Reasons Why Beer is Bad for Your Health

Beer doesn't provide lipids, but sugars. And although it's said to be a "source" of B vitamins, some of these are present in minimal quantities.

Beer is a very popular alcoholic beverage. For this reason, there are many myths about its health benefits. Although it’s known that it mainly provides empty calories, there are those who insist on highlighting its supposed contribution of B vitamins and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, among other nutrients.

But to what extent is the contribution of beer being exaggerated? So, let’s take a look below.

Nutritional value of beer

According to data from the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), they indicate that, in its composition, beer mainly provides carbohydrates (sugars). They also indicate that this beverage contains a certain amount of polyphenols and natural phytoestrogens. However, it should be noted that these contributions are minimal.

Although beer contains a certain amount of B vitamins, their contribution isn’t so significant as to make this beverage a recommendable option, much less a healthy one.

Yes, it’s true that the B vitamins can contribute greatly to the health of the whole body. This includes the brain. However, from there to think that drinking beer is going to get these nutrients to keep your body healthy… that’s quite a long stretch.

Health professionals don’t recommend drinking beer, as people often consider that, because the beverage has the potential to provide certain benefits, they can drink it often, without a limit.

Something worth keeping in mind is that beer can have up to 220 calories per serving. This depends on the brand, which is another important reason to drink it in moderation.

Final thoughts about whether beer is bad

There are several studies that highlight the multiple damages of alcohol consumption. Therefore, no doctor can indicate that a glass of beer, or any other alcoholic beverage, is advisable. Much less on a daily basis.

In her book Let the Vitamins Go! chemistry expert and pop scientist Deborah García Bello explains the issue in a very clear way.

The wine issue can be extended to beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other scientific institutions and researchers, has warned on countless occasions about the risks of drinking beer, rum, wine or other alcoholic beverages, many people still choose to cling to “tradition” in order to justify their alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of suffering from various diseases, including cancer. Therefore, it isn’t advisable, at all, to cling to the idea that a certain amount per day, per month, whenever, is going to “protect” you or provide some kind of special benefit.

According to an article published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, it’s worth bearing in mind the following: “the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption haven’t generally been endorsed by physicians for fear that large consumers will view any message as a permissive license to drink in excess.”

Conclusion

You should have any discussion about alcohol consumption with your doctor. Furthermore, always define very clearly what’s moderate consumption so you don’t incur in excessive consumption and its respective risks.

Read it in Step To Health

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