Does beer REALLY have health benefits?
You’re supposed to STAY AWAY from it…
It’s not GOOD for your health…
It’s just another VICE that does nothing for your health…
And sure, indulging in multiple BEERS each and every night isn’t going to do your body any favors…
But what if I told you that cracking open a cold one everyone now and then has a surprising health benefit?
Impossible, right? Well, check out this research…
A Chinese study found that drinking beer could help you LOWER your risk of developing heart disease!
Researchers looked at 80,000 healthy adults and found that the decline in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is commonly referred to as your “good” cholesterol, was actually slowed by a moderate intake of alcohol.
In fact, the research team determined that HDL levels decreased the slowest among those who drank MODERATE amounts of beer!
And keeping your cholesterol levels under control will help LOWER your risk of heart disease.
But how much beer SHOULD you be drinking when it comes to optimal heart health?
First of all, I can’t emphasize enough that we’re talking about light to moderate amounts of this beverage. In fact, light consumption of alcohol has been linked to many health benefits.
For instance, in addition to raising your “good” cholesterol, moderate alcohol consumption may:
- Reduce symptoms of type 2 diabetes…
- Decrease blood pressure…
- And, help reduce stress and anxiety.
It’s also important to remember what qualifies as a “standard drink” as serving sizes tend to differ… even amongst beer.
Generally speaking, a serving size of beer is 12 fl oz, or one can or standard bottle.
And believe it or not, drinking dark beer is best for your heart. In fact, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin, dark beer is rich in flavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant effects that are great for your heart.
So, the next time you feel like indulging or cracking open an ice-cold beer, don’t feel guilty! But remember, everything in MODERATION.
To the occasional beer,
Sarah Reagan
Sources:
Study Finds. “Cheers! A beer a day could help keep heart disease away.” https://studyfinds.org/beer-day-heart-disease/
