Advantages And Disadvantages of Beer

Studies suggest that after water and tea, beer is the world’s third most popular alcoholic drink. As per the Ebla tablets dated back to 2500 BCE In Mesopotamia, the major occupation of women at that time was brewing beer. It is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks widely popular till date in most parts of the world.

According to ancient Greek physician Paracelsus, little bit of beer can provide wonderful health benefits. There are several advantages of beer like it is a great source of fibre and minerals and provides numerous heart healthy effects too.

But anything beyond moderate consumption can have negative consequences and even this yeasty drink which is thought to be nutritious can destroy vitamin C levels in the body if consumed in excess. There are also some interesting alcohol facts that you should be aware of.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of beer that will help you reap the benefits of this drink and make you aware of the harm it can cause if consumed in large quantities:

Advantages of Beer

1. Rich Source of Fibre & Vitamin

The yeast in beer loads it with vitamin B and studies reveal that it is the unfiltered beer that has huge amounts of vitamin B3, B6 and B9 (folic acid). Since B3 helps in repairing cell damage, B6 eases PMS and B9 helps in preventing colon cancer, beer is one drink that can be consumed in limited quantities on regular basis to prevent a host of lifestyle disorders.

Beer also contains fibre, which acts as natural laxative and slows the rate at which food leaves the digestive tract, which means it helps you feel full for long time. This way you don’t feel hungry soon and you can keep your weight in check.

2. Helps In Preventing Diabetes

According to a study in Harvard, middle aged men who consumed 2 drinks of beer per day were at 25 percent lesser risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. This is owing to the increase in insulin activity caused by the alcohol content in beer that helps in preventing diabetes.

3. Maintains Optimum Kidney Health

Unlike most alcoholic drinks, beer actually helps in regulating the working of the kidneys and keeps them healthy. A Finnish study found that beer is one alcoholic beverage that turned out to be better for kidneys than other beverages. In fact, regular consumption of beer in moderate quantities can reduce the risk of kidney stones by 40 percent.

4. Aids In Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a very painful disease which basically leads to inflammation of joints at a very early age. Some of its early symptoms include swelling, redness and soreness of joints. But you can deal with it by having beer in moderate amounts on regular basis. However, beer alone would not treat this condition. Along with beer, one has to make serious changes in their diet plan and include exercise in their routine to keep the symptoms under control.

5. Lowers Risk of Heart Diseases

One of the best advantages of beer is that it contains cardio-protective agents and many studies have revealed that moderate intake of beer can reduce the incidence of coronary heart diseases.

Beer comprises of vitamin B6 which helps in preventing the alcohol induced surge in blood homocysteine that increases the risk of heart diseases. You can even consider consuming dark beers which consists of large amount of antioxidants.

6. Beer Is A Natural Drink

Beer is an all natural drink and it does not need preservatives as it is naturally loaded with preservatives like alcohol and hops. Beer gets processed just like bread as it is first fermented, cooked and packaged after going through simple filtration process.

7. Great For Hair & Skin Health

Even if you don’t want to consume beer, still you can reap the amazing advantages of beer by using it to enhance your beauty. Beer is loaded with several beauty benefits and many people across the globe use beer for getting strong, long and shiny hair.

It acts as natural hair conditioner and makes your hair soft and protects it from damage. Many skin care products too, make use of beer as it is loaded with antioxidants that protect the skin from early signs of ageing.

8. Lowers Cholesterol Levels

High level of bad cholesterol like LDL (Low Density Lipids) is the major reason for the blockage caused in arteries that can lead to heart attacks. Studies suggest that regular and moderate consumption of this yeasty beverage can help in reducing bad cholesterol, not only in arteries but also in liver.

The bitter contents in beer helps in boosting the good cholesterol called HDL (High Density Lipids), which work to clean the bloodstream of the bad cholesterol.

Recommended: 10 Best Light Beers

Disadvantages of Beer

1. Alters Blood Sugar Levels

Regular intake of beer in large amounts can lead to its interference with the body’s blood sugar levels. The liver transforms the glycogen in beer into glucose, which then gets released into the blood stream. This process gets interrupted by the alcohol content in beer. This can increase hunger pangs and you may feel like eating more.

2. Leads To Weight Gain

Various studies have proved that alcohol intake can lead to weight gain. This is proven by regular consumers of beer who sport that ‘beer belly’ or a substantial paunch. Since beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage all over the world, it is this yeasty drink that leads to increase in pounds more than any other drink.

3. Next Day Sickness

Those people who intake beer in large amounts may have to suffer from next day illness. The symptoms of such sickness include headache with cotton mouth, dizziness, blurry vision, etc. Consuming beer in such high amounts on regular basis can have retrogressive effects on the lifestyle.

4. Damages The Liver

People who are addicted to beer and regularly consume beer in high amounts are highly susceptible to suffer from liver disorders.

5. Beer Is Not For Gluten Sensitive People

Among other ingredients, beer contains barley, which consists of a protein called gluten. Some people are allergic to foodstuffs containing gluten and consumption of such foods or drinks can cause celiac disease.

This is a kind of disorder in which the gluten in the body stimulates the body’s immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine. In case you are intolerant to gluten, you can avoid beer made from barley as gluten-free beers are easily available in the markets.

6. Increases Chances of Heartburn

Beer comprises of powerful stimulants of gastric acid which leads to gastroesophageal reflux. Indigestion, nausea and heartburn are highly common among beer drinkers.

7. Causes Impairment

Studies suggest that even low intake of beer can adversely affect attention and motor skills. In fact, surveys have found that most car accidents across the world are contributed due to driving while being under influence of alcohol. Even if you consume less beer, you may find it difficult to walk straight, take the stairs or even sit upright.

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