Red wine, we know about. Now for the good news on
benefits of beer
"There are more old drunks than there are old doctors," country star Willie Nelson once said.
Although no doctor himself,
Nelson may have been on to something. Long associated in many minds with a Homer Simpson
sagging belly and lifestyle, beer is gaining status as a drink with definite health benefits,
at least when consumed in moderation.
For some time now, we've been hearing that a glass of red wine every day may help avoid
heart disease. For that glad discovery, we owe a debt to the French.
Now comes further enlightenment about beer, and wouldn't you know it: Australians are
helping to amass the evidence.
Protection against heart disease? For starters, beer seems to offer protection against cardiovascular disease including heart attack and stroke. According to Foster's, Australia's global brewery, three glasses of beer a day (30 grams of alcohol) may reduce heart attack risk by a whopping 25 per cent. By this logic, total abstinence could be a public health disaster. In the unlikely event that all Americans suddenly hopped on the wagon, the shocking result would be 81,000 deaths from coronary heart disease, according to an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Fortunately, the chances of such a catastrophe are slim. In Canada alone, brewers chalk up annual sales of over $10 billion. It's not the beer, it's the booze
Actually, it's not the beer but the alcohol content that's good for the heart, according to Dr. Kenneth Mukamai and Dr. Eric Rimm, two Harvard professors who made an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on drinking and cardiovascular problems. After looking over 40 studies, they concluded that "consumption of two standard drinks daily (for beer, 12 fluid ounces) would be expected to lower a person's risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 25 per cent." Alcohol in moderation is apparently good for the head as well as the heart. Modest consumption seems to lower the risk of stroke, the brain equivalent of a heart attack, perhaps by as much as 50 per cent. "There's good evidence that beer and alcohol in general is associated with lower mortality," says Dr. Meldon Kahan, family physician and medical director of the Addiction Medicine Service at St Joseph's Health Centre in Toronto. Beer seems to reduce risk of heart disease
"People who drink moderately are less likely to die, primarily from heart disease. That's because alcohol inhibits the aggregation of platelets, the clumping together of the little sticky things in blood that stop us from bleeding but can also lead to heart attacks. Also, it improves the lipid profile by elevating high-density cholesterol, the so-called 'good cholesterol.' There's very good evidence for that." Unlikely as it may seem, moderate drinking may also be associated with lower risk of stomach ulcers. According to the British Medical Journal, alcohol seems to protect the stomach against H pylori bacteria, the germs associated with gastrointestinal ulcers. Other studies show moderate alcohol consumption can lower the risk of adult onset (type 2) diabetes and gall stones. In women, moderate drinking also seems to help maintain bone density and reduce the chances of rheumatoid arthritis. Are you with us so far? Brace yourself for more good news about beer... The original barley sandwich
On top of its medical benefits, it has nutritional advantages. A litre of beer contains about 20 per cent of the recommended daily intake of fibre, as well as a heaping dose of B vitamins and antioxidants. "Beer comes from grain and that's a major source of B vitamins," says Lois Ferguson, registered dietitian and author of the Canadian bestseller Eating For Energy And Ecstasy. "With beer you get a whole range of B vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin, B6 and folate." Contrary to popular belief, beer is relatively low in calories, being 97 per cent water. "A 12 ounce bottle of beer contains 151 calories," says Ferguson. "Compare that to a soft drink with about 150 to 170 calories, or an 8- ounce coke with a shot of rye, which packs about 300 calories." Glass for glass, beer contains less calories than even apple juice or even milk. Why, then, are bulging paunches known the world over as "beer bellies"? Not many of us are tempted towards multiple refills of milk or fruit juice, for one thing. If we were, there'd be fewer saloons and more milk bars. And as a European brewers association points out, beer bellies may be the byproduct of a generally unhealthy lifestyle as much as a fondness for barley sandwiches. Despite all its benefits, beer isn't exactly the elixir of a long life. "It's true that moderate consumption of beer provides some important health benefits," says Howard Collins, executive vice president of the Brewers Association of Canada. Not exactly a health product
"It's taken science decades to catch up to what our grandparents seemed to know intuitively about this. On the other hand, we'd never take the view that beer is a health product. It's an alcoholic refreshment beverage." And like any other alcoholic beverage, beer has a dark side. While scientists agree moderate alcohol consumption has some upsides, they don't know what the "ideal" intake of alcohol actually is. "Probably most of the benefits of alcohol can be obtained from one drink every two days, but it may be higher than that," says Kahan. "Current recommendations in Canada are no more than 14 drinks a week for men and nine for women. "Moderation is the key and even then, people have to be aware there are many exceptions to the general rule that beer is healthy. For one thing, it hasn't been shown to be healthy for young people. The more young people drink, on average, the more likely they are to die from accidents, violence or suicide. Pregnant women shouldn't drink. Nor should people on certain types of medication." Possible links to some cancers
Cancer is also a concern. Some evidence suggests even moderate amounts of alcohol may elevate the risk of breast cancer. Several studies have shown a link, although the evidence isn't clear enough for doctors to advise women to abstain. Cancers of the mouth, esophagus and liver are also linked to excessive drinking. "People definitely shouldn't increase their beer consumption just for health reasons," says Kahan. "Nor should they start drinking because of the supposed health benefit. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle will cut risk of heart disease just as effectively. "On the other hand, if people are drinking within safe limits, and if it's not having any adverse effects, then they shouldn't worry about it. The great majority of people don't have problems with drinking. For them, beer is fine. They should just enjoy it." Ferguson agrees wholeheartedly: "People need to be educated so they know beer is a fine choice as part of a healthy diet and a lifestyle which includes exercise. Within those parameters, enjoy beer. Pay attention to the taste and enjoy the subtleties of flavor. It's fascinating to taste different types of beer and train yourself to recognize them. "Leonardo Da Vinci said 'great love is born of great knowledge of the thing loved.' That applies to beer. The more educated you are about the intricacies of the flavour, the more pleasure you get from it. "And why not? Food and beverages are for our pleasure, as long as we're educated and in control."
Originally written for Toronto Star