Health Benefits of Beer

For years we have heard about wine taking up all the credits for being the healthy alcohol but a new study revealed that wine may not be the only one. Beer too has emerged as a healthy alcoholic drink to opt for. This new study suggested some unexpected health benefits of beer.

While you can now drink your beer and lose the guilt, you should remember the rule of moderation as binge drinking still has its ill effects.

Strengthens bones
Drinking may be known to weaken the bones but a study suggested that drinking two beers a day can actually increase bone density. This bone health was linked to the high levels of silicon present in beer. However the same study also suggested that drinking more than two beers a day was linked to increased risk for fractures.

Heart health
A number of studies have stated the benefits of beer on heart health. One such study reported that a beer or two a day helps raise HDL levels which is also known as the good cholesterol that keeps the arteries from getting clogged.

Healthy kidneys
Another study also suggested that beer helps reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. It was found the as compared to other alcoholic drinks, beer lowered the risk of developing kidney stones by 40 per cent.  This was possible due to its high water content and diuretic effect.

Rich in B vitamins
Beer is also a good source of B vitamins like folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and vitamins B6 and B12. Vitamin B6 and V12 are known to keep the heart healthy by lowering homocysteine levels that can damage arteries and cause blood clots.

Good source of fibre
Beer is made from barley and contains beta-glucans which is a type of soluble fibre. This is known to improve heart health and lover cholesterol levels.  It can also supress your appetite as it lowers the rate at which food leaves your stomach thus preventing you from overeating. Just make sure you don’t overdo the beer.