Health Benefits of Beer

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!  Every Irishman's favorite holiday is upon us today!  Did you get pinched for not wearing green?  Did you receive your smooches today from your fellow Irish clansmen?  I am not Irish (that I know of) so I often forget this holiday even exists until it is thrust upon us through the sea of green everywhere.  Hence, I forgot about it until I went to work today without a green shirt on. Haha!
In honor of everybody's favorite beer-drinking holiday, I thought I would let you in on a few health benefits of beer!  Surprisingly enough, beer does have A FEW health benefits.  Knowing this doesn't mean you need to go out and become a lush either though.  Remember every health nut's number one rule of thumb...everything in moderation!  I know you Irish folks will probably ignore that today though, so I'll humor you.  :-)
1.  BEER SLIGHTLY CUTS HEART DISEASE RISK
     Alcoholic beverages, including beer, have been shown to slightly boost HDL ("good") cholesterol,  lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and thin the blood, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
This is true in regards to moderate alcohol consumption which is equal to one 12-oz beer for women and two for men.
2. BEER MAY HELP REDUCE KIDNEY STONES AND BOOST BONE DENSITY
    Beer contains hops, and some studies show that the compounds in hops may slow the release of calcium from bones, preventing it from forming stones.  Moderate beer drinking has been linked to higher bone densities in women.  (Remember....I said MODERATE! wink, wink).  \
3.  BEER CONTAINS VITAMINS, MINERALS AND......FIBER!
     Note I didn't say A LOT of vitamins and minerals.  Don't go and pretend your beer is your daily multi-vitamin!  A standard 12-oz lager contains just under 1 gram of fiber and a dark beer has just over 1 gram.  In general, regular beer contains some B vitamins.  A beer also has some calcium, magnesium, and selenium too.
So go ahead and toast St. Patty's Day with a beer tonight!  And may the luck of the Irish be with you on your healthy journeys!

Source:  Reasons to Reach for a Beer, Cynthia Sass, RD, MPH:  (SHAPE Magazine)