GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) - For many, it just
wouldn't be Saint Patrick's Day without a pint. In fact, 13 million pints of
Guinness and countless cups of green beer are chugged around the world every
March 17th. While we've heard all about the bad things beer can do to our
bodies, in moderation it could do some good too.
Eric is a Brew Master.
"It's like the best
job ever," Eric told Ivanhoe.
His concoctions can intoxicate and they could medicate.
"Well alcohol's been used as medication for forever and
ever," Dr. Sara Jo Nixon, Ph.D., Professor & Co-Vice Chair at the
University of Florida, told Ivanhoe.
Addiction Expert Sara Jo Nixon says, like red wine, drinking
beer can be good for your heart!
"That's something that the beer industry has not really
capitalized on," Dr. Nixon explained.
An Italian study of more than 200,000 people found those who
drank a pint a day, had a 31 percent decrease in heart disease risk. Beer can also raise HDL, the good cholesterol,
in your body.
A 2009 study found the high levels of silicon in beer can be
good for bones, but too many could mean more fractures.
"We also know that there's a line between too much alcohol
being bad for bones," explained Dr. Nixon.
Harvard studies found beer can prevent blood clots and
reduce the risk of stroke, and that a few beers a day lowered the risk of
diabetes in middle-aged men by 25 percent.
Research in Europe found moderate beer drinkers had 30
percent higher levels of the disease-fighting vitamin B6 compared to
non-drinkers.
"But, you can't substitute a beer for your multi-vitamin,"
explained Dr. Nixon.
Nixon says, moderation is key. It's recommended women have
no more than one drink a day and men, no more than two, because the organ
systems that benefit from a few beers.
"Are the same organ systems that are comprised when you
cross the line," Dr. Nixon told Ivanhoe.
A few more benefits of beer, a study in Finland reports that
men who drank a few bottles daily lowered their risk of kidney stones by 40
percent.
Also, researchers
have found marinating a steak in beer could reduce the risk of cancer. It wipes
out the majority of carcinogens that are produced when meat is fried in a pan.
Research Summary
BEER IN THE U.S.: Apple pie and burgers may come to mind when thinking about the
United States, but many Americans across the country also enjoy beer on fairly
regular basis. Beer was most likely one of the first alcoholic beverages brewed
by colonists in Jamestown and by the 1600s large amounts of beer were produced
using left over grains after the harvest. The love affair with beer came to
abrupt halt when the National Prohibition Law was passed in 1920 and all sale
of alcohol became illegal. The law was repealed in 1933 and since then the alcohol
industry has thrived. (Source: www.discus.org) Beer is the most consumed
alcoholic beverage in the United States with an average consumption nine times
that of wine and a whopping fourteen times that of spirits according to the
Beer Institute. In fact, it was estimated that the average American drank a
little over 20 gallons of the beer in 2010 alone. (Source:www.businessweek.com)
MOST
POPULAR BEERS: Having
a hard time deciding what beer to pick up at the liquor store? Here are some of
the most popular beers across the world:
- Snow Beer
– This Chinese beer tops the list with over 50 million barrels sold in
2011.
- Bud Light
– The light beer is the second most popular beer in the world and is
ranked first in popularity in the United States. The original Budweiser is
ranked number three in the world.
- Corona
Extra – Grupo Modelos' most popular beer until the company was bought in
2008 is the fourth most popular beer in the world with 30.4 million
barrels sold in 2011.
(Source: www.huffingtonppost.com)
PROBLEM
OF TOO MUCH: While
beer can have health benefits, drinking the beverage regularly may not be good
for everyone. A study by the National Cancer Institute concluded that
post-menopausal women who drank about one to two beers a day had a 30% to 60%
increase in their risk for breast cancer. Consuming alcoholic beverages on a
regular basis can also raise a younger woman's breast cancer risk, although by
a much lower percentage. So, for individuals already at an increased risk for
breast cancer, drinking very little or no alcohol at all may be better for
their overall health. (Source: www.abcnews.go.com) Beer should also be
consumed in moderation because too much could lead to an unpleasant hangover or
even worse, a DUI. Everyone should be responsible when drinking and less is
always more when it comes to alcohol.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Sara Jo Nixon, Ph.D.
Professor & Co-Vice Chair
Departments of Psychiatry & Psychology
sjnixon@ufl.edu
352-294-4900
