5 Healthy Reasons to Drink a Beer Right Now
There are plenty of reasons to drink a craft beer at any given moment. It's delicious. You're supporting local breweries. It's fun to have a few with your friends, and it makes meeting new people a little less awkward. See? Plenty of reasons. But did you know that there are healthy reasons to grab a pint, too? Read on to learn more.
One of the questions that we hear a lot from people is, "Is it healthy to have a beer after working out?" As it turns out, beer actually has a variety of health benefits!
Obviously, we can't overlook the fact that beer should be consumed in moderation in order for any of these health benefits to matter. The higher the alcohol content, the less of it you should drink if you don't want to become dehydrated or experience beer's diuretic effects. We suggest sticking to a pint or two to keep your health on the up-and-up.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's learn a few new reasons you can start giving your family members and roommates for why you're drinking a beer after working out!
1. Beer Contains Antioxidants
Usually wine is the beverage that gets all the credit for containing antioxidants, but it turns out that beer can play the antioxidant card, too! The barley and hops used in beer contain flavonoids that aid the body in recovery and overall health, fighting oxidative stress and helping your body get back to normal after a strenuous activity.
2. Beer Makes Your Bones Stronger
Milk? Pass. Gimme a beer to make my bones stronger instead! Beer contains ethanol, which works to prevent bone loss. Beyond that, beer also has dietary silicon, which aids in growing new bone tissue. A Cambridge University studyindicated that beer can help fight osteoporosis in females, so this is particularly good news for any female beer runners out there! Running puts stress on your bones, but beer can help mitigate that stress, keeping your bones healthy and strong.
3. Beer Contains Essential B-Vitamins
Yup, you read that right! While you may jokingly refer to your post-run beer as "Vitamin B," it turns out there are actual B-vitamins in beer that can improve your health! In fact, the malt in your beer contains riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, niacin, and vitamin B12, to name a few--each of which provides crucial health benefits. These B-complex vitamins are important for your metabolism and converting the stuff you eat and drink into fuel and energy. So, skip the supplements and grab a cold one instead!
4. Beer Is Good For Your Heart
And not in the "this makes me feel happy and love everyone in this bar" kind of way. Beer is legitimately good for your heart when consumed in moderation, according to a study from researchers at Italy's Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura. According to this study, moderate beer drinkers are 31% less at risk of cardiovascular diseases compared to non-drinkers. Cheers to heart health, y'all!
5. Beer Can Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
As it turns out, drinking one beer (note: one beer, not five-or-six-or-ten beers) a day can reduce your risk of contracting Type 2 Diabetes by up to 30%, according to a recent study from the American Diabetes Association. The study indicated that the trend was more significant in women than in men, so ladies, drink up!
There you have it! The next time someone implies that drinking a beer after working out defeats the purpose, hit 'em with a few of these healthy benefits to your post-exercise pint. Or send them our way and we'll straighten them out.
Cheers to a healthy, balanced lifestyle, y'all!