“Why do I think that beer is beneficial for health?” – By Dr Harold Gunatillake
Website: www.Doctorharold.com
Although it is commonly believed that alcohol consumption should be avoided for health reasons, data shows that there is not a significant difference in life expectancy between countries with high alcohol intake and those with low consumption.
The Czech Republic remains the leader in per capita beer drinking for the 29th year. In 2021, the average Czech drank more than 184 litres of beer.
The life expectancy for Czechia in 2023 was 79.85 years, a 0.18% increase from 2022.
If your family doctor is a teetotaler, he will advise you to stay away from alcohol entirely. However, if your doctor enjoys a drink, he may suggest you consume it in moderation. This story is about the conflicting reports that arise in the media from time to time about whether alcoholic beverages are beneficial or harmful to your health. It is similar to eggs and coconut oil, where reports on their benefits and drawbacks keep emerging.
It is true that if you overindulge, there are long-term Health Risks. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems, including
High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive issues. Also, Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, oesophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Alcohol in excess also weakens heart muscles, which can affect the lungs, liver, brain and other body systems and also cause heart failure.
The top ten Countries Consuming the Most Alcohol include, Belarus…Lithuania. Grenada. …Czech Republic and France. …Russia. Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia.Germany, Hungary…. Portugal.
Now, let’s discuss the country that drinks the most alcohol. Belarus, a small landlocked European country,
consumed the most significant average number of litres of pure alcohol per capita. On average, its citizens consumed 14.4 litres yearly over
1.5 times more than Americans! Yet, life expectancy in Belarus is 74.23 in 2020. The other European countries mentioned have a life expectancy of about the same.
The country with the lowest average life expectancy, India at 68.4 years, also had low levels of consumption of alcohol, whilst, in a country like Belarus, life expectancy was 74.23 in 2020, despite the heavy alcohol consumption.
Alcohol consumption in Saudi Arabia is strictly prohibited, and these regulations are enforced regardless of an individual’s religious affiliation. Islamic law, following Sharia law principles, unequivocally bans the production, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic beverages within the country and the life expectancy was 75.23 in 2020, while again Belarus, being a heavy alcohol consumption country has a similar life expectancy.
Nearly 28% of the Sri Lankan population is known to consume alcohol during the last year. Current drinking is reported as 48% in males and 1.2% in females, with a higher prevalence in urban areas.
The life expectancy for Sri Lanka in 2021 was 77.22 years, a 0.22% increase from 2020. Again, in Belarus, with such heavy drinking, the life expectancy is 74.23.
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So, it is observed that Alcohol consumption of many drinks a day in most countries does not seem to influence your life expectancy.
On the other hand, adults drinking seven to 14 drinks per week could expect, on average, a six-month shorter life expectancy as of age 40. Those drinking 14 to 25 drinks per week could expect a shorter life expectancy by one to two years.
How much alcohol is OK for health?
If you’re a healthy adult, to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.
If you’re looking for the healthiest alcoholic drink from an antioxidant standpoint, red wine may be your answer because it contains resveratrol with anti-inflammatory and disease-preventing properties. You must drink much red wine to benefit from resveratrol; one glass may not provide that.
Are there vitamins in alcohol?
Not only is alcohol, except beer, devoid of proteins, minerals, and vitamins, but it inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients such as thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B12, folic acid, and zinc. Thiamin (vitamin B1) is involved in the metabolism of proteins and fat and the formation of haemoglobin.
Beer comes on top from a health point of view compared to other alcohol because beer contains several
B vitamins, including B1 [Thiamine], B2 [Riboflavin], and B9 [Folate]. Beer also contains calcium and magnesium.
Beer also contains silicon. A diet rich in silicon is beneficial for bone health. No other alcoholic beverage has silicon.
During the brewing of beer, the vast majority of the silicon remains with the spent grains; however, aggressive treatment during wort production in the brewhouse leads to increased extraction of silicon into the wort, and much of this survives into beer. Conclusion: It is confirmed that beer is a vibrant silicon source. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the bone mineral density of men and women, noting that among the subjects, those who drank two drinks of beer had higher bone mineral density than non-drinkers.
Drinking one alcoholic beverage daily seems to improve memory and thinking skills in older males. Heart failure and fluid build up in the body (congestive heart failure or CHF). Drinking 1-4 alcoholic drinks, such as beer, daily is linked with a reduced risk of CHF in people aged 65 years or older.
So, beer is one of the major consumer and popular beverages. It contains less alcohol than other hard liquors and has numerous health benefits. The Health benefits of beer have a wide range, such as lowering the risk of cancer, diabetes control, preventing kidney stones, reducing cholesterol and blood clots, etc. It also helps with digestion, osteoporosis, bone health, and hypertension.
How does a daily drink of a glass of beer prevent cancer growth? It helps in preventing cancer if consumed in a moderate amount. It has polyphenols to fight against various cancers.
In addition, a compound named Xanthohumol, a flavonoid also used while brewing works towards cancer prevention, especially prostate cancer.
Numerous studies have shown moderate beer intake can help prevent cardiovascular diseases. This is because it enhances the level of good cholesterol HDL in the blood, which in turn helps the body to reduce cholesterol. Moreover, the homocysteine present in the beverage helps to thin the blood and eliminate clots from the coronary arteries.
Consuming an adequate amount of the beverage can also reduce inflammation and lower the risk of atherosclerosis. However, it is essential to note that all these positive effects only work with adequate consumption. Overconsumption of the beverage can increase the chances of stroke and heart disease.
Beer is very effective in preventing kidney stones due to its flushing effect. It has a high water content that removes all the toxins from the body, thus helping the kidneys to work properly. A moderate amount of beer can also slow down the calcium release from bones and benefit it by preventing the formation of kidney stones.
Beer Reduces Cholesterol Levels Beta-glucans, a soluble fibre, are found in barley and are used to make beer. It reduces cholesterol in the blood.
Beer Helps in Anemia This beverage has suitable nutritional components like Vitamin B12 and folic acid. They both help to treat anaemia caused by the deficiency of these two compounds. It also aids in growth, brain power, and memory.
Hello viewers, this video article does not encourage alcohol for teetotallers but recommends a can or two of beer daily if you wish to drink any alcohol.
So, goodbye until we meet again. Even now, the debate continues whether alcohol consumption is good for your health or bad.
Even though there is no solid evidence, current reports suggest that moderate drinkers have a longer lifespan than both nondrinkers and heavy drinkers.
