Americans love beer, in fact during Halloween it is the number one most consumed alcoholic beverage, followed by tequila and vodka. But, did you know that drinking beer actually has more benefits than just livening up the party? It may be time to pull your vintage Budweiser shirt out of the closet, and start to celebrate what beer can do for you.
The Benefits of Drinking Beer
- Heart Health. Research conducted in Italy has found a link between beer and a lower risk of heart disease. To reap the maximum amount of benefit keep your consumption to a pint a day.
- Boot Creativity. While knocking back a cold one won’t make you smarter, it can help boost your creativity. In a controlled test, 40 men were instructed to complete a series of puzzles, and it was found that the testers with a blood alcohol level of around .075 were able to solve the problems quicker than sober subjects.
- Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Research has found that beer can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes; however, the effect was noted to be more pronounced in women than men. So ladies, throw on your vintage Budweiser shirt and crack open a cold one with the girls.
- Help Prevent Kidney Stones. Perhaps it’s because of the increased fluid intake that leads to more frequent bathroom breaks, but Finnish researchers discovered that for each bottle of beer a person drinks their risk of developing kidney stones decreased by up to 40%. The hops in the brew may be responsible, as they help slow calcium release, thus preventing it from being taken in by the kidneys and developing into hardened stones. Either way, if you’re prone to kidney stones, have a beer in moderation may help alleviate your pain.
- After Workout Hydration. In a study out of Spain researched had subjects workout for an hour and then rehydrate with either beer or water. The results found that those who had the after work out cold one were more hydrated than the group who used plain water. This can serve as an great workout motivator. Take a jog to your local pub, while sporting that vintage Budweiser shirt of course, and rehydrate down there with a well earned cold one!
- Protect Your Eyes. Another study this time out of Canada, found that a beer a day can keep cataracts at bay. Beer can increase antioxidant activity, which can help prevent cataracts from developing. Everything in moderation; however, as the study found the effects were actually reversed in subjects that had over 3 beers a day.
- Prevent Heart Attack. In a study preformed by Harvard men who have high blood pressure issues, may be able to lower their risk of heart attack by drinking a moderate amount of beer. Of course, speak to your doctor first with this one, in case the alcohol has the risk of negative effects with high blood pressure medications.
- Stronger Bones. The Natural Medicine Journel published a study that reports a beer or two a day can help strength the density of your bones. In women specifically, age, body weight, and menopause associated with notable decrease in bone density, were found to have a notable increase in bone density after a moderate intake of beer was introduced. Just another reason ladies, to throw on your old vintage Budweiser shirt and go have a girls night out.
Americans love beer, but beer can love us back with a plethora of benefits. This gives us good reason to break out the beer funnels, beer hats, and blue ribbon board shorts to show our favorite brand pride. These are just a few of the benefits that can come from having a couple of cold ones. Just remember, all good things in moderation.