Many Russians love to drink beer and indulge in an intoxicated drink after work or on a weekend. Meanwhile, few people know that this type of alcohol in certain cases and doses can be useful. For example, drinking quality beer in moderation can help rejuvenate blood vessel cells and improve gastrointestinal function. About other advantages of the foamy drink, as well as why it should not be abused after all, - in the material NEWS.ru.
Only high quality beer with a low alcohol content can benefit the body. It contains a fairly large amount of macro- and microelements. In particular, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper and zinc, as well as B vitamins, nutritionist Svetlana Titova said in a conversation with NEWS.ru.
Beer also contains silicon, which is beneficial for strengthening bones. In addition, the drink contains plant fibers. They lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and prevent blood clots from forming, the doctor explains.
Meanwhile, drinking beer in moderation (no more than one to two glasses a day) reduces the risk of heart attack, as well as the development of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the use of a foamy drink promotes the rejuvenation of blood vessel cells by accelerating metabolic processes in the body, and also has a calming and analgesic effect, explains Titova.
Beer has a very strong diuretic effect. For this reason, it cleanses the kidneys, removes certain harmful substances from the body (for example, heavy metal salts), and also reduces the risk of stones.
There is a widespread stereotype in society that people get fat from beer. However, this statement is not entirely true, says the nutritionist. A quality light beer is a good source of nutrients for the beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. And the plant fibers included in this drink improve the functions of the digestive system.
Not everything is so rosy
Nevertheless, it should be understood that those types of beer, which contain a lot of alcohol, have a negative effect on the liver, heart, stomach and other organs, explains Titova.
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Author: Svetlana Titova [nutritionist]
Also, they often eat something salty, fatty and fried with beer. This quickly leads to excess weight. Therefore, in order for the beer to be beneficial, it cannot be combined with a variety of snacks.
Meanwhile, in industrial production today it is almost impossible to find natural beer with a low alcohol content, said Olga Burlakova, therapist and nutritionist, in a conversation with NEWS.ru. In addition, most hop products that are widely available in stores today contain chemical sweeteners, preservatives, stabilizers, colors and flavors. All these components have an extremely negative effect on the body, the specialist emphasizes. In addition, beer contains fusel oils, which, if consumed excessively, can destroy liver cells, Burlakova notes.
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Author: Olga Burlakova [therapist and wellness specialist]
Beer is especially dangerous for men. The thing is that this drink contains estrogens - natural female hormones. Excessive use of the intoxicated drink leads to a change in hormonal levels in the stronger sex. This, in turn, becomes the reason that the man's body begins to become more feminine - a tummy, rounded hips appear. Sometimes even the timbre of the voice changes.
Another problem that hoppy drinkers may face is beer alcoholism. In most cases, people suffering from it subsequently switch to more "serious" drinks. This was stated in a conversation with NEWS.ru by a narcologist Alexey Kazantsev.
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Author: Alexey Kazantsev [psychiatrist and narcologist]
Beer alcoholism is characterized by the loss of quantitative control over what was drunk. That is, a person strives to be in a state of intoxication as long as possible and can consume an extremely large amount of intoxicated drink in one day - from six liters and more. In addition, beer alcoholism is characterized by drunkenness. The patient can consume the intoxicated drink for several days or even weeks.
Beer alcoholism leads to an increase in the liver, kidneys, cerebral edema, as well as a change in the shape of the heart and an increase in its volume, the narcologist notes. In addition, excessive consumption of this intoxicating drink disrupts the water-electrolyte balance and removes potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium from the body. Subsequently, a person may face osteoporosis and problems with the cardiovascular system, summed up Kazantsev.