Wine vs Beer

Many persons have adopted the mantra - a glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away. Well, so does an English pint of beer. So, which will be your choice this holiday season?

Recent research has proven that one to two glasses of wine a day is healthy for the body. However, what about the most common of spirits - beer?

According to a study done by the research laboratories at the Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura Giovannia Paolo II in Italy, drinking beer moderately has the same positive effects on one's health as wine.

Drinking wine moderately - two glasses for men and one glass for women - can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 31 per cent, less when compared to those who do not drink. Findings of the study show, for the first time, that drinking slightly more than an English pint of beer a day, containing five per cent of alcohol, has the same protective benefit as wine.

Studying wine and beer separately, Simona Costanzo, first author of the paper, noted that they have observed a reduction in cardiovascular risk with low to moderate drinking. However, with increased consumption, the protective advantage disappears until the risk gets higher.

With these findings of the benefits of beer, especially as it relates to cardiovascular disease, Augusto Di Castelnuovo, head of the statistical unit of Research Laboratories and a pioneer in alcohol epidemiological studies, emphasises moderate and regular drinking, as there is no scope for binge drinking or any other form of heavy consumption.

Di Castelnuovo also cautioned that their data cannot be extrapolated to everybody, citing women in their fertile age.

The researchers admitted though, that the similarity between wine and beer and their positive effects on cardiovascular health is still unknown.

Beer has been the subject of many studies before and, since then, many benefits have been found just by drinking the humble spirit moderately. According to HealthMad.com, some of the positive effects of drinking beer include:

1. Raising the level of antioxidants in the bloodstream

2. A source of vitamin B6 which is needed to make haemoglobin, the red colouring in blood

3. Aids in sleep and promotes relaxation

4. Can help reduce blood pressure and levels of insulin in the blood

5. Can reduce the incidence of kidney stones

6. Contains flavanoids which are natural oxidants that help the body protect itself against diseases.