Beer lovers, rejoice! Not only does beer taste great, and make you feel “buzzed” on life, beer is also good for you! As pints are poured in bars and restaurants across the country, know that drinking beer has real health benefits. 1. Decrease incidence of heart disease There are more than 20 well-done, large international studies that all demonstrate the heart benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. One study, conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) noted a 20-40% decrease in coronary artery disease in moderate alcohol drinkers. (1) Now, that doesn’t mean drinking more is better. Drinking beer responsibly is drinking healthy. Moderate consumption of beer (alcohol) results in an increase in HDL (good Cholesterol) and a decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol), along with an improvement in both HDL and LDL particle size. (3). So, don’t worry about the medical terms; just know that a slightly “buzzed” heart is a happy heart! 2. Hops of vitamins A Dutch study showed a 30% increase in Vitamin B6 in beer drinkers, which makes sense because hops are loaded with the vitamin. This is important because Vitamin B6 helps to battle heart disease. Alcohol is also an antioxidant which may contribute in part to the decrease in heart disease. So if you’re looking for a boost in Vitamin B6, or just want a healthy dose of antioxidants, grab a cold one (or two) and cheers to your health! 3. Decrease in Kidney Stones The Journal of Epidemiology revealed a 40% decrease in kidney stones among beer drinkers. This is most likely secondary to the hydration from the beer since we don’t note a similar finding with other alcohol consumption. So if you want to avoid the extreme pain associated with kidney stones, grab a couple brews and drink to stone-free days ahead… 4. Benefits for women The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says beer helps prevent a decrease in bone density. Beer is also high in flavonoids – from the hops- which acts as a natural hormone replacement. The National Osteoporosis Risk Assessment followed over 200,000 females and found that drinking alcohol decreased the incidence of osteoporosis (7). All of this leads to a decrease in hip fractures in elderly females, which is important because hip fractures after the age of 65 are associated with a significant increase in mortality. So, women, if you’re concerned about your bone health, don’t just focus on calcium; add some beer to your diet for another way to protect your bone density. 5. Beer Makes Your Head Clear That’s right; drinking the right amount of beer is good for your mental health. The New England Journal of Medicine reported a preservation of mental acuity, especially in elderly women, who drink alcohol moderately. There are numerous studies that show that moderate alcohol consumption not only decreases the incidence of Alzheimer’s but also improves memory, concentration and reasoning. (6) 6. Stroke Reduction Multiple studies consistently show up to a 50% reduction in the risk of strokes in moderate alcohol drinkers. Most notable was a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (4). The American Stroke Association has stated that 2 alcoholic drinks per day can decrease your incidence of stroke (5). So, the next time you crack open a cold one, know that you’re doing more than just having a good time…you’re drinking to your health! Cheers!!! *The health benefits of drinking beer and alcohol in general are based on moderate consumption, which means two beers per day for an average size man and one beer a day for average size women. Many of the benefits described above are lost when alcohol is consumed excessively, and drinking alcohol excessively can have a serious negative effect on your health.