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article source: http://brookstonbeerbulletin.com/10-healthy-reasons-to-drink-beer/
10 Healthy Reasons To Drink Beer
by Jay Brooks on January 16, 2012 in Beers,Just For Fun,News,Top 10
I may not always see eye-to-eye with the Roman Catholic Church, but I'm with them all the way on this one. While many religious denominations forbid their followers from drinking alcohol and others preach against it, it's nice to see at least one take a more rational approach. Not only does Catholic Online tell everyone: "Have a beer. Really, go ahead and have one." They even go so far as to encourage you to spread the word to your fellow man (and woman): "Tell everyone we said it's okay to pop a cold one." Talk about a great beginning.
The article published today on the catholic website is entitled 10 healthy reasons to have a beer! and also carries this subtitle: "Beer outperforms wine as a healthy beverage in several categories." [original article below -- rfh] After detailing beer's long history and its changing perception today, they get to the meat of their thinking:
Several years ago, it became understood that wine had a surprising number of health benefits. Since then, beer drinkers have had to endure a litany of praises about how great wine was for health as opposed to beer. But now, it turns out that the wine drinkers needn't be so smug when comparing their beverage to beer.
Researchers from around the world have spent years studying one of our favorite beverages in detail, and there's some good news. The latest collection of studies from around the world reveals that if the beer is enjoyed in moderation, meaning one for women, and no more than two for men, per day, then it can yield a surprising number of health benefits.
Below is the list of their ten reasons to drink a beer, but check out the original story to read the background for each of these ten.
- Strong Bones
- Strong Heart
- Kidney Stone Prevention
- Dementia Prevention
- Reduced Cancer Risk
- Taking Your Vitamins
- Stroke Prevention
- Diabetes Prevention
- Blood Pressure
- Long Life
I've seen, read and even written about most, if not all, of these health benefits from drinking beer in moderation, but it's nice to see them all in one place. The article ends with this appropriate suggestion. "So the next time you decide to have a beer, you can enjoy it without the guilt." Amen to that.
10 healthy reasons to have a beer!
article source: http://www.catholic.org/health/story.php?id=44416
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Beer outperforms wine as a healthy beverage in several categories.
Have a beer. Really, go ahead and have one. Tell everyone we said it's okay to pop a cold one while you read the next 10 surprisingly beneficial facts about beer. -- All settled? Got your pint? Then let's begin!
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Beer is an ancient beverage, in fact it has been around since prehistoric times -- prior to the invention of writing and the foundation of the earliest civilizations. Beer is also the third most widely consumed beverage on the planet just behind water and tea.
In more recent times, beer has enjoyed a mixed reputation. Thanks to modern advertising campaigns, beer is often associated with family, friends, sporting events, and good times in general. However, beer is also associated with intoxication, alcoholism, weight gain, and overindulgence.
Several years ago, it became understood that wine had a surprising number of health benefits. Since then, beer drinkers have had to endure a litany of praises about how great wine was for health as opposed to beer. But now, it turns out that the wine drinkers needn't be so smug when comparing their beverage to beer.
Researchers from around the world have spent years studying one of our favorite beverages in detail, and there's some good news. The latest collection of studies from around the world reveals that if the beer is enjoyed in moderation, meaning one for women, and no more than two for men, per day, then it can yield a surprising number of health benefits.
Here's a list of 10 while you enjoy your pint.
1. Strong bones
Apparently, beer contains relatively high levels of silicon. A 2009 study performed at Tufts University revealed that older men and women who consumed one to two drinks daily had greater bone density with the greatest found in those people who preferred beer or wine. But there was one caveat, people who had more than two drinks per day were at a greater risk of fractures.
2. A strong heart
You have to have a strong heart to drink certain kinds of beer but the 2011 analysis of 16 previous studies including more than 200,000 people, found that 31 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease in people who drank a pint of beer daily. But those who drank more than a pint saw their risk increase.
3. Kidney stone prevention
Kidney stones are one of the more painful afflictions that a man can suffer but the good news is each daily bottle of beer that men drank lowered their risk of developing kidney stones by 40 percent. Exactly how this works is still unknown, but researchers suspect that beer's high water content keeps the kidneys flushed and prevents calcium from building up and forming stones.
4. Dementia prevention
A 2005 study which tracked 11,000 older women showed that moderate drinking reduced their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent. Additionally, women who drank a beer a day were about 18 months younger, according to tests which rated their mental ability.
5. Reduced cancer risk
A study done in Portugal showed that steak marinated in beer eliminated 70 percent of the carcinogens that are produced when the meat is fried in a pan. It's believed that the sugars and beer prevent the carcinogens from forming.
Both beer and wine are also known to contain high levels of antioxidants.
6. Taking your vitamins
A nutritional study performed in the Netherlands showed that beer drinkers had 30 percent higher levels of vitamin B6 in their blood than nondrinkers. As a bonus, the beer drinkers had twice as much vitamin B6 as wine drinkers. Take that, vino!
Beer is also known to contain vitamin B12 and folic acid.
7. Stroke prevention
The Harvard school of public health found that moderate amounts of alcohol consumption, which includes beer, helps to prevent blood clots. Blood clots cause strokes which can be debilitating and even fatal.
8. Diabetes prevention
Another Harvard study concluded in 2011 showed that 38,000 middle-aged men who raised their alcohol intake to two beers per day reduced their risk of developing type II diabetes by 25 percent. Alas, the benefits drop off if a third beer is consumed.
9. Blood pressure
One final Harvard study of 70,000 women ages 25 to 40 revealed that moderate beer drinkers are less likely to have high blood pressure. When those women were compared to women who drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, beer still did a better job of reducing the risk than the other beverages. Beer wins again!
10. Long life
A comprehensive 2005 review done by the USDA which examined the results of 50 different studies revealed that moderate drinkers live longer than heavy drinkers and nondrinkers. The USDA estimates that moderate drinking prevents 26,000 deaths a year due to lower rates of illness, particularly heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Ultimately, there is a wealth of evidence that suggests why consumption of alcohol, and in this case beer, has a number of beneficial health effects. So the next time you decide to have a beer, you can enjoy it without the guilt. But remember, all things in moderation. The benefits listed above are only good for the first two.
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.
In more recent times, beer has enjoyed a mixed reputation. Thanks to modern advertising campaigns, beer is often associated with family, friends, sporting events, and good times in general. However, beer is also associated with intoxication, alcoholism, weight gain, and overindulgence.
Several years ago, it became understood that wine had a surprising number of health benefits. Since then, beer drinkers have had to endure a litany of praises about how great wine was for health as opposed to beer. But now, it turns out that the wine drinkers needn't be so smug when comparing their beverage to beer.
Researchers from around the world have spent years studying one of our favorite beverages in detail, and there's some good news. The latest collection of studies from around the world reveals that if the beer is enjoyed in moderation, meaning one for women, and no more than two for men, per day, then it can yield a surprising number of health benefits.
Here's a list of 10 while you enjoy your pint.
1. Strong bones
Apparently, beer contains relatively high levels of silicon. A 2009 study performed at Tufts University revealed that older men and women who consumed one to two drinks daily had greater bone density with the greatest found in those people who preferred beer or wine. But there was one caveat, people who had more than two drinks per day were at a greater risk of fractures.
2. A strong heart
You have to have a strong heart to drink certain kinds of beer but the 2011 analysis of 16 previous studies including more than 200,000 people, found that 31 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease in people who drank a pint of beer daily. But those who drank more than a pint saw their risk increase.
3. Kidney stone prevention
Kidney stones are one of the more painful afflictions that a man can suffer but the good news is each daily bottle of beer that men drank lowered their risk of developing kidney stones by 40 percent. Exactly how this works is still unknown, but researchers suspect that beer's high water content keeps the kidneys flushed and prevents calcium from building up and forming stones.
4. Dementia prevention
A 2005 study which tracked 11,000 older women showed that moderate drinking reduced their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent. Additionally, women who drank a beer a day were about 18 months younger, according to tests which rated their mental ability.
5. Reduced cancer risk
A study done in Portugal showed that steak marinated in beer eliminated 70 percent of the carcinogens that are produced when the meat is fried in a pan. It's believed that the sugars and beer prevent the carcinogens from forming.
Both beer and wine are also known to contain high levels of antioxidants.
6. Taking your vitamins
A nutritional study performed in the Netherlands showed that beer drinkers had 30 percent higher levels of vitamin B6 in their blood than nondrinkers. As a bonus, the beer drinkers had twice as much vitamin B6 as wine drinkers. Take that, vino!
Beer is also known to contain vitamin B12 and folic acid.
7. Stroke prevention
The Harvard school of public health found that moderate amounts of alcohol consumption, which includes beer, helps to prevent blood clots. Blood clots cause strokes which can be debilitating and even fatal.
8. Diabetes prevention
Another Harvard study concluded in 2011 showed that 38,000 middle-aged men who raised their alcohol intake to two beers per day reduced their risk of developing type II diabetes by 25 percent. Alas, the benefits drop off if a third beer is consumed.
9. Blood pressure
One final Harvard study of 70,000 women ages 25 to 40 revealed that moderate beer drinkers are less likely to have high blood pressure. When those women were compared to women who drink wine or other alcoholic beverages, beer still did a better job of reducing the risk than the other beverages. Beer wins again!
10. Long life
A comprehensive 2005 review done by the USDA which examined the results of 50 different studies revealed that moderate drinkers live longer than heavy drinkers and nondrinkers. The USDA estimates that moderate drinking prevents 26,000 deaths a year due to lower rates of illness, particularly heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Ultimately, there is a wealth of evidence that suggests why consumption of alcohol, and in this case beer, has a number of beneficial health effects. So the next time you decide to have a beer, you can enjoy it without the guilt. But remember, all things in moderation. The benefits listed above are only good for the first two.
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.
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