Moderate beer consumption may actually benefit the body. According to Nancy Tringali Piho, a spokeswoman for the National Beer Wholesalers Association, the research of beer's heart healthy effects stem from the rise in popularity in craft breweries. When reviewing the raw ingredient list, it's easy to see why beer may have the upper hand against wine. Beer's grains (barley and wheat), water, and yeast are packed with vitamins that survive fermentation. On the other hand, wine's sugars, fiber, and vitamins do not have quite the same luck. Beer in controlled amounts can boost your levels of good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL). An increase in HDL typically leads to better protection of your heart, according to Dietician Andrea Giancoli. Miraculously, the protection may lead to a 31% reduced risk for cadiovascular disease, per a study by the Italian Fondazione Ricerca e Cura (based on aggregate of studies totaling 200,000+ participants). The jury is out whether or not alcohol itself brings out the best in your body. From what I have read, it looks like there is still some fine tuning to be done with these studies.Define "moderate beer consumption?" According to researchers, about a pint (average bottle size) per day will do a body good. It is unfortunate that some peeps cannot simply enjoy a brew or two without looking like a mess the next day. Concentrating a week's worth of the daily pint into, let's say, the weekend, will certainly increase the risk of drinking, due to the metabolic processes following drinking alcohol. And moreover, everyone will see it on your face (the dreaded, "You look tired" comment). What is worse, prolonged irresponsible drinking may lead to the deterioration of the liver, to obesity, and to alcohol dependence. Sobriety, sadly, is kicked to the wayside. Also, beer is not medicine, it meant to be enjoyed...with care. Slainte!
(Image provided by nutritiondata.self.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment