Benefits of Beer

Now I don't normally watch or read Fox News but came across this interesting piece. In fact it was linked to this good bit of pro-beer propaganda on their site (copied below)

Report: Beer Great for Heart Health

Published February 10, 2011 | FoxNews.com

When most people think of heart-healthy beverages, they think of red wine. But new evidence from the American Dietetic Association (ADA) shows that beer has a great deal of nutrition and heart benefits as well, according to an article published in ADA Times.
“Red wine enjoys a reputation for sophistication and health benefits, but as interest in artisan brewing gains momentum and emerging research reveals unique nutrition properties, beer is finding redemption not only as a classy libation with deep roots in many cultures, but as a beverage with benefits,” said registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Andrea Giancoli in a news release.
The article comes out just in time for American Heart Month, which raises awareness of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. One in three adults has some form of heart disease, and many can be prevented by healthier food choices.
Giancoli said that moderate consumption of beer has shown to increase HDL cholesterol (good), lower LDL cholesterol (bad), and reduce the risk of blood clots. It also lowers the risk of gallstones and type 2 diabetes
“Beer specifically has been associated with additional health outcomes, including lowering the risk of kidney stones in men compared to other alcoholic beverages, possibly due to its high water content and diuretic effect,” Giancoli said. “Compounds in hops may also slow the release of calcium from bone that is implicated in kidney stones. Additionally, beer drinkers seem to have a more protective effect towards greater bone mineral density due to the high content of silicone in beer.”
Wine and beer are both fat-free, but only beer contains a small amount of protein in its total calories. The lower alcohol content of beer also plays a role.
“Wines are between 12 percent and 14 percent ABV. Because the average beer has a lower ABV and more than two and half times as much water, it contributes to fluid intake more so than wine,” she said.
Recent studies show that most lagers contain close to 2 grams of soluble fiber per liter, and dark beers can contain over 3 grams.
But the ADA still recommends moderation when it comes to alcohol.
“Whether you’re exploring the cultural roots of an ancient beverage, expanding your culinary prowess, supporting a local brewer or just enjoying a cold one,” Giancoli said. “Remember that moderate consumption means one 12-ounce beer per day for women and two for men.”
Click here to read the ADA Times article.

A positive beer story in the media! Whatever next?

Positive news story about beer

Good coverage in the Daily Mail and ITN News on beer being good for you. Of course it is something we all have known for years, though with the bansturbators from Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Concern Cymru (funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to the tune of £250,000). Report was commisioned by the Beer Academy.

The study says beer is a rich source of vitamins, fibre, minerals and antioxidants and has a relatively low calorific value compared with many other alcoholic beverages.

-68% of people consider beer to be Britain's national drink,
-10% wrongly believe that beer contains fat
-13% incorrectly believe that beer is made from chemicals rather than malted barley and hops.

Well that's a relief then, right off to lunch for a rich source of vitamins, fibre, minerals and antioxidants!

Beer drinking is good for your health

Don't expect any of the neo-prohibitionists to be coming out with the news that drinking beer is good for your health. Also do not expect the likes of the Government-funded BBC to report such news, heaven forbid if intelligent drinkers were allowed to make up their own minds when it comes down to scientific evidence.

Last month, Dr Jonathan Powell, Head of the Biomineral Research Section at the Medical Research Council Collaborative Centre for Human Nutrition Research (HNR) in Cambridge presented a lecture entitled

“The synergies of moderate ethanol and silicon intakes in bone health” at The 3rd Workshop on the Aqueous Chemistry and Biochemistry of Silicon: Silicon by the Sea, held in San Diego, California, USA.

Dr Powell said “Beer is one of the richest sources of silicon in the western diet. Historically silicon has not been seen as an essential nutrient, but our research suggests that it could play an important role in bone health.”

“We have shown that silicon appears to have a beneficial effect in increasing bone mineral density. Epidemiological work has identified a positive association between drinking beer in moderation (2 units per day) and increased bone mineral density. Our results suggest that this is, at least partly, due to the high silicon content of beer.”

“In a separate study published earlier this year we showed that moderate ethanol consumption has an acute, specific effect in reducing bone loss. The combination of the silicon and alcohol intake obtained from moderate beer consumption appears to promote both bone and connective tissue health”

However Dr Powell warns “drinking alcohol in high amounts is detrimental to health and consumption of beer, or any other alcoholic drink, in anything other than moderation, will far outweigh any potential benefits related to lower intakes. High consumption should be discouraged as it can greatly accelerate disease and result in early death”.

Further research into the effects of silicon on health are needed, but work at HNR points towards it being beneficial to health, and beer (in moderation) is just one source of silicon that could be included into a healthy and balanced diet.

Mean (range) silicon contents of alcoholic beverages (mg/L):

Beers -
     -Can lager = 20.7 (15.4-26.4)
     -Draft lager = 21.5 (11.7-39.4)
     -Can bitter = 14.5 (9.59-20.1)
     -Draft bitter = 21.0 (13.5-30.1)

Ciders = 3.7 (2.72-5.53)

Wines = 7.67 (6.61-9.24
Spirits = 1.26 (0.56-2.06)

MRC Human Nutrition Research:
The MRC Collaborative Centre for Human Nutrition Research (HNR) was established in 1998 following the restructuring of the Dunn Nutrition Unit, so as to progress the Medical Research Councils portfolio of strategic and applied nutrition research. HNR was set up with a collaborative remit: to pursue research in partnership with national and international stakeholders.
HNR's mission is to advance knowledge of the relationships between human nutrition and health by providing a national centre of excellence for the measurement and interpretation of biochemical, functional and dietary indicators of nutritional status and health. HNR also acts as an independent, authoritative source of scientific advice and information on nutrition and health in order to foster evidence-based nutrition policy and practice.

Well there you have it, scientific proof that moderate beer drinking is good for your health. Now will the fake charities such as alcohol concern kindly stop trying to interfere in the lives of brewers and drinkers in this country? Thought not.