Anything in excess is harmful to one’s body. You might have come across the many benefits of beer on the web. However, there is a limit to how much beer a person can consume to just reap the benefits without having to face any consequences.
The popular alcoholic beverage is prepared by fermenting and brewing cereal grains using yeast, hops and other flavouring agents. While most beers have around 4-6% alcohol content, the overall range is from 0.5-40%. Let us explore the benefits and drawbacks of drinking beer in detail as reported by Healthline.
Regulated beer intake is linked to these potential health benefits:
Good for your heart
Light to moderate beer intake is good for your heart. It lowers the risk of heart disease by improving good cholesterol (HDL) in your body and improves the body’s ability to eliminate cholesterol.
Improves blood sugar control
Beer has no added sugar. This makes the beverage a great choice to help control sugar levels. A lot of studies have shown that beer reduces insulin resistance, thereby reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Aids bone density
Regulated beer intake can help in improving bone density in men and postmenopausal women.
Lowers the risk of dementia
Beer improves memory power and reduces the risk of dementia in individuals. However, it is important to note that the intake should be limited to 1-2 cans a day.
Limited beer intake is associated with health benefits. However, consuming too much alcohol in any form can cause more harm than good. Some drawbacks of binge drinking beer are:
Increased risk of death
Heavy drinkers are at a high risk of early death due to various internal problems as compared to moderate and non-drinkers.
TOP SHOWSHA VIDEO
Alcohol addiction
Frequent alcohol consumption can lead to addiction and dependence.
Increased risk of depression
According to studies, heavy drinkers are at higher risk of falling into depression than moderate to non-drinkers.
Liver disease
It is a well-known fact that too much alcohol consumption can cause liver damage and cirrhosis. The liver is responsible for innumerable functions in our body along with detoxification. If the liver is rendered useless, then the patient’s health can deteriorate majorly.
Weight gain
Binge drinking beer can lead to weight gain. That is why the phrase “Beer belly” is popularly used to categorise people who have gained weight due to binge drinking.
Cancer
Research has shown that any amount of alcohol intake poses an increased risk of cancers, especially throat and mouth cancers.
