By now, you may have already known that wine is good for you. In fact, according to a recent American Heart Association study, more than 75 percent of the respondents believe that wine is heart-healthy. But it also got you thinking, what about beer?
Beer lovers, rejoice! Apart from spurring some of your stellar moments, or even potentially helping you meet your future partner, there are actually a number of scientifically proven reasons to love a good brew. Made typically from water, grain, hops, and yeast, beer's alcohol content ranges from less than 3% to 40% depending on the beer style and recipe. In moderation, beer, just like wine, spirits, or other alcohol, has health benefits. Read on!
1. It slashes risk for heart disease - Sure, wine may be widely known as a heart-friendly beverage, but did you know that beer may just be as healthy? Researchers from Italy found out that moderate beer drinkers had 42 percent lesser risk of cardiovascular disease compared to non-drinkers. To put it in perspective, moderate alcohol consumption is one 12 oz. beer a day for women and two for men.
2. Think like Albert Einstein - Well, not really. But did you ever wonder why you feel (and sometimes, act) so smart after knocking back a beer? No, it does not kill weak brain cells as your friends would have you believe. However, it could boost your creativity, a study in the journal Consciousness and Cognition suggests. In that study, 40 men were watching a movie while completing verbal puzzles. The guys with a blood alcohol content of .075 finished the problems a few seconds faster than their sober pals.
3. It may help reduce kidney stones - In a published research, men who drank beer (in comparison to other alcoholic beverages) had a significantly lower risk of kidney stones. This is possibly due to diuretic effect combined with beer's high water content. Additionally, researchers say that compounds in hops may also slow the release of calcium from bone, preventing it to be absorbed by your kidneys as painful stones. For the same reason, moderate beer consumption is also linked to higher bone densities in women.
4. Hold off infections - According to an Oregon Health & Science University study, having one or two drinks a day may boost your immune system and help you fight infections. Scientists vaccinated monkeys against smallpox, then gave some of them alcohol while others, sugar water. The chimps who drank moderate amounts of has better vaccine responses compared to the ones who had the sweet drinks.