Whether drinking homemade beer has health benefits or not is very controversial in my house. I wanted to prove to my wife that what I was drinking was better for me than something bought in a shop. So I did some research.
So, is drinking homemade beer good for you?
Experts say that in moderation, drinking homemade beer can very beneficial to your health. It has several unexpected benefits which can help you live a long and healthy life. There is even evidence that homemade beer is superior to commercially produced beer in this respect.
From the research I have made, homemade beer can help to:
- boost your daily nutrient intake.
- lead to a healthier heart
- lower the risk of diabetes
- build stronger bones
- increase your brain power
- lead to cleaner teeth
- reduce inflammation
- aid digestion
- reduce the risk of kidney stones
- lowers blood pressure
- is a great diuretic
- reduces stress
- has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer
Now, of course, I’m no doctor and I wouldn’t want you to take my word without doing your own research. However, I really wanted to win the argument with my wife so I went into a little more details, which I’ll share with you in the rest of this article.
What are the potential health benefits of drinking your own home made beer?
Firstly, the benefit of drinking your own beer is that you know exactly what goes into it. Some commercial beers have some worrying ingredients, especially ones which preserve it for longer. (buy beer from local breweries) I used to get way worse hangovers drinking that stuff than I ever get drinking my own brew.
A nutrients boost
Beer is packed full of nutrient-rich goodness. Homemade beer is even more so. In fact, during most of European history beer was the staple diet of the common folk who drank up to 10 pints of the stuff each day.
Now I’m not suggesting you do this, but one or two may give you that little nutrient boost you needed. Each pint is packed full of B vitamins, phosphorus as well as folate and niacin. Another thing you may not have known about your favorite drink is that it has plenty of protein and fiber too.
In fact, I can clearly remember an Irish colleague of mine who seriously recommended drinking a Guinness when I was ill, he said it would help boost my immune system and he was probably right. At any rate, it made me feel happier about the situation.
source:the American journal of the medical sciences
Get a healthier ticker
Now, thIs one really surprised me as I thought that wine was supposed to be the best thing for a healthy heart. I’m happy I was wrong.
Beer contains vitamin B6 which can really help the heart. It can help reduce the risk of blockages and blood clots because it thins the blood. There is also evidence that beer consumption can lessen inflammation and the development of cholesterol and plaque in your arteries and veins. Have a chat with your doctor and they should be able to confirm the benefits for your own case.
Less risk of developing diabetes
It appears that moderate drinking, perhaps a beer per day, can help men (and I suppose women too) to reduce their risk of developing diabetes by up to 21%. In the present climate of obesity and a high proportion of diabetes suffers, this is an amazing revelation.
Beers for stronger bones
Due to the presence of silicon in your beer (yeah, I know who knew) that occasional pint can help you build stronger and denser bones. This is a huge benefit as bones become weaker naturally over time. This can lead to them breaking more easily. Yet another point for beer!
Better beer brain
Again, due to the surprising silicon in your beer, you could reap the rewards of a healthier brain. It can help reduce the build-up of certain compounds in the brain which have led to certain diseases. There is evidence that beer drinkers are 23% less susceptible to developing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
Xanthohumol, another chemical found in beer can help reduce oxidative damage to the brain. There is also some evidence that the same chemical can boost neuron generation.
Shiny teeth
This is another fact that surprised me, but beer can actually fight the bacteria from growing on your teeth and leading to decay. It works by disrupting the growth of the bacteria and so tooth decay and gum disease can be remarkably decreased. Let’s not forget that gum disease is the leading cause of heart disease too (I don’t know how, but it apparently is).
Fights inflammation
Now, this is true of any beer which uses hops for flavoring. Hops is a very interesting plant and its buds have some remarkable qualities. It not only can help you drop off to sleep (apart from drinking the beer that is) it also has powerful inflammation-fighting chemicals in it known as bitter acids. (shop for your hops online at homebrewing.org).
This is probably what also helps reduce inflammation in your heart and blood vessels. Next time you twist your ankle, maybe you should have a cold glass of home-brew and see what happens.
Better digestion
The same inflammation fighting bitter acids can also stimulate gastric acid in your stomach leading to better all round digestion. Beer has also been seen to help control the bad bacteria found naturally in the gut.
Less likely to develop kidney stones
Due to two elements of beer, magnesium, and potassium, those who drink beer in moderation are less likely to develop kidney stones. Anyone who has had them would agree that drinking a few delicious glasses of beer a week is a price worth paying to avoid the pain.
Yet another reason to replace your soda with dinner with a much healthier homemade beer.
lowers blood pressure
It has been noted that regular beer drinkers have demonstrated lower blood pressure than drinkers of wine and spirits. The magic of beer has no bounds!
Did you know beer makes you pee?
Any beer drinker knows the golden rule, don’t break the seal otherwise, you’ll be going to the bathroom twice for every beer you drink. Well, apparently we’ve been getting it wrong for years.
Regular urination is a good thing as it flushes out toxins and waste from your body. I suppose this makes sense and it’s just an added benefit of drinking your favorite beer by the pint.
Reduces stress
Well, I suppose we all knew this one already but it was worth just confirming that, yes, we are all correct beer is great for taking a load off and helping us unwind.
Has the potential to reduce the risk of some cancers
The research into this is still at the experimental stage on rats and has been limited to beer components such as hops, but the news is encouraging. The idea is that hops and its many wonderful properties could act as what is known as a chemopreventive agent.
Another element of beer, bitter acids, was seen to have a positive effect on reducing tumors in rats in one study. Perhaps beer will turn out to be the answer that we have been searching for in the fight against cancer.
Related Questions
Can homemade beer be dangerous?
Drinking homemade beer isn’t dangerous as long as you do it in moderation. There is no risk of methanol developing which can make you blind. Bacteria can spoil a beer but it is more damaging to the taste than you. Some real dangers can come from the brewing process where you are dealing with hot liquids, electrical equipment, and highly pressured containers. Is your beer too foamy? Check our other article on this.
Can you drink yourself sober?
No, you can definitely not drink yourself sober. Alcohol makes us drunk, if you drink it you will only increase the level of drunkenness you feel. However, if you drink less through an evening and your body metabolizes more than you consume then you will appear to become more sober. We all have a limit, so don’t push yours!
