10 healthy reasons to have a beer!

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.

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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.

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