Beer with Benefits: 4 Reasons to Drink Guinness
by QuickieChick Laurel House.
Whether you're typically a beer drinker or not, St. Patrick's Day seems to be the one day a year when almost everyone drinks their share. For those who drink MORE than their share, they are often the ones waking up the next morning barely able to lift their throbbing heads, swearing off alcohol for good (this time), and shunning the site of the piles of empty beer bottles. But beer isn't all bad.
Studies have found that drinking beer in moderation can reduce your risk of heart disease, kidney stones and certain types of cancer. Another unexpected perk, if you are drinking Guinness (even Obama drinks it): you could be consuming fewer calories than you would have with that glass of Pinot or Cabernet. Other benefits of this brunette brew…
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ON A DIET? GUINNESS IS NOT THE ENEMY
At 170 calories per pint, Guinness will do less damage to your diet than a glass of orange juice or even a glass of low-fat milk.
DON'T DO A KEG STAND! SIT, AND ENJOY
There's a reason AskMen ranked Guinness as one of the Top 10 Popular Quality Beers… it just tastes good! The thick, rich consistency means you'll actually want to savor each sip, rather than chug it down to move onto the next one-another calorie-saving component.
WATCH: How to Drink Beer Correctly, and Does Light in Color Beer mean it's Lighter in Calories?
MOIST MINERALS
Overall beer is winning the battle of benefits. Beer drinkers have 30% higher levels of Vitamin B than non-beer drinkers and TWICE the amount of wine drinkers. Beer also increases HDL levels-your "good" cholesterol-and reduces the chances of blocked arteries, a major cause of coronary heart disease.
READ: Is Beer the new Painkiller?
DRINK IT FOR THE BABY
Now this one might be a bit controversial, but new moms who have been off alcohol for 9 months should grab a Guinness in celebration of their access to alcohol again. A small amount of alcohol increases blood stimulation, with promotes milk production. Guinness in particular promotes milk production with its high levels of Vitamin B and Iron.
Don't hide out this St. Patrick's Day in fear of a massive hangover and a little extra jiggle in your middle. Guinness is the perfect beer to fetch during the Irish festivities. Enjoy twice the benefits and half the guilt as those other beer drinkers.
Guinness for Dessert?- A Guinness and Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Float!
If you really want to be in Guinness heaven, add a few scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt to your glass of Guinness for a fab float. It's the perfect dessert! Here's how to make it.
OF COURSE… drink responsibly, in moderation, and only if you're of age. And NEVER drink and drive. Call a cab. It's cheaper than bail.
xx
Laurel
Laurel House is a lifestyle author, expert, writer, personal trainer and the "QuickieChick." Her "quickies" are all about making the most out of every moment- whether it's a saddlebag-burning "Quickie Workout in Bed," a metabolism-boosting "Bites with Benefits" meal, or how to get a $150 spa-quality skin peel out of a $1 tomato and lemon at-home Refrigerator Facial. Her YouTube videos have received over 6 million views and now you can get even more Quickie Tips in her new book "QuickieChick's Cheat Sheet to Life, Love, Food, Fitness, Fashion and Finance on a Less than Fabulous Budget" (St. Martin's, May 2012).
