You might be surprised to know that beer can be good for you. However, of its known benefits, weight loss is probably one hardly anyone has ever associated with it. Until now…
According to a Fox News report, researchers have concluded that beer may actually help people loss weight. Apparently, xanthohumol, a flavonoid in the hops used to make the popular alcoholic beverage, can help in weight loss and even lower cholesterol and blood-sugar levels.
It all seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? After all, when a person has high blood sugar levels, beer is usually the first thing the doctor eliminate from one’s diet. In fact, beer has such a high carb content that it’s understandable why anyone would doubt these new findings.
Even scientists acknowledge that the levels of xanthohumol found in beer are so minute that one would need to drink a stomach-bursting 3,500 pints a day to benefit from its slimming effect. Instead, they are looking into ways of making the flavonoid a supplement so that weight-watchers can get the desired amount without the unwanted calories associated with beer drinking.
Until then, beer-lovers can appreciate the other benefits of drinking beer. One Italian study cited by Men’s Health in particular found beer to be good for the heart, with moderate drinkers experiencing 42 percent lower heart disease risk compared to non drinkers. The key word here is “moderate,” which translates to one pint a day at 5 percent alcohol.
Another study found that beer can actually improve one’s creativity. Notably, it can help you solve verbal puzzles faster than those who don’t drink beer.
Still need more convincing? How about this? According to Organic Facts, beer has anti-aging properties. Apparently, it amplifies the effect of vitamin E, a major antioxidant in the body that plays a important role in keeping the skin supple and young-looking.
As if there wasn’t enough to like about beer, the discovery that it can help people lose weight could pave a new way in solving the obesity problem that has gripped the developed world.
