Is Beer Actually Good For You? 3 Reasons it Could Be

There is nothing better than relaxing with a cold mug of beer after a hard day at work. It tastes great and helps “smooth out” the rough edges. Drinking beer is often done in social settings like happy hour or when watching the big game. Thankfully, you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in this pleasure. There is an increasing amount of studies that find that drinking beer in moderation can be good for you. How good? Consider these three potential benefits of drinking beer:

Lowers Your Risk of Diabetes

Beer and Health explains that a recent European study found that beer drinkers were less likely to develop diabetes than those who didn’t drink beer. The medical research found that beer triggered biological factors such as increasing insulin sensitivity and controlling glycemic levels. That same moderate consumption was also shown to have a positive impact with preventing type 2 diabetes.

Craft Beer Contains Nutrients

There was a time when the only beer options were controlled by a handful of national breweries. Today, a wide variety of craft beers are created by local microbreweries. That’s good news for your nutrient intake. Denver Microbrew Tour explains that craft breweries across the United States are independent and unique, which means that a lot of craft beer is fresh. Those beers are a rich source of B vitamins, phosphorus, folate and niacin. Those are all important nutrients that could be lacking elsewhere in your diet. It can also make you urinate a lot less than regular beer. This means your body will be better able to absorb those nutrients.

It Might Help with Heart Health

The American Heart Association got a hold of 80,000 beer drinkers and followed them for six years. These moderate drinkers showed a slow decline in HDL. The Drinks Business explains  that this is the “good” cholesterol that you want in your body for clearer arteries to prevent the risk of a stroke. Another study showed that with men who already had one heart attack, moderate beer drinking lowered their chances of fatality from heart disease by around 42 percent.

To maximize the potential of the health benefits from beer, moderation is key. With beer, moderation is considered two glasses per day. That can be the perfect amount of craft beer at happy hour. Remember, it can also make you pee a lot less than regular beer. That will make sure you won’t miss any of the fun with your friends.