Is It Actually Good for Your Health to Have One Beer a Day?
Ah, Beer! The golden elixir in a frosty glass, the hero of vacations and hot summer days. There’s nothing this fizzy companion cannot fix making it the perfect solution to turn to on a rough day. It is said that having one beer a day is completely okay, making it the perfect excuse for binge drinkers to fizz up a bottle on a long weekday.
But is it actually good to have a beer once a day?
The question of whether having one beer a day is beneficial or detrimental to health has been a topic of much debate. While some studies suggest potential health benefits associated with moderate beer consumption, the more scientific consensus leans towards caution.
In this article, we will have a look at this discussion in detail, focusing on the evidence and expert opinions regarding daily beer consumption.
Is It Good to Have a Beer Once a Day?
So, is drinking beer everyday good? Probably not. As someone who loves her beer, this is very difficult for me to write.
A chilled beer sitting in the fridge might be something you would be looking forward to between your meetings. However, you might have to change your lifestyle soon.
A friend of mine used to drink a beer everyday after work. He wasn’t an addict or drank beer everyday to get drunk, it just became a habit. A habit he thought is harmless, because a beer a day is supposed to be good, right? However, within a few weeks he started noticing some changes. His stomach was more bloated, he had puffy eyes and his sleep wasn’t sound anymore.
In light of the evidence, drinking beer daily is more likely to be bad for health than good. The adverse effects on blood pressure and the associated cardiovascular risks present significant concerns that cannot be overlooked.
Let’s take a detailed look at whether beer is good for you or not.
Is Beer Good for Health?
If you compare beer with other alcohols, then yes, beer is probably safer than others.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry explored the effects of daily beer consumption on the gut microbiome. Researchers found that drinking one beer daily experienced increased gut microbial diversity, potentially lowering the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Interestingly, this daily intake didn’t adversely affect body mass index (BMI) or heart health indicators. This study might lead some to wonder if having one beer a day is good for them?
The same study noted that while both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer increased gut bacterial diversity, the healthiest alcohol level might be none at all: “While the findings suggest that one bottle of beer a day may be beneficial to gut health, the scientists do emphasize that the safest level of alcohol consumption is none,” noted New Atlas, reporting on the study.
“In addition to established health risks such as liver disease, high blood pressure, and heart disease, recent research has uncovered direct causal links with cancer.”
This wavering conclusion can help you better understand the broader implications of alcohol consumption on health. So if you are thinking: is one beer a day good for you? Your safer bet will be having no beer at all.
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One Beer a Day: Understanding the Impact
While the notion of one beer a day may seem harmless, this level of consumption is continuously associated with elevated blood pressure, irrespective of gender. This challenges the idea of 1 beer a day benefits, especially for individuals with already elevated blood pressure.
The complexity of the debate around drinking one beer a day becomes apparent when considering the varied effects of alcohol on health. Although some studies highlight potential benefits, the broader evidence suggests that the risks, particularly regarding blood pressure and cardiovascular health, may outweigh these.
What happens when you drink beer everyday? In the smaller picture, probably nothing.
But when you have a look at the bigger picture you may be training your body toward alcohol addiction. You may start and feel buzzed off one beer but slowly as your tolerance increases, there are chances that one beer turns into 2 a day and eventually more.
While you may think drinking one beer a day is harmless, it can lead to regular blackouts, drowsiness and low blood sugar.
Let’s weigh the risks and benefits of drinking one beer a day.
1 Beer a Day Benefits
While the disadvantages of having a beer daily are more, there can be some benefits associated situationally.
- Reduced Neurodegenerative Diseases: Studies have shown that consuming beer in moderation can reduce the risk of some heart and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers.
- Controls Blood Sugar: Studies also suggest that 1 beer a day can help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
- Strengthens Bones: Moderate amount of beer is also said to strengthen bones for men and postmenopausal women.
- Prevents Kidney Stones: Studies also show that a bottle of beer can help reduce your risk of getting kidney stones by up to 40%.
- Helps in Digestion: Beer is a good source of fiber that plays an important role in digestion. There is 1 gram of fiber in every 30 ml of beer making it good for digestion.
The key is moderation. It is said that people who consume 5-10 drinks a week are expected to live 6 months fewer and those who consume 10-20 drinks can lose up to 2 years of their lives. For people who wonder how to take years off your life probably consume even more than that.
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The Risks of Daily Beer Consumption
If you are wondering whether the benefits of drinking beer everyday are more than the risks, then we might be able to help you with that.
Recent research offers a more cautionary perspective. A study in the Hypertension journal, co-authored by a Tulane University researcher, highlighted that even low alcohol intake could increase blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study, encompassing nearly 20,000 adults, showed that systolic blood pressure could rise with daily alcohol consumption, even at moderate levels.
Other than this, there are always the more common symptoms related to daily alcohol consumption. Here are some of the side effects of drinking beer everyday
- Liver Damage: Is 1 beer a day good for your liver? Absolutely not. Alcohol causes liver damage. If you drink 1 can of beer everyday it will significantly increase your chances of developing fatty liver disease.
- Mental Health Effects: Drinking too much of any alcohol can adversely affect your mental health. Beer and the brain are directly linked due to which alcohol consumption increases the risk of anxiety and depression.
- Disrupted Sleep: Alcohol directly goes to your brain and interacts with your brain chemicals. It gives you an illusion of sound sleep. But in reality it messes with the sleep cycle and the quality of your sleep.
- Risk of Cancer: Beer contains ethanol that damages DNA and increases the risk of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, drinking too much alcohol increases risk of certain types of cancer like liver, breast, colon, and esophageal cancer.
It is no surprise that alcohol is not good for your body. Consuming beer daily can also cause weight gain, so say goodbye to weight loss if you want to have one beer day.
Common myths suggest that drinking one beer a day could prevent heart diseases. While this may be true in some cases, in reality there is no scientific evidence to support this in the bigger picture.
We have established that beer is not good for your heart. But is one beer a day good for your brain? The answer is still a big NO. People drink beer because they believe it enhances thinking skills and memory. This is again a huge myth with no scientific backing.
You may wonder how unhealthy beer is. It is made of barley which is supposed to be good for your health. While it’s common to confuse beer with barley or hops, it’s not the same thing.
The consistent findings across various studies indicate that drinking beer every day may not be advisable for long-term health. The incremental increase in blood pressure associated with daily alcohol consumption underscores the need for a cautious approach.
How Much Beer is Safe Per Day?
The truth is that there is no one answer to this. How much beer one drinks varies from person to person. It is recommended that women drink up to one drink per day and up to two drinks per day for men. However, this is a very broad generalization. The level of beer consumption depends on many factors like age, weight, medical history and overall health.
As a general guideline, you can consider that both men and women should have not more than 14 units of beer per week. This should be spread out with at least 1-2 alcohol free days in between.
To Beer Or Not To Beer? That’s The Question
While the debate on having one beer a day is polarized, the scientific evidence suggests caution. The disadvantages of beer outweigh the advantages of beer significantly.
The potential for increased blood pressure, cardiovascular risk, cancer and liver damage even with low-level alcohol consumption, indicates that moderation is key.
Non-alcoholic beer emerges as a potentially safer alternative, offering some of the appearing benefits of beer consumption without the associated health risks of alcohol. Ultimately, the decision to consume beer daily should be made with a full understanding of the possible health implications, emphasizing that less alcohol might indeed be the better choice for long-term health.
