7 Health Benefits of Drinking a Beer

That’s right fellow beer drinkers, after some extensive research we have discovered that sipping on a brew actually has some pretty awesome health benefits. Sadly, we are fairly certain that these surprising health benefits apply to drinking just ONE beer a day, not 12. What we can say with absolute certainty though is next time you crack a cold one; you can legitimately cheers to your health!

1. Beer is good for the heart — A beer a day can help relieve stress and anxiety- two contributing factors of heart disease. The Mayo Clinic reports that moderate alcohol consumption reduces risk of dying of a heart attack and possibly reduces risk of strokes. Now if only we could master the concept of moderation.

2. Beer has B vitamins — According to the USDA, B vitamins come from the yeast in beer. Beer contains significant amounts of magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and is chock full of B vitamins (B6, B12 and folate). In fact, in 1929 doctors used to recommend drinking a beer a day to pregnant women because of B vitamins ability to prevent birth defects. So drinking a brew is kind of like taking a multi-vitamin, right??

3. Beer strengthens the bones — Along with whole grains, cereals, and some vegetables (green beans among them), beer provides silicon, which is known to improve bone matrix quality. But of course, there is a down side; researchers at Tufts University give evidence that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (wine as well as beer) is related to greater bone density in men and women over 60 — However, they also found that bone mineral density was significantly lower in men who drank more than two servings of liquor per day.

4. Beer has antioxidants, just like wine — A study from the Oregon State University found that the hops, used in most beers to provide flavoring, contain substances known as prenylated flavonoids. They are a better source of antioxidants than red wine, green tea and soy products.

5. Beer helps prevent kidney stones — Studies in Finland and Italy both found that beer has more kidney benefits than any other alcohol. One bottle of beer daily lowered the risk of kidney stones by 40% ... which is good because we hear scary things about passing kidney stones.

6. Beer has fiber — According to research done by the minds at Men’s Fitness magazine; Beer, especially dark beer, pours up about a gram of soluble fiber in each 12-ounce bottle. As well as aiding healthy bowel function, beer has a further benefit by slowing down the digestion and absorption of food and reducing cholesterol levels, which may help to reduce the risk of heart disease. So throw out your Bran Flakes immediately and have a beer instead! Okay, probably don’t do that.

7. Beer is 90% water, and can actually be hydrating post workout — Researchers at Granada University in Spain have found that beer can help the body rehydrate better after a workout than water or Gatorade! So it could be argued you’re actually doing your body a service by having that post workout beer. Just don’t drink a beer during your workout, that would be awkward and you would probably just spill it everywhere and fall off the treadmill.

And as always, drink responsibly!