Beer: Health Benefits?

We've all been told that one glass of red wine a day will help your heart. This makes sense, since wine is made from grapes. I suppose we never stopped to consider that beer is made from barley. There are several health benefits to drinking beer - in moderation! - that most people don't know about.

#1: Reducing Risk of Cancer

No, this doesn't mean that drinking beer means you'll never get cancer. However, marinating your favorite meat in beer helps to remove a lot of the carcinogens that get trapped in the pores of the meat when you fry it in a pan. 

#2: Helps Your Kidneys

Obviously if you drink a lot of beer, this point becomes sort of moot. If you do drink beer in moderation, it has been known to lead to a more healthy kidney function. This could be because of the flower some beers are made from - hops - which may slow the release of calcium from the bones. It also might have something to do with the high volume of water in beer. 

#3: If You Only Had A Heart

We all know the old saying about apples, but is it possible it could pertain to beer as well? Consumption of alcohol raises levels of good cholesterol, which in turn helps your heart to keep beating nicely inside of your chest. It also has anti-clotting effects. This is why if you get injured while intoxicated, your blood just flows out with seemingly no end. 

#4: You Can't Stop Drinking So Much Milk

Well, not really. However, beer has been shown to increase the strength of your bones. It is probably due to the high silicon content within beer. Silicon helps to stimulate bone-building, and IPA's have the highest level within the liquid.