Deep down, all of us craft beer drinkers would love to believe that beer is good for you.

The truth is, it could be!

People have been touting the health benefits of moderate wine consumption for years, but beer is left mostly out of the conversation.

Actually, beer is relatively nutritious and stands out among other alcoholic drinks regarding its potential benefits. 

Now, does that mean tons of beer can solve all of your health problems?

The answer, unfortunately, is no, and too much of any alcohol will undoubtedly have negative effects.

However, like many things, moderate-to-light beer consumption can do some good things for your body, just like it does good things for your soul.

Let's take a closer look at some of the potential health benefits of our favorite beverage.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Research has suggested that light to moderate alcohol consumption of any kind can be good for long-term cardiovascular health (de Gaetano et al., 2016).

Moderate in this case means consuming two or fewer drinks a day for men and one for women. This is especially the case with beer because the antioxidants present in the beverage help reduce free radicals, protecting the heart and overall health.

Furthermore, some studies have shown that alcohol raises your good cholesterol, which also positively affects the heart (Padro et al., 2018).

However, these benefits can quickly become more negative than positive if someone is drinking excessively.

Nutrient Content in Beer

Beer contains more nutrients than most other alcoholic beverages, glass for glass, making it somewhat better for you than other drinks. It has a higher concentration of Vitamin B-12 and more protein than found in wine, and the antioxidants are different but still helpful (FoodData Central).

Beer is also a good source of Dietary Silicone which can help with bone density.

Now, you cannot get all of your daily values from beer-you would need to drink so much that the negative health benefits would far outweigh the positives-but this does mean that if you are choosing to drink, beer is one of the better choices you can make.

Improved Cognitive Function

Many researchers are now looking into whether beer can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia. Several studies show a correlation between moderate-to-light alcohol consumption and a lower risk of cognitive disease, and an increase in memory function (de Gaetano et al., 2016).

Additionally, hops specifically contain a chemical that is associated with improved memory.

However, like most of the benefits of alcohol, memory functions can suffer if alcohol use becomes too frequent.

Better Regulation of Insulin

Finally, a small amount of alcohol, including beer, throughout the week can help to control blood sugar levels by reducing insulin resistance (Joosten et al., 2008).

Lower insulin resistance is an essential factor in preventing diabetes.

As a conclusion

We all know that too much alcohol can be dangerous. But in moderation, beer especially can have some positive effects on the body.

And as we are wrapping up, it is crucial that we mention one of beer's most fantastic properties: it makes us happy!

Alcohol should never be used as a crutch for stress and anxiety, but the truth is we love craft beer and only partly for the buzz.

Giving ourselves this small reward is a good thing, and relieving a little stress is great for the body.

So as long as you are consuming in moderation, take a little joy in some of the wonderful benefits of beer.

Indulge yourself with the fantastic rage of healthy craft beers, whatever you choose, enjoy it with moderation and remember they are always delivered fresh straight from the brewery.

And remember, become a Craft Champion and you will pay less for your favourite beer, ALWAYS!

Main references 

de Gaetano, G., Costanzo, S., Di Castelnuovo, A., Badimon, L., Bejko, D., Alkerwi, A., Chiva-Blanch, G., Estruch, R., La Vecchia, C., Panico, S., Pounis, G., Sofi, F., Stranges, S., Trevisan, M., Ursini, F., Cerletti, C., Donati, M. B., & Iacoviello, L. (2016). Effects of moderate beer consumption on health and disease: A consensus document. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD, 26(6), 443-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2016.03.007

Padro, T., Muñoz-García, N., Vilahur, G., Chagas, P., Deyà, A., Antonijoan, R. M., & Badimon, L. (2018). Moderate Beer Intake and Cardiovascular Health in Overweight Individuals. Nutrients, 10(9), 1237. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10091237

Denke M. A. (2000). Nutritional and health benefits of beer. The American journal of the medical sciences, 320(5), 320-326. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000441-200011000-00004

FoodData Central, US Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168746/nutrients

Joosten, M. M., Beulens, J. W., Kersten, S., & Hendriks, H. F. (2008). Moderate alcohol consumption increases insulin sensitivity and ADIPOQ expression in postmenopausal women: a randomised, crossover trial. Diabetologia, 51(8), 1375-1381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-008-1031-y