Not that many years ago, our limited perception of the true meaning of nutrition would have had put us in a very difficult position when it comes to learning about the positive benefits of beer. Consider; just a few years back, every knows what people thought about the effects of beer. It was an alcoholic beverage, often abused by many. Accordingly, the only real health effect that it offered was liver disease, alcoholism and an ever growing beer gut.
However, if one were to fast forward to today, with our better understanding of nutrition and of the many ingredients that go into a healthy body, science has helped spawn a legitimate list of positive benefits of beer. Indeed, though the many negative benefits of beer still exist when one overindulges, it has been found that moderate beer drinkers can expect tangible health benefits when limiting their beer consumption to one or two pints a day.
Here are some of the more notable positive benefits of beer that you can look forward to in your next drink:
• Beer is rich in calcium and silicon which are minerals essential for healthy bones. These can be traced to malt which is a key ingredient in beer brewing. Silicon and calcium are both active minerals that are directly synthesized by the body towards improving bone density. Beer is particularly useful in situations where adults who no longer drink milk or consume dairy products experience bone problems due to reduced intake of calcium, magnesium and silicon. It may sound ironic but in these cases, beer is indeed a welcome substitute for milk as a rich source of bone-enriching calcium and silicon minerals.
• The alcohol in beer carries many health benefits, particularly when taken in moderation. Alcohol is a natural dilatory which means that it naturally promotes dilation of the blood vessels. You may already know that as one ages, blood vessels tend to contract resulting in high blood pressure and increase risk for heart ailments. Regularly drinking a pint or two of beer stimulates the blood vessels to dilate and reduce blood pressure. This consequently lowers the risk for many fatal heart ailments which are very common in today’s fast food world.
• Regular bathroom breaks are actually good for your kidneys. A seldom-used bladder is the perfect recipe for kidney stones as well as a slew of other kidney-related conditions. Beer is also a natural diuretic which means those regular trips to the toilet actually help empty your bladder and prevent the formation of stones and other kidney problems.
• Increased vitamin intake. Thanks to the grain-rich ingredients of beer, the drink itself contains modest levels of various vitamins that can help complement one’s daily diet. For example, malt and hops contain high levels of Vitamin B-complexes which are then transferred to beer. More exotic brews made from different ingredients may even boast higher levels of vitamins which means it certainly doesn’t hurt to try a new brew every now and then.
Is Beer Healthy 