A few years back, it would have been foolhardy to talk about the benefits of beer in the context of health and wellness.
Before we gained insight into what beer can deliver from a health perspective, it was primarily known as the beverage that makes us forget all our worries at the end of a tiring day.
Now, as it turns out, beer actually has a lot of health and nutritional benefits which may help justify - to a certain extent - the claim that drinking beer can be good for you.
To understand this newfound insight into the benefits of beer, it is important to learn what goes into a pint of your favorite swig.
Beer is typically made in a process called brewing where common ingredients like malt, yeast, and hops are mixed together and allowed to react to form the beverage that we have come to know and love.
Now, there are different formulations of beer which changes the final nutritive value of the drink you hold in your hand, but it is equally important to recognize that there are universal similarities.
For starters, beer is fat-free, contains no cholesterol, and has a reasonably low amount of calories, in relative terms.
Most regular beers only have about 5 grams of carbohydrate in a typical beer glass.
Basing on that number alone, there are many kinds of fruit that have a higher numbers of calories in the same serving.
Moreover, beer also contains a variety of minerals which it derives from the original beer ingredients.
The same glass of beer that has just 5 grams of calories also contains 48 milligrams of phosphorus, 92 milligrams of potassium, and 14 milligrams of calcium among other trace amounts of minerals like sodium and iron.
Beer also contains antioxidants and fiber which are important dietary elements towards a healthy body.
This, however, leads to an interesting point which needs to be discussed before we go on enumerating the nutritive value, and the consequently health benefits of beer.
Any food or drink, when abused, has its fair share of nasty side effects and beer is no exception.
Aside from the obvious issue of alcoholism, the low amount of calories in a beer glass can easily pile up into a big number if one drinks beer everyday with wanton abandon.
The message is to drink beer in moderation, up to just a pint per day, if one is to truly realize these benefits of beer without the accompanying nasty side effects.
From here, it is not difficult to finally dispense with the bad reputation of beer and recognize its many health benefits.
Antioxidants are great for neutralizing free radical damage, preserving cells and tissues and allowing them to function longer and at a more efficient level.
The fiber in beer helps keep the digestive tract clean lowering the risk for colon cancer.
The minerals in beer are also vital for proper organ function.
Potassium, for example, is an important nutrient for proper muscular contraction and it is particularly essential for the involuntary muscular movements of the heart.
These benefits of beer underscore the message that if beer is drank responsibly, it can be a vital component to one's daily diet without the nasty side effects.
The next time you pick up a glass of beer, think about all the benefits of beer that we've mentioned.
Beer is a great drink and even more so now that we know it's has its fair share of benefits.
So drink and be merry with beer by your side; but as always, remember to drink responsibly! Beer also has a number of other health benefits not mentioned in this article.
Be sure and check out our website to learn more about the benefits of beer.