BEER & YOUR HEALTH
Good news, and bad
When an advertising agency, S. H. Benson, conducted
market research during the 1920s to find out what people liked about a well known stout and people responded that they felt good when they drank the stout, the slogan "Guinness is Good for You" was born. It is still used in some countries (notably in Africa) that do not regulate advertising claims as zealously as the U.K. and North America. We could consider this stout a proxy for beer — what''s good in stout is good in other beers, and what''s not so good isn''t. That said, not all beers are alike. Some contain more calories, some more carbohydrates, etc. Meanwhile, the medical profession faces its own dilemma: Is it ethical to advocate drinking alcoholic drinks; Or is it ethical not to when the benefits are well established? With that in mind, we''ve tried to stick with the facts.
Points and Counterpoints: Beer contains no fat. Beer is low in sugar. Beer is a source of soluble fiber which is derived from the cell walls of malted barley. A liter of beer contains an average of 20% of the recommended daily intake of fiber and some beers can provide up to 60%. As well as aiding healthy bowel function, this 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. Beer itself has no cholesterol. One 12-ounce serving of "regular" (150 calories) beer per night adds more than 1,000 calories a week to a diet, and that works out to an extra 15 pounds per year. One light beer per night adds 10 pounds Moderate levels of consumption of beer have been shown to reduce stress and the chances of heart disease. Beer contains significant amounts of magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and is chock full of B vitamins.
Beer contains alchohol, and there are about 7 calories per gram of alcohol, compared to 4 calories for carbohydrates or protein. Fat has about 9 calories per gram. Alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to drop more rapidly. That can stimulate your appetite, and disrupt your ability to tell when you''ve had enough to eat. This can also create fatigue and your energy level will suffer. Because alcohol interferes with the body''s absorption of vitamins and minerals, it can lessen the body''s ability to burn stored fat. Calories from alcohol may go right to your stomach. Also, alcohol is detoxified by the liver. In the process of metabolizing excess quantities of alcohol, the liver swells and may itself become filled with fat. All these factors contribute to what is known as a "beer belly. A 5-foot-9, 160-pound, 30-year-old man must walk only about 40 minutes at 3 miles per hour (moderate pace) to burn 150 calories. Alcohol can impair your judgment, causing you to drink more than you should. To top it off, many people eat high-calorie, high-sodium snacks when they drink. Alcohol destroys Vitamin C and Vitamin B complex. Drinking beer that has not filtered out the Vitamin B (such as English "real ale," many microbrewed beers and homebrew) will help combat the effects of alcohol — most notably a hangover. Alcoholic drinks have more calories then we may think
Drinks are typically overlooked as a source of weight gain. This is actually true for beverages of any kind, not just alcohol. The reality though, is that drinks make up 20% of the calories you consume every day. In an age where the average daily diet has increased by as much as 300 calories per day, 50% of that increase is directly related to beverages.
And things can get tricky when it comes to alcohol.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition puts alcoholic drinks second only to “calorically sweetened beverages” (soft drinks) in terms of being the most fattening. However, unlike soft drinks, there is a bit of controversy over how much an alcoholic drink actually benefits your health -- such as wine. Still, everyone seems to agree that too much alcohol is a bad thing. The question then becomes: If you want an alcoholic drink and you''re watching your weight, which is the best way to go? Below, you will find comparisons of various beers, wines and liquors so you can better decide.
wine Wine is an interesting drink to examine here. In terms of health, popular belief about wine seems to be the polar opposite than that of beer. In fact, many studies suggest that a glass or two of wine each day is quite beneficial to our well-being. Of course, good for you and non-fattening are two different things.
Most places don’t require winemakers to reveal health information, so counting calories can be problematic. The bottles do, however, list their alcohol content and for the most part it’s safe to assume that the more alcohol a wine has, the more calories it will have.