Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink. Currently, along with water and tea, it is the most popular drink in the world. Despite the popular opinion that beer promotes overweight and contributes to the formation of the so-called beer belly, many nutritionists and scientists believe that beer is a drink rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals that heals, invigorates and tastes delicious at the same time. Check the nutritional values ​​of beer, which species is the least harmful to your he alth, and whether beer actually contributes to obesity.

Beeris a foamy drink of varying alcohol content, obtained by fermentation of barley m alt, hops, yeast and water. Its production consists of many stages, such as: production of m alt and wort, fermentation, maturation, filtration and bottling of beer.

Types of beers in Poland

The affiliation of a beer to a given species is determined by many factors: type of fermentation (top or bottom), aroma, taste, type of m alt, amount and type of hops, content of wort and alcohol extract, bitterness, color, foam, saturation , additional ingredients as well as the method and place of brewing the beer.

  • alcohol-free - no more than 0.5% alcohol
  • light (clear) - mostly barley m alt. The light, golden color is the result of poor baking of the m alt, therefore it has a softer, less sweet taste. Light beer contains little more calories than dark beer. The alcohol content in light beer varies between 2 and 5%
  • full - contains from 10 to 13% m alt wort with a maximum of 6.2% vol. % 4.65 wt. alcohol
  • strong - they have a wort concentration of over 13% of the extract content and over 6.2% vol. alcohol

Beer better for headache than paracetamol?

This is what scientists from the University of Greenwich, London, say. In their opinion, two mugs of beer, or about 0.8 per mille, is an ideal dose to reduce nagging pain by up to 25%. What's more, they argue that beer has a stronger effect on the body than most painkillers containing paracetamol.

The research was conducted on a group of 400 people. scientists gave them different amounts of alcohol. The researchers found that the consumption was exactly1 liter of beer is the most effective in fighting pain, relieving unbearable ailments or completely removing them.

Smaller or larger amounts of the drink did not bring such results anymore. The scientists in the experiment also used other types of alcohol, but only the beer worked as a medicine.

- We found strong evidence that alcohol is an effective pain reliever. It can be compared with opioid drugs, such as codeine, and its effect is stronger than that of paracetamol, says Dr. Trevor Thompson, who leads the research team .¹

However, it is not known how beer alleviates or alleviates a headache, and Dr. Thompson cautions not to use beer too often for a headache. This can lead to alcoholism.

Beer for … a he althy heart

Beer can also have a beneficial effect on the heart, as reported by scientists in the "European Journal of Epidemiology". They investigated the relationship between the consumption of wine, beer and spirits and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.

It turned out that not only wine has a protective effect on the heart, as evidenced by many studies, but also … beer. 13 studies have shown that a daily dose of 21 grams of alcohol is the he althiest, i.e. one half-liter pint .²

However, it cannot be clearly stated whether the protective effect of wine and beer is related to the polyphenols present in these beverages, or to the alcohol itself.

In addition, beer with a high hop content contains polyphenol compounds that help lower cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis.

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Nutritional values ​​of beer

According to the data of the Food and Nutrition Institute, 100 g of whole beer contains:

49 kcal total protein - 0.5 g fat - 0.0 digestible carbohydrates - 3.8 g

According to the data of the United States Department of Agriculture, 100 g unpasteurized whole beer contains:

Vitamins

thiamine (vitamin B1 ) - 0.005 mg riboflavin (vitamin B2 ) - 0.025 mgniacin (vitamin B3, PP) - 0.513 mg vitamin B6- 0.046 mg folic acid - 6 μg vitamin B12- 0.02 μg

Minerals

calcium - 4 mg iron - 0.02 mg magnesium - 6 mg phosphorus - 14 mg potassium - 27 mg sodium - 4 mg zinc - 0.01 mg

Important!Beers that have undergone pasteurization, i.e. the process of destroying microorganisms by heating to 60 degrees Celsius, have a lower content of vitamins and minerals.

Beer can prevent dementia?

These conclusions were reached by researchers from the Alcalá de Henares University in Spain.they have the beneficial effects of beer by heart: consumers of this drink are less likely to suffer from diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. All this due to the content of silicon, which inhibits the body's absorption of aluminum, which is suspected of contributing to many neurodegenerative diseases.

Beer makes it easier to fall asleep?

Beer drunk in the evening may induce drowsiness and thus make it easier to fall asleep. Such a discovery was made by Spanish scientists (University of Seville Medical School, Avda). In their opinion, this golden drink contains a large dose of melatonin, i.e. The "sleep hormone". On the one hand, melatonin helps to fall asleep, and on the other hand, it has antioxidant potential.

Beer may help you fall asleep, but it does not have a positive effect on the quality and quantity of sleep. Beer - like other alcohols - can also cause / intensify breathing disorders during sleep - this substance reduces muscle tension, including the muscles of the throat, which promotes snoring and increases the risk of sleep apnea (or exacerbation of symptoms in people who already have this syndrome. present).

There are certainly safer and more effective methods of dealing with insomnia.

Beer - other nutritional properties of beer

  • digestive system- beer contains vitamin B1 , which speeds up the digestion process, especially of carbohydrates and fats. Thanks to the hop cones, beer has isotonic properties, i.e. balances the intercellular and hypotonic pressure, which makes it easier for the body to absorb nutrients;
  • nervous system- hops contain resins, lupulin and humulin, which are used medicinally in the treatment of neuroses and insomnia. Thanks to this, beer reduces stress and relaxes you mentally;
  • immune system- beer is a source of tetracycline - an antibiotic produced naturally by bacteria from the Streptomyces strain. Thanks to this, it supports the work of the immune system and prevents infections;
  • urinary system -low-percentage beer can be recommended by doctors in small amounts (approx. 250 ml) to treat urinary tract diseases, in pre- and postoperative conditions of the gallbladder, and to prevent the formation of kidney stones

Beer as a source of antioxidants

Scientists at Washington University have found that dark beer contains more antioxidants than its pale counterpart and the same amount of antioxidants as red wine. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that contribute to the development of many diseases.

Which beer is the mostbeneficial for our he alth?

The most beneficial for our he alth are unpasteurized and unfiltered beers, the shelf life of which is no longer than 3 weeks. They have yeast sediment, which is a source of large amounts of vitamins, especially those from group B.

Beer and slimming

  • beer, like other alcohols, is very caloric. Beer contains 3-7% ethanol, which is not much, but if you are overweight, a dietitian will advise you not to consume it. The amount of calories in a beer depends on the alcohol content. 100 ml is from 43 kcal (light beer) to 60 kcal (dark beer). Therefore, a liter of beer consumes from about 450 kcal to 600 kcal, of which 2/3 kcal comes from alcohol.
  • beer has a very high glycemic index (110) as a result of its m altose (carbohydrate) content. This means that your blood sugar rises faster after drinking beer than when you drink pure glucose. Unfortunately, as in the case of fast food or sweets, it decreases just as quickly, which causes bouts of wolf appetite.
  • hops, alcohol and carbohydrates contained in beer increase the appetite, especially for fatty foods. And these, combined with barley m alt contained in beer, create a caloric bomb. However, according to Swiss scientists from the Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne, who conducted research on mice, beer contains nicotinamide riboside - a substance that prevents obesity.

Beer after training

During intense physical exertion, we sweat a lot, we lose fluids from the body, and with them valuable electrolytes. Beer has a diuretic effect, therefore drinking it after training will contribute to even greater dehydration. In addition, excessive exercise promotes acidification of the body, and alcohol also has acidifying properties. To restore the acid-base balance and replenish the fluid deficiency in the body after training, you should drink highly mineralized water. However, some scientists argue that one bottle of dark, non-alcoholic spring water-based beer with magnesium, potassium, sodium, m alt sugars and B vitamins will perfectly complement any deficiencies created during training. They are also of the opinion that the antioxidants contained in beer rebuild and strengthen the muscles.

Beer - contraindications

Unfortunately, however, beer is not suitable for everyone. Beer should not be drunk by people suffering from:

  • diabetes
  • gout
  • gastric and duodenal ulcers
  • cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases of this organ
  • acute and chronic pancreatitis

You can't drink it also inany amount.

Will cold beer quench your thirst in hot weather?

People who drink alcohol in hot weather risk serious he alth consequences due to the diuretic (and thus dehydrating) properties of beer. Therefore, on hot days, it is best to reach for highly mineralized water or tomato juice.

Read more: Does cold beer really cool you down and quench your thirst?

Beer and sex drive

Beer relaxes, thereby widening the arteries throughout the body, including those that supply blood to the penis, which means a better erection. In addition, beer contains a lot of antioxidants - compounds that improve potency. The lupulin contained in hops has a calming and hypnotic effect, therefore only beer drunk in moderation will increase the level of libido.

Unpasteurized beer has properties similar to probiotics

According to the World He alth Organization, a probiotic is "live microorganisms that, when given in the right amount, have a beneficial effect on the he alth of the host." They are essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system, especially the intestines, because their proper bacterial flora increases our immunity and helps fight pathogenic bacteria and fungi. These "good" and "he althy" bacteria can be found in pickled and fermented products, such as unpasteurized beer (not to be confused with unfiltered beer!).

Beer goes through several stages in the production process: from m alting, through fermentation, to filtration and stabilization. Only then does the producer decide whether the beer will be pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating beer to a temperature of about 70 degrees Celsius, during which all bacteria, both harmful to he alth and "good", are killed. As a result, the beer has a longer shelf life. Meanwhile, unpasteurized beer contains all vitamins and minerals, as well as live bacteria cultures, which, after entering the body, have a positive effect on the digestive system: they help, among others in digestive ailments, flatulence and constipation.

Source:

1. Two pints of beer better for pain relief than paracetamol, study says, http://www.newsweek.pl/wiedza/zdrowie/piwo-lekiem-na-bol-glowy-tak-twierdza-brytyjscy-naukowcy,artykuly,420187, 1.html

2. A Beer a Day Keeps the Cardiologist Away, https://www.livescience.com/17089-beer-heart-he alth-benefits.html

3. Role of beer as a possible protective factor in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6141397_Role_of_beer_as_a_possible_protective_factor_in_preventing_Alzheimer%27s_disease

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