- Scientists discovered that drinking beer could be better than abstaining completely
- Polyphenols, fibers and ethanol in beer strengthen the immune system
- But experts warn that it is only useful in moderation and that alcohol causes cancer
Drinking beer may be good for your gut health and your immune system, scientists suggest.
Researchers found that drinking pints in moderation could be better for some aspects of your health than abstaining altogether.
Drinking beer is thought to strengthen the body’s immune system due to a collection of healthy bacteria that benefit the gut.
The research from Dalian Medical University in China shows that polyphenols, fiber and ethanol in beer are the key ingredients to boost your immune system.
It was suggested that beer is more beneficial to the gut than probiotics in yogurt and cheese
It was found to be more effective than probiotics when consumed in moderation.
Probiotics are foods that contain live microorganisms that have supposed health benefits.
These include trendy kimchi and kombucha, but you’ll also find it in cheese and yogurt.
“As a long-established fermented beverage, beer is rich in many essential amino acids, vitamins, trace elements and bioactive compounds involved in the regulation of many human physiological functions,” the authors wrote.
The scientists add: ‘The polyphenols in beer malt and hops are also important active compounds that interact with the gut microbiome in both directions.
“Due to the conversion of beer substrates, the formation of bioactive end products and the presence of microorganisms, some of its components exert “similar” or even greater effects than probiotics.”
It advocated “bioactive beers” that would later be used for health benefits.
They even claimed that future products – labeled health beers – could later prevent diseases such as arteriosclerosis and heart disease and improve blood circulation.
The review published in the magazine Limits in nutritionsates: ‘If we combine these results from human and animal studies, there is a consensus that moderate beer consumption has a beneficial effect on the immune system compared to states of alcohol abuse or abstinence.
“If alcohol consumption is controlled within safe limits, the combined effects of the metabolism of alcohol and other components on the gut microbiota deserve a more comprehensive analysis.”
However, they cautioned that the benefits of drinking beer on the gut only applied to moderate drinkers.
The review claims: ‘The risk of death is lower in light and moderate drinkers and greater in heavy drinkers.’
prof. Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiovascular and metabolic health at the University of Glasgow, says the review “misses the bigger picture.”
“It is true that some of the ingredient beer contains can have positive health effects, but these can be easily overcome by the alcohol itself,” he told the newspaper. Telegraph.
According to the NHS, excessive alcohol consumption has been found to increase the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, liver disease and several cancers.
To keep the health risks of alcohol to a low level, both men and women are advised by the NHS not to regularly drink more than 14 units per week.