Beer. And here I thought flavor was just enough.
So far, wine has gotten the lion’s share of attention when it comes to the health benefits of alcohol consumption. While there have been many studies done to show a correlation between moderate consumption of alcohol and a reduction in one’s chances for heart disease, a huge part of wine’s supposed health benefits is mainly built upon the French Paradox, which basically says that despite a diet rich in fatty foods, French people suffer from lower cardiovascular disease because they drink a lot of wine. In addition, resveratrol, a chemical produced by grape skins to reduce fungal infection, has been shown to have cardioprotective properties. Wine is also a decent source of antioxidants. In spite of all this, beer deserves a place next to wine and not behind it.
“Wine is still on moral high ground,” says Charlie Bamforth, chair and professor of the department of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, “but beer deserves just the same acclamation.”
As you’ll probably deduce from reading the Allison Van Dusen piece and accompanying in-depth article, alcohol is the primary reason cardiovascular disease is lowered by moderate consumption of beer (and all alcoholic beverages for that matter). Knowing this, it’s still not a good idea to go out and do keg stands or do tequila shots by the dozen. As good as alcohol can be for the heart, it’s positive effects are greatly hamstrung by the detrimental effects on the brain and liver.
As I said in my previous post, it’s all about responsible and moderate consumption. Too much of anything, even a good thing, can be bad for you. That being said, here’s the list of the 8 Healthy Reasons for to Drink Beer:
- Heart Health—A vast number of studies show that moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, may reduce the risk of heart disease—consistently the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. A 2006 study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health found that, among men with healthy lifestyles, those who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol had a 40 to 60% reduced risk of heart attack compared with heart healthy men who abstained.
- Stroke—Beyond helping you get heart healthy, moderate drinking also may help prevent the formation of blood clots that can block arteries in the heart, neck and brain, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Those blockages are a cause of the most common kind of stroke, ischemic stroke.
- Hypertension—Hypertension, which affects about 65 million people in the United States, is linked with an increased risk in heart disease and death. But a 2007 study by Dutch researchers and researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found a link between hypertensive men drinking moderate amounts of alcohol and a lower risk of fatal and non-fatal heart attacks.
- Diabetes—Studies have shown that people with diabetes who drink moderately may be able to reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, their biggest killer. Research also indicates that a light drinking habit may help protect men and women from developing Type 2 diabetes. This may be a result of increased insulin sensitivity or anti-inflammatory effects.
- Cognitive Function—Is beer good for your brain? Research suggests the answer is yes. A 2006 report published in a journal of the American Heart Association showed that moderate drinking may be associated with better cognitive function in women. Likewise, a 2003 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association said that adults over 65 who consume between one and six alcoholic beverages each week have a lower risk of dementia than non-drinkers and heavier drinkers.
- Bones—Studies have shown that beer may play a role in preventing bone loss and rebuilding bone mass in men and young women—post menopausal women have not been seen to benefit. The effect is believed to be tied to the beverage’s high silicon content. Excessive drinking, however, can lead to a greater number of bone fractures.
- Staying Alive—A review of 50 studies has shown there’s an inverse association between moderate drinking and total mortality under all scenarios for middle-aged and older adults, according to a 2005 report from the United States Department of Agriculture. The lowest risk of death appears to occur when people consume one to two drinks per day, likely a result of the protective effects against coronary heart disease and stroke.
- Feeling Healthier—People who drink beer, spirits or wine tend to report fewer instances of ill health than those who abstain, according to a 2001 study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The higher the consumption of total alcohol, researchers found, the lower the levels of subjective poor health.
You can find the original article here and the in-depth article here.
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