Summer is the season of draft beer and grass beer. We can easily see crowded beer bars at the end of the working day. However, is drinking beer every day really good for your health?
Typically a 335ml can of beer contains:
- 153 calories
- 2g protein
- 0g fat, sugar and fiber
- 13g Carbohydrate
- 14g alcohol
- 2mg Niacin
- 36mg Choline
- 21mg Folate
- 21mg Magnesium
- 50mg Phosphorus
- 2mcg Selen
-
What happens when you drink beer every day?
Moderate beer intake is good for health equivalent to one 330ml can with 5% alcohol content per day for women and two similar cans for men.
1. Health benefits of beer
- Good for heart health
Based on the ingredients used to make beer, there are two main types of beer: pale lager and dark beer. Pale lager has a higher proportion of hops, while dark beer has a higher proportion of barley and is a type of barley that is dried to give it a black color (also known as carafamalt). Depending on the type of beer and how much you drink, the health benefits and harms will vary.
Dark beer is known to have fewer calories than light beer and contains antioxidants, so it is more beneficial for heart health thanks to its ability to fight free radicals in the body if consumed properly.
What happens when you drink beer every day? (Photo: Internet)
- Increase bone mineral density
According to a 2021 review published in the journal Nutrients, beer drinking is associated with increased bone mineral density in both men and women, thanks to stouts made from barley and hops being a good source of silicon. At the same time, the study found that drinking one beer per week was associated with a reduced risk of hip fractures associated with low bone mineral density.
- Control and improve blood sugar levels
Moderate beer drinking may improve insulin resistance - a risk factor for diabetes.
A study of 70,500 participants found that moderate alcohol consumption reduced the risk of diabetes by 43% and 58% for men and women, respectively. But it’s worth noting that excessive drinking reversed this benefit, increasing the risk of diabetes, and this potential benefit did not apply to alcoholic beverages that contain high amounts of sugar.
However, more in-depth studies are needed to confirm this and assess whether the benefits of beer outweigh the harms of daily beer drinking.
2. Harmful effects on the body when drinking too much beer every day
- Sleep disruption
While drinking beer or wine may make you feel relaxed and refreshed, binge drinking has been shown to be linked to long-term brain health.
The alcohol concentration in beer slows down the brain's reflexes, reduces the body's ability to balance, impairs memory, and disrupts sleep and reduces the quality of rest. In other words, the alcohol entering the bloodstream when drinking beer can disrupt the brain's ability to process information.
A 2018 study published in JMIR Mental Health compared the sleep quality of participants who drank varying amounts of alcohol and found that even light drinkers (two or fewer drinks for men, one or fewer drinks for women) experienced a 9.3% decrease in sleep quality. When you drink, your liver begins to metabolize alcohol, which can keep you up at night.
- Slows down the weight loss process
Every time you drink beer, it goes straight to your liver. The body cannot store alcohol, so your liver will recognize it as a toxin and will prioritize eliminating it instead of fat if you are trying to lose weight. This slows down the fat burning and weight loss process.
Additionally, the liver's job is to filter the blood and break down harmful substances, including alcohol. The liver can handle a certain amount of alcohol, but when a person continues to drink alcohol regularly, the liver can become stressed to the point of causing permanent damage.
Not to mention that beer is high in empty calories that can lead to weight gain and even a “beer belly.” Because beer is a carbohydrate, it can spike insulin and cause fat storage. This is because insulin stores fat.
- Digestive problems
Beer is broken down in the stomach, promoting increased digestive juices and possibly irritating the small intestine and colon (where further beer can be broken down and absorbed); beer also slows down the rate at which food moves through the intestines, causing abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea.
However, a 2020 study in Molecules found that because beer is fermented, if consumed properly, it can benefit your gut health.
- Shorten lifespan
Heavy drinkers have a higher risk of death. This includes an increased risk of cancer, especially throat and mouth cancer.
- Affects training efficiency
Many people have the habit of drinking beer after each workout. However, nutritionists say that if you are trying to exercise to have a balanced body, beer is not the right choice.
Not to mention, beer also causes dehydration. So if you do not rehydrate properly after a workout, it will reduce the effectiveness of your workout and also prevent your body from effectively regenerating muscles after a workout because the body needs to retain water to do this. In other words, drinking beer after a workout reduces muscle recovery and makes the hydration process much more difficult.
So what if you drink beer before a workout? According to the Nutrition Twins, drinking beer before a workout can cause a host of physical symptoms you hope to never experience during a workout, including fatigue, lethargy, difficulty with balance, poor hand-foot and brain coordination, and changes in blood pressure and heart rate.
- High blood pressure and risk of developing chronic diseases
The more beer you drink, the more likely it is that your blood pressure will spike. While it’s normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall throughout the day, prolonged periods of elevated blood pressure can increase your risk of developing more serious health problems, including an increased risk of heart disease or stroke.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also says that drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure and even cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle.
When you drink too much beer, it causes your blood vessels to constrict because it increases the hormone renin. Renin also reduces the amount of urine your body produces. The combination of constricted blood vessels and increased fluid in the body causes high blood pressure.
In short, with the question of whether drinking beer every day is harmful, regardless of the answer, the important thing is that you must follow the recommended amount and be suitable for your health condition. If you have chronic diseases, you should consult your doctor for appropriate advice when you want to drink beer this summer.
According to PNVN
Source
Comment (0)