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Mar 26, 2008 9:12 pm US/Mountain
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Study: Beer Offers Same Benefits As Red Wine
DENVER (CBS4) ―
When most people think of the health benefits of small amounts of alcohol, the first thing that comes to mind is usually red wine, but a new study says beer can protect you from disease just as well.
Dr. Dave Hnida said moderation is the key.
"A guy with a big beer belly is definitely not going to gain any health benefits from drinking a bunch of cold ones every day," Hnida said.
But the study does find one or two cheap all-American beers can help as much as glass of fine wine.
The study, from the University Of California-Davis, shows men or women who have a daily glass of beer can cut their risk of heart attack by up to 40 percent. The same drop is seen when it comes to beer and stroke prevention.
Like red wine, one reason may be a small amount of beer raises HDL, or good cholesterol. It also lessens the risk of a blood clot forming in a heart artery.
Other research shows how beer may prolong life:
• People who have a beer each day have a lower risk of diabetes.
• Beer slows bone loss in older people and helps build bones in younger people.
• Beer is good for the brain by cutting the risk of Alzheimer's and other brain diseases.
• In another study, people who had a beer each day had fewer illnesses and chronic diseases than those who did not drink at all.
Hnida said he recommends two beers a day for men and one a day for women. He said it doesn't work saving up for the weekend.
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