Is Beer Good for You?

Filling up my AleHorn tonight, I went through all of the familiar emotions associated with a Friday night after-work beer – I caught a whiff of the hops, my shoulders relaxed, and I began the transition into weekend mode. The LAST thing we think about when we crack one open is how healthy it is – but really, is beer good for you?

Besides the creativity and confidence boost we all know comes from having even just one beer, it turns out beer has a ton of other health benefits.

More Than Just Liquid Courage

People who have a beer a day have better vision, less kidney stones, lower blood pressure, and are less likely to develop diabetes. A post workout beer can rehydrate you even better than water. Beer drinkers have stronger bones and better immune systems. Don’t go crazy though – all of these findings were based on moderate beer drinking, ya lush.

So what’s the best kind of beer to drink?

If you were hoping I was going to say “Guiness,” today’s your lucky day! Lagers and stouts can both increase your body’s antioxidant activity, which makes it one of the ones that help keep your vision clear.  A study also found that Guiness can help reduce blood clots and lower your chance of having a heart attack. It even has less calories and carbs than most other non “light” beers! Who knew?

Other beers with health benefits include Rolling Rock, which has a high flavor to calorie ratio, Abita Purple Haze, which is brewed from nutrient rich rasberry puree, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which tastes 50 times hoppier than an average beer but is also packed with antioxidants.

So, what’s in your horn tonight?