New health benefit of beer Is worth toasting
Don't you just love it when science gives you a reason to do something (or eat something or drink something) you love? Yeah, me too.
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That's why I mentally file away every study showing that chocolate, coffee, and red wine are really good for you. (To be honest, I can never exactly remember why -- but that's really not the point. The point is that some researcher out there says there's an excellent health benefit to enjoying a morning latte, afternoon candy bar, and evening glass of wine.)
Now there's a new study offering a health rationale for doing yet another thing many of us enjoy: hoisting a pint of beer.
Yep, researchers at Cambridge University have determined that drinking anywhere from a half a pint (for those who are premenopausal) to a full pint (for women who've already suffered through menopause) of beer each day can help women stave off osteoporosis. Apparently beer packs a one-two punch: The ethanol in the alcohol helps prevent bone loss, and the silicon in it has been linked to the growth of new bone. It's best to opt for an ale, which has a higher concentration of silicon over a lager, researchers say.
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Of course, you don't need researchers to tell you that it's often very pleasant to quaff down a nice cold one after a long, hard day. But the idea that we're doing something beneficial to our health at the same time? Well, that's just the icing on the cake (or foam on the top of your stein).
Here's to your health!
Will this make you more inclined to drink beer on a regular basis?
Image via Dinner Series/Flickr
Written by Amy Reiter for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
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